Three Short Songs

(on poems by Judah al-Harizi)

"Roter's Three Short Songs was

a most successful balance of astringency and lyricism...his first song bracingly serial, the second quite sweet, the third

a judicious blend..."

-Peter Spencer, The Star-Ledger

Audio samples:

1.The Sun

2. The Lute
3. The Lightning

Instrumentation: Tenor, Flute, Bb Clarinet, Viola, and Cello

Duration: ca. 8 minutes

Level of difficulty: challenging

Performances: World premiere by Helix! on December 8, 1993.

Program notes

The Al-Harizi Songs were composed in 1991 during graduate studies at Rutgers University. They received their premiere with Helix!, the contemporary music ensemble at Rutgers. In 1998, the work was selected for inclusion in the Milken Archive of American Jewish Music. As a result, it was subsequently recorded by David Ossenfort, tenor with the New York City Opera, accompanied byfaculty members of the Eastman School of Music: Bonita Boyd, flute; Kenneth Grant, clarinet; George Taylor, viola; and Stefan Reuss, cello.

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		Three Short Songs (on poems by Judah al-Harizi)
"Roter's Three Short Songs was a most successful balance of astringency and lyricism...his first song bracingly serial, the second quite sweet, the third a judicious blend..." -Peter Spencer, The Star-Ledger		Audio samples: 1.The Sun 2. The Lute 3. The Lightning Instrumentation: Tenor, Flute, Bb Clarinet, Viola, and Cello Duration: ca. 8 minutes Level of difficulty: challenging Performances: World premiere by Helix! on December 8, 1993. Program notes The Al-Harizi Songs were composed in 1991 during graduate studies at Rutgers University. They received their premiere with Helix!, the contemporary music ensemble at Rutgers. In 1998, the work was selected for inclusion in the Milken Archive of American Jewish Music. As a result, it was subsequently recorded by David Ossenfort, tenor with the New York City Opera, accompanied byfaculty members of the Eastman School of Music: Bonita Boyd, flute; Kenneth Grant, clarinet; George Taylor, viola; and Stefan Reuss, cello.
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