Hello. Here you'll find my original compositions. You can hear each piece by clicking on "listen" and see the score by clicking on "see." Except as noted, these pieces were written using Finale on a Dell laptop parked next to my 1907 Baldwin upright. (No MIDI interface on that!) Most of what you hear are computer approximations using synthesized instruments. Some pieces are played back using Finale 2010 with Garritan Instruments and converted to .mp3 through Audacity. The intent is so you'll hear "sort of" what they might sound like when performed by live musicians. But there's no substitute for real people playing real instruments, so let me know if your group would like to play any of these tunes. Many are suitable for youth ensembles. Contact me at raulkottler@gmail.com or 805-649-9898 for the individual parts at no charge. Thanks for visiting.
Acylindrical Helix (flute, oboe, bassoon, clarinet, trumpet, horn, timpani, strings -5'14") "listen" "see" A helix has a constant angle to the horizontal. "Acylindrical" indicates it has no fixed center axis. This piece resolves to a-minor throughout (analogous to the constant angle) but it has time, tempo, and instrument variance (analogous to no fixed center).
Adagio (vln1, vln2, vla, cello - 2'43") "listen" "see" Simple. Melodic.
After Ojai (vln1, vln2, vla, cello - 4'18") "listen" "see" For weeks after the Ojai Music Festival the local oaks and sycamores resonate with Adams ostinati, Lygeti texture, and Messiaen birdsong. (Finale 2010)
Aurora (flute, oboe, bassoon, clarinet, trumpet, horn, timpani, strings - 3'12") "listen" "see" I seldom watch the sunrise (I'm not a morning person) but this is my recollection.
Bonneville (vln1, vln2, vla, cello - 3'24") "listen" "see" I wrote this after seeing a documentary on the salt flats.
'Cellegro for Dr. Foy (cello and piano -2'02") "listen" "see" Dr. Janice Foy is a fine 'cellist who's been a great encouragement to me. You can learn more about her at http://www.bravo-la.com
Emma Wood (vln1, vln2, vla, cello - 5'25") "listen" "see" It's the name of a beach up the coast from Ventura. I spend a lot of time there so it must have influenced me. Prominent viola part. (This is produced in Finale 2010.)
Folk Song Stew (vln1, vln2, vla, cello - 3'14") "listen" "see" How many can you identify? Turkey in the Straw, Simple Gifts, Boil Them Cabbage Down, Wabash Cannonball, Orange Blossom Special, Shenandoah, Arkansas Traveller, and Shave and a Haircut.
Hickory Jump (vln1, vln2, vla, cello - 2'50") "listen" "see" Jazzy, with tricky rhythms. Foothill String Quartet played this at a museum reception in Dec '09. (Finale 2010)
In the Piano "see" Not music, but a short story I wrote where a Chickering has a major role.
Jocularity (vln1, vln2, vla, cello, bass - 3'52") "listen" "see" Listen for contrasting melodies in different keys.
Katrina's Request (vln 1, vln 2, vln 3, vln 4, vla, cello - 2'53") "listen" "see" Katrina requested something with solos for each fiddle. Ventura College Chamber Group played this in December 2010.
March (vln1, vln2, vla, cello, bass - 3'25") "listen" "see" I always wanted to be in a marching band, but they didn't have violins in the marching band. So I wrote this, even though it will be hard to march while playing it. Ojai Sinfonia played this in Nov '08.
Maroon (violin and cello - 2'07") "listen" "see"
Melon Collie Waltz (vln1, vln2, vla, cello - 1'56") "listen" "see"
Old Garden (vln 1, vln 2, vla, cello, bass - 4'40") "listen" "see" Ojai Sinfonia played this in Nov '08.
Pentacle (vln1, vln 2, vla, cello - 2'47") "listen" "see" What can you do with just five notes? And how long will you wait for an e-minor chord?
Perche Mi Piace (vln 1, vln 2, vla, cello - 4"28") "listen" "see" I was going to abandon this as being too trite, but then I decided not to "because I like it." (That's what the title means.)
Raquel's Interview: Not a composition, but an interview with my mother about early days of the Tango. "listen"
Sequoia (vln 1, vln 2, vla, cello - 4'43") "listen" "see" After a visit to the redwoods in 2007. Foothill String Quartet played this at a museum reception in Dec '09.
Slow in Six (vln 1, vln 2, vla, cello - 2'45") "listen" "see" I like slow.
Snake River (vln1, vln 2, vla, cello, bass - 4"25") "listen" "see" After a visit to Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming in 2008. Don't let the chorale-like intro fool you; this snake will bite!
Sorta Kinda Gypsy-ish (violin and cello - 2'48") "listen" "see" I believe the title is self-explanatory.
Tango (vln 1, vln 2, vla, cello - 1'42") "listen" "see" Saludos a los Argentinos!
Tango Para Dos (violin and cello - 1"56") "listen" "see" The same Tango, but arranged for violin and cello.
Tango Pa' Mis Primos (piano - 2'44") "listen" "see" Para mis primos estudiando piano en l'Argentina. Pero mira, che, que no te lo hice facil, eh?
Tear for Two (violin and cello - 2'11") "listen" "see" Jazz. (Produced in Finale 2010.)
The View from the End of the Pier (vln1, vln2, vla, cello - 4'15") "listen" "see" (Composed and produced in Finale 2010.) One can see a variety of scenes and activities from the end of the Ventura pier. Tonal. Sort of folk music or prayer like.
They're There for Their Theremins (vln1, vln2, vla, cello - 4'48") "listen" "see" (Composed and produced in Finale 2010.) The Theremin is a rare electronic instrument you may have heard in science-fiction movies. I attempt to evoke its quality through strings. Imagine the musicians have lost their Theremins early in the piece. They march to find them and succeed. (Actually, I came up with the title first due to my annoyance with the frequent misuse of these words and then wrote the piece for it.)
Viola in Charge (vln1, vln2, vla, cello - 4'24") "listen" "see" Hooray for violas!
Viola Alone (vla - 4'19") "listen" "see" Unaccompanied viola. That's me playing my 1950 Karl Hermann captured with a Zoom H4n and processed using Audacity. Composed in Finale 2010b.
Viola Alone II (vla - 4'20") "listen" "see" Unaccompanied viola. The sequel!
Viola Alone III (vla - 3'17") "listen" "see" Unaccompanied viola. This is Victor de Almeida playing live on 5.14.11 in Oxnard, CA as an encore after Hovhaness' Talin.
Viola Alone IV (vla) "see" Unaccompanied viola. No recording yet (too hard for me to play).
White Keys (vln1, vln2, vla, cello, bass -2'57") "listen" "see" I submitted this to a contest for high school orchestras. (Didn't win.)4&6 (vln1, vln2, vla, cello - 1'44") "listen" "see" Can you figure out why I named it thus?
2008 #1 (vln1, vln2, vla, cello - 1'56") "listen" "see" Sometimes I can't think up a good title (or any title).
2008 #3 (vln1, vln2, vla, cello - 2'38") "listen" "see" Ditto.
