Margaret Brouwer at Pytheas ~ Contemporary, Modern, New, Non-Pop Art Music Composers, Ensembles & Resources

Margaret Brouwer (1940 - )

Composer Margaret Brouwer’s music has earned singular praise for its lyricism, musical imagery, and emotional power. Her Concerto for Viola and Orchestra, commissioned by the Dallas Symphony, was premiered by them with Ellen Rose, solo violist in January 2010. Premieres in 2009 included Brouwer’s Rhapsody for Orchestra commissioned and premiered by the Detroit Symphony, Leonard Slatkin, conducting, and BREAKDOWN, a collaborative work by Brouwer and video/sound artist Kasumi, commissioned and premiered by the American Composers Orchestra, George Manahan conducting, at Carnegie’s Zankel Hall. Ms. Brouwer received an Award in Music from the American Academy of Arts and letters in 2006, was named a Guggenheim Fellow for 2004, and was awarded an Ohio Council for the Arts Individual Fellowship for 2005. In January 2006, Naxos released a CD of her orchestral music called Aurolucent Circles featuring Evelyn Glennie, solo percussionist and The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra with Gerard Schwarz conducting. In review of the title work on the CD, Lawson Taitte of The Dallas Morning News praised Brouwer saying, "Ms. Brouwer has one of the most delicate ears and inventive imaginations among contemporary American composers." In February 2010 the on-line publication NewMusicBox.com ran a feature about Brouwer. She received a Meet The Composer Commissioning/USA award to compose Path at Sunrise, Masses of Flowers which was premiered by the Cleveland Women’s Symphony in April 2010. Reviewing the concert in clevelandclassical.com, Mike Telin said "The title describes exactly what one sees when listening to this stunning piece. The colors that Ms. Brouwer draws from the orchestra throughout this gorgeous six-minute work made this listener wish it had lasted six minutes longer." A 2010 Voices of Change concert (Dallas) featured several of Brouwer’s works, and her first work for children, Daniel and Snakeman, A Children’s Symphonic Drama, was premiered by CityMusic Cleveland in May 2011.

COMPOSITIONS    Margaret Brouwer Links ~ ~ ~   Works by Genre    ~ ~ ~    Margaret Brouwer on Margaret Brouwer
Ruins of Riveaulx, electronic tape with optional visuals (1982)
Dream Drifts, Viola (with tape delay) and Piano (with Percussion) (1983)
Aurolucent Echoes, solo harp, echo harp, 2 percussion, violin, viola and cello (1985)
Timespan, brass quintet (1986)
Sonata for Violin and Piano (1987)
Currents and Cross Currents, orchestra (1988)
Third From the Sun, orchestra (1988)
Rapunzel, soprano, flute, bassoon, horn, trombone, percussion and narrator/synthesizer (1988)
SCHerZOid, horn (1989)
Two Pieces for Viola, viola and piano (1989)
Skattle, chamber orchestra (1990)
Washington and Lee Hymn, chorus (1990) [also arr. for chorus and orchestra]
Two Songs, soprano, flute, violin, cello, tuba (or trombone), percussion and piano (1990)
Then the Bells, chamber orchestra (1991)
Missa Brevis, male chorus and piano (plus 3 Chimes or Hand Bells, played by chorus members) (1991)
Skyriding, flute, violin, cello and piano (1992)
Chamber Concerto, clarinet, percussion and piano (1993)
Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra (1994)
    - Prelude and Vivace for Clarinet and Chamber Ensemble (1996) [chamber version of "Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra"]
Diary of an Alien, flute (1994) [movements can also be performed separately or in any combination]
    - Lament [also chamber version]
    - No Rotary Phone [1995 arr. for clarinet of mvt from " Diary of an Alien", 1994]
Tolling the Spirits, brass quintet (1994) [Movements can also be performed separately or in any combination]
Crosswinds, string quartet (1995)
Remembrances, orchestra (1996)
A Little Renaissance Music, violin, oboe, clarinet, cello and double bass (or other treble & bass instruments) (1996)
Sonata for Horn and Piano (1996)
Symphony No. 1, "Lake Voices", orchestra (1997)
Pluto - A Sequel, female chorus and orchestra (1997)
Demeter Prelude, string quartet (1997)
Celebration, brass quintet (1998)
Dancing on Hot Coals, piano (1998)
Sonata for Solo Piano (1998) [see also "Under the summer tree . . ."]
    - Under the Summer Tree . . ., piano (2000)
Sizzle, orchestra (2000; arr. for wind ensemble, 2002)
Winter Dream, soprano and piano (2000)
Mandala, chamber orchestra (2001)
Wedding Song, string orchestra (or string quartet) (2001)
Wedding Song, string quartet (2001) [also arr. for chamber orchestra]
Light (3 songs), soprano, harpsichord, flute, clarinet, violin, cello and percussion (2001)
Aurolucent Circles, concerto, solo percussion and orchestra (2002)
Lament, violin, clarinet, bassoon (or cello), percussion (2002)
Century's Song, chamber orchestra (2003)
   - Centennial Bells, orchestra (2003) [from "Century's Song"] [easy arrangement for middle & high school orchestras]
    - Red Hill Special March, band (2003) [transcribed by Larry Clark for college and high school bands]
Pulse, orchestra (2003)
Sing with the Lark, chorus, and opt. piano, and opt. handbells (2003) [text: Paul Laurence Dunbar]
Declaration (4 songs), soprano or mezzo-soprano, violin and piano (2005)
Clarinet Quintet, clarinet in A and string quartet (2005) [inspired by "An Angel's Song" from "Declaration"]
Trio, violin, clarinet and piano (2005)
Fling, string quartet (2006)
Stardance, orchestra (2007)
Concerto for Violin and Chamber Orchestra (2007)
Shattered Glass, flute, cello, percussion and piano (2007)
Breakdown, a sample based hybrid opera in one act (2009) [in collaboration with Kasumi, video/sound artist]
Rhapsody for Orchestra (2009)
Concerto for Viola and Orchestra (2010)
Path at Sunrise, Masses of Flowers, orchestra (2010)
Daniel and Snakeman, a children's symphonic drama, narrator and chamber orchestra (2011) [story by Margaret Brouwer]

