Shaffer, Jeanne (1926-2007) Website formerly of Montgomery, Alabama Three Faces of Woman for Clarinet and Piano In three movements. 17' $15.00 #040111 AP-721 Premiered at the 1996 convention of the Southeastern Composers League at Southwestern Louisiana State University, the work is the composer's Op. 193, nos. 1-3.

score sample (pdf)

Premiered at the 1996 convention of the Southeastern Composers League at Southwestern Louisiana State University, the work is the composer's Op. 193, nos. 1-3. Movements are titled: Femme Fatale (blues), Femme Fragile (berceuse), and Feministe Furieuse (scherzo). She writes: "Since stronger versions of the themes of the first two movements are present in the third, the piece makes the statement that a feministe furieuse stage is necessary to break the stereotypes of the first two [femme fatale and femme fragile stages]. Also, the composer acknowledges that all three are present in herself and probably most women." Richard Stoltzman and the Warsaw Philharmonic have recorded the orchestral version for MMC compact discs.

Christina Rossetti, My Mother and Me A cycle of five songs for mezzo or baritone & piano 13' $ 9.00 #040051 AP-330 Dedicated to her mother, the piece is the composer's Op. 207. The titles of the songs are: Up-Hill, Sleeping at Last, Song, Remember, and Another Spring. The poems are about life, death, and using well our time with those we love. The first performance was at the National Gallery in Washington, D.C

score sample (pdf)

Emptiness Became Music Four songs for high voice, flute and piano 8' $ 8.00 #040052 AP-331 The songs are on texts by the composer and are entitled: When Did Our Love Begin?, How Dare You?, I Hear the Music Still, and Love Is Like That.

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Eternity - Five Songs to poems of William Blake for soprano with piano accompaniment 7' $ 8.00 #040053 AP-332 " It was well crafted not only with technical skill but, more important, with audience awareness and a sense of the value of communication." (The Washington Post) Composed in 1992, Eternity has five parts: The Wild Flower's Song, Soft Snow, Infant Joy, Infant Sorrow, and Eternity. The first version of this piece was performed at the Piccolo SpoletoFestival in Charleston, SC. The published version was first performed at the 1996 Women's Music Festival at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

score sample (pdf)

On Gardens, Minutes and Butterflies five songs for high voice, flute and piano 10' $ 9.00 #040054 AP-333 The songs are on texts by the composer and are entitled: Come slowly, Paradise, What Can I Give You, My Love?, Beautiful Fool, On Planting a Garden and all that Jazz, and Sing for Days Like Today.

score sample (pdf)

 

A child star, Jeanne Shaffer sang on tour with Paul Whiteman's Orchestra and played Jeannette MacDonald as a child in the film, Girl of the Golden West. As an adult she earned a Ph.D. from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University, continued singing, conducted major choral works, directed many musicals, served as department head at Judson and Huntingdon Colleges, and was a church organist and choirmaster in Montgomery, Alabama. Following her teaching career, she hosted a weekly radio program on women composers called Eine kleine Frauenmusik that was broadcast over Southeastern Public Radio. In 1987 her opera, The Ghost of Susan B. Anthony, was commissioned by the University of Alabama. In 1989 she was an associate composer at the Atlantic Center for the Arts with Joan Tower and in 1991 with Lucas Foss. Over the years she was awarded grants from NEH, the Aspen Music Festival and the Alabama Arts Council. In 2003 she received an honorary doctorate from Huntingdon College. Arsis Press (under the name of Sisra Publications for ASCAP composers) has published her Three Faces of Woman for clarinet and piano and four song cycles: Christina Rossetti--My Mother and Me and Eternity--Five Songs to poems of William Blake, Emptiness Became Music. and On Gardens, Minutes and Butterflies with poetry by the composer. Other music is available through Plymouth, Lawson-Gould, MMB Music, and Concordia publishers.

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