The six short musical statements of the piece are inspired by six poems written by her son when he was twelve. The first takes into account the haiku pattern of 5 + 7 + 5 syllables. The second expores the extreme ranges of the piano. The fifth makes clear the connection to the clock. And the sixth explores the damper pedal, glissandi, overtones and shifting harmonies. (Notes by the composer.)
Six Haiku for Solo Piano
10'30" $ 9.00 #040073 AP-111Poems by Erik Lauer. Sketches by Amy Lauer.
Recording: I Virtuosi CD 502"captures both the spirit and the specific mood of each poem" (Pan Pipes)
Two Rags à la française for solo piano
le crépuscule & l'aurore (twilight & dawn)
4' $ 0.00 # AP-The two rags were written in 2006 and dedicated to Sandro Russo. They were awarded First Prize in a competition sponsored by the National League of American Pen Women for its biennial in 2006. Lauer describes the origin of the music as follows:
"My favorite word in the French language is 'crépuscule.' I was repeating the word in my mind one day, when the sounds of a piano piece came into my head. That bit of what some might call inspiration is now the introduction to what has turned out to be a concert rag. A companion work, 'L'Aurore,' was a foregone conclusion. More than a soupçon of some aspects of French musical sounds is to be heard in these pieces."
Diamonds: Double Solitaire for Xylophone and Piano
(Score and part) 8' $11.00 #040118 AP-728Diamonds received the 1992 composition prize from the Percussive Arts Society. There are three movements: Dialectics, Dialogue, and Diatonics. In this duo, the xylophone is treated as the frisky and high-spirited partner of the solid, supportive piano.
Five Miniatures for Three Winds
for oboe, clarinet and horn (performed from score)
8' $ 9.00 #040108 AP-718There are five brief movements: Prelude, Dance, Interlude, Games, and Epilogue. According to the composer, the piece is about three wind instruments, each of strong personality, speaking both individually and collectively.
painting by Anne Saussois
score sample (pdf)
Fear No More...
(text by William Shakespeare)
for double mixed chorus a cappella
5'6" #040145 AP-523 $4.00
Sigh No More, Ladies
(text by William Shakespeare)
for three part treble chorus a cappella
3' #040146 AP-524 $3.50
score
sample (pdf)
Elizabeth Lauer has been occupied with inventing music since she was a small child and her formal education at Bennington College and Columbia University was in music composition. She received a Fulbright scholarship for study at the Stätliche Hochschule für Musik in Hamburg, Germany from 1955-57 and was assistant to the president of Columbia Records for five years and an associate producer for Columbia Masterworks for one year. More recently she has added performing to her musical activities as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral pianist. She is on the faculty of the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut. Her music includes song cycles, chamber music, an opera and several choral pieces. Arsis Press has published her Six Haiku for Solo Piano, Five Miniatures for Three Winds, Diamonds for Xylophone and Piano plus two vocal works: Fear No More and Sigh No More on texts by William Shakespeare, now available on a Capstone CD. Other music by Elizabeth Lauer is available through Carl Fischer and Kjos, and is recorded on the Newport Classics, I Virtuosi and Capstone labels. |
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Quotes by Women of Note |