WORKS BY GENRE              Margaret Brouwer Links     ~ ~ ~    Margaret Brouwer on Margaret Brouwer    ~ top of page ~
Dramatic/Theater
Breakdown, a sample based hybrid opera in one act (2009) [in collaboration with Kasumi, video/sound artist]
Daniel and Snakeman, a children's symphonic drama, narrator and chamber orchestra (2011) [story by Margaret Brouwer]

Orchestra
Currents and Cross Currents, orchestra (1988)
Third From the Sun, orchestra (1988)
    - The Forest Breathing
    - Currents and Cross Currents
Skattle, chamber orchestra (1990)
Then the Bells, chamber orchestra (1991)
Remembrances, orchestra (1996)
Symphony No. 1, "Lake Voices", orchestra (1997)
Sizzle, orchestra (2000; arr. for wind ensemble, 2002)
Mandala, chamber orchestra (2001)
    - Journey
    - Sand Mandala
Wedding Song, string orchestra (or string quartet) (2001)
Century's Song, chamber orchestra (2003)
    - Centennial Bells
    - Sing with the Lark
    - Red Hill Special March
        - Centennial Bells, orchestra (2003) [from "Century's Song"] [easy arrangement for middle & high school orchestras]
        - Red Hill Special March, band (2003) [transcribed by Larry Clark for college and high school bands]
Pulse, orchestra (2003)
Stardance, orchestra (2007)
Rhapsody for Orchestra (2009)
    - Voices
    - Airs and Rhapsodies
    - Dance
Path at Sunrise, Masses of Flowers, orchestra (2010)

Band
Sizzle, orchestra (2000; arr. for wind ensemble, 2002)
Red Hill Special March, band (2003) [transcribed by Larry Clark for college and high school bands]

Soloist(s) w/Orchestra or Ensemble
Chamber Concerto, clarinet, percussion and piano (1993)
Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra (1994)
    - Prelude and Vivace for Clarinet and Chamber Ensemble (1996) [chamber version of "Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra"]
Aurolucent Circles, concerto, solo percussion and orchestra (2002)
    - Floating in Dark Space
    - Stardance
    - Cycles and Currents
Concerto for Violin and Chamber Orchestra (2007)
    - Narrative
    - Ballad
    - Gypsy
Concerto for Viola and Orchestra (2010)
    - Caritas
     - ...fair as the moon, bright as the sun
    - Blithesome Spirit

Chorus w/Orchestra
Washington and Lee Hymn, chorus (1990) [also arr. for chorus and orchestra]
Pluto - A Sequel, female chorus and orchestra (1997)

Choral
Washington and Lee Hymn, chorus (1990) [also arr. for chorus and orchestra]
Missa Brevis, male chorus and piano (plus 3 Chimes or Hand Bells, played by chorus members) (1991)
[movements may be performed individually or in any combination]
    - Kyrie
    - Gloria
    - Sanctus
    - Benedictus
    - Agnus Dei
Sing with the Lark, chorus, and opt. piano, and opt. handbells (2003) [text: Paul Laurence Dunbar]

Chamber
Dream Drifts, Viola (with tape delay) and Piano (with Percussion) (1983)
    - drifting into the formless sleep world
    - fleeting dreams and images
    - within the unknown universe of sleep
    - a longer dream
    - sinking deeper into delta waves
Aurolucent Echoes, solo harp, echo harp, 2 percussion, violin, viola and cello (1985)
Timespan, brass quintet (1986)
    - Rondeau squared
    - Ancient Calls
    - Shining Metal
Skyriding, flute, violin, cello and piano (1992)
    - Riding the Easy Five Mile Sluice
    - Jinn Song
    - Hard Knock Jam
Chamber Concerto, clarinet, percussion and piano (1993)
Prelude and Vivace for Clarinet and Chamber Ensemble (1996) [chamber vers. of "Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra", 1994]
Tolling the Spirits, brass quintet (1994) [Movements can also be performed separately or in any combination]
    - Polluted Landscape
    - Lago di Como
    - Spirits
    - Monk’s Canon
    - Clangor
Crosswinds, string quartet (1995)
    - Blue Ridges, Dappled Sunlight, Mountain Waltz
    - Dusk
    - Oldtime Fiddles: High, Low, Lower
A Little Renaissance Music, violin, oboe, clarinet, cello and double bass (or other treble & bass instruments) (1996)
    - Rondeau Squared
    - Five Part Canon
Demeter Prelude, string quartet (1997)
Celebration, brass quintet (1998)
    - The Colonade
    - Evening by the Chapel
    - Festival of Memories
Wedding Song, string quartet (2001) [also arr. for chamber orchestra]
Lament, violin, clarinet, bassoon (or cello), percussion (2002)
    - Prelude
    - Unfinished Song
    - Lament
    - Searching - Revolving
Clarinet Quintet, clarinet in A and string quartet (2005) [inspired by "An Angel's Song" from "Declaration"]
Trio, violin, clarinet and piano (2005)
    - Joyful Moment
    - Adagio
    - Escaping
Fling, string quartet (2006)
Shattered Glass, flute, cello, percussion and piano (2007)

Instrument and Piano
Sonata for Violin and Piano (1987)
Two Pieces for Viola, viola and piano (1989)
    - X4-1=0
    - Chaconne2
Sonata for Horn and Piano (1996)
    - Hymn
    - Riding to Higher Clouds

Solo Instrument
SCHerZOid, horn (1989)
Diary of an Alien, flute (1994) [movements can also be performed separately or in any combination]
    - A Call For Action
    - Drifting
    - Lament [also chamber version]
    - No Rotary Phone [1995 arr. for clarinet of mvt from " Diary of an Alien", 1994]
    - Somewhere the bells . . .

Piano
Dancing on Hot Coals, piano (1998)
Sonata for Solo Piano (1998) [see also "Under the summer tree . . ."]
    - Under the Summer Tree . . ., piano (2000)

Vocal
Rapunzel, soprano, flute, bassoon, horn, trombone, percussion and narrator/synthesizer (1988)
Two Songs, soprano, flute, violin, cello, tuba (or trombone), percussion and piano (1990)
    - Ma Mata
    - I Sang
Winter Dream, soprano and piano (2000)
Light (3 songs), soprano, harpsichord, flute, clarinet, violin, cello and percussion (2001)
    - The Fiery Power [text: Hildegard von Bingen]
    - Nederlandse Light
    - Atoms [text: Richard Feynman]
Declaration (4 songs), soprano or mezzo-soprano, violin and piano (2005)
    - Thorn [text: Ann Woodward]
    - . . . all men and women are . . . [text: from the Declaration of Independence]
    - Thousands of Feet Below You [text: Alice Walker]
    - Whom do you call angel now? [text: David Adams]

Electronic
Ruins of Riveaulx, electronic tape with optional visuals (1982)

MARGARET BROUWER LINKS      Works by Genre    ~ ~ ~    Margaret Brouwer on Margaret Brouwer    ~ top of page ~
Brouwer Composes a Bouquet for Orchestra's 75th Anniversary (Donald Rosenberg, The Cleveland Plain Dealer)
CityMusic Cleveland Initiates Series of Intergenerational Concerts (Donald Rosenberg, The Cleveland Plain Dealer)
Cleveland: Academy Awards Time Again (Not that Academy) (Zachary M. Lewis, NewMusicBox)
A Conversation with Composer Margaret Brouwer (Daniel Hathaway, The ClevelandClassical.com Blog)
Margaret Brouwer Receives Guggenheim Fellowship
Margaret Brouwer's Beguiling Musical Tale of Tolerance ... (Donald Rosenberg, The Cleveland Plain Dealer)
Margaret Brouwer’s Daniel and Snakeman To Be Premiered (ClevelandClassical)
Margaret Brouwer, Thinking About Beautiful Sounds (Modern Tempo)

Composer's website . . .   contact Margaret Brouwer: here

Margaret Brouwer @ Wikipedia
Margaret Brouwer @ American Composers Orchestra
Margaret Brouwer @ American Music Center
Margaret Brouwer @ Art of the States
Margaret Brouwer @ Brooklyn College
Margaret Brouwer @ Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music
Margaret Brouwer @ Carl Fischer
Margaret Brouwer @ Classical Archives
Margaret Brouwer @ ClassicsToday
Margaret Brouwer @ Cleveland Arts Prize
Margaret Brouwer @ Cleveland Composers Guild / University of Akron
Margaret Brouwer @ composition:today
Margaret Brouwer @ Facebook
Margaret Brouwer @ Hemsing Associates
Margaret Brouwer @ InstantEncore
Margaret Brouwer @ Modern Classical
Margaret Brouwer @ ModernClassical Blog
Margaret Brouwer @ MusicalAmerica
Margaret Brouwer @ MusicWeb International
Margaret Brouwer @ Naxos
Margaret Brouwer @ New World Records
Margaret Brouwer @ The New York Times
Margaret Brouwer @ Sigma Alpha Iota
Margaret Brouwer @ Society of Composers
Margaret Brouwer @ Works with Horn by Women Composers

Publisher
Margaret Brouwer @ Composer's website
Margaret Brouwer @ American Composers Alliance
Margaret Brouwer @ Brouwer New Music/sole agent for the world, C. Fischer
Margaret Brouwer @ Carl Fischer
Margaret Brouwer @ Theodore Front Music
Margaret Brouwer @ Judy Green Music
Margaret Brouwer @ MMB Music
Margaret Brouwer @ Pembroke Music/a division of Carl Fischer
Margaret Brouwer @ Theodore Presser - search under "Margaret Brouwer"

Streaming Audio
Margaret Brouwer @ Composer's website
Margaret Brouwer @ American Composer Orchestra
Margaret Brouwer @ Art of the States
Margaret Brouwer @ Classical Archives
Margaret Brouwer @ last.fm
Margaret Brouwer @ Rhapsody.com

Recordings
Margaret Brouwer @ Composer's website
Margaret Brouwer @ ArkivMusic
Margaret Brouwer @ CD Universe
Margaret Brouwer @ ClassicsOnline
Margaret Brouwer @ DRAM Online

Video
Margaret Brouwer @ YouTube
Margaret Brouwer @ Google Video
Margaret Brouwer @ NewMusicBox

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Margaret Brouwer on Margaret Brouwer: Multiple Planes (VIDEO)

Composers Speak on the Web at Pytheas
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Margaret Brouwer on Margaret Brouwer: Interview with Cool Cleveland! (VIDEO)

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Pytheas Center for Contemporary Music

Margaret Brouwer (1940 - )