Boulevard Amble was composed at the request of Jennifer Sadoff Auerbach for the Bocal Majority and Operation O.B.O.E summer workshops. Alternative parts are provided to allow performance by 2 English horns, 2 bassoons and contrabassoon. The difficulty level of the music is moderate.

Composed to provide some practice in reading and playing sub-metrical rhythms: including 8ths, 16ths, triplet 8ths and a few triplet quarter notes. All rhythms appear on the beat and in syncopated form. The four parts swap soprano, alto, tenor and bass roles. The ranges are from low B-flat (B flat 2) to F above middle C (F4). The music follows a 16 measure blues progression throughout. Far from being a dull study piece, it presents a lively, "hot" result.

This is the downloadable version of the work. A pre-printed, paper version is also available.

I've re-titled the canonic fanfare to honor my college harmony teacher and distinguished American composer Arthur Frackenpohl on his 90th birthday in 2014. On receiving the score Dr. Frackenpohl, ever the wonderful teacher, reminded me that the piece was not a strict canon! The piece can be played on B-flat or C trumpets. The music is the same - unchanged from the original and now superseded title!

A PDF version is available at SKU [1402-pdf].

These fanfares were composed at different times for different ensembles. Fanfares 1 and 2 were written for OBOHIO to begin concerts by that double reed quartet. We played them offstage before entering. Tavern Fanfare was written for a wind octet to play a concert at, you guessed it, a tavern! The Seven Eight Fanfare was composed in 1998 for no particular ensemble or event.

One or more fanfares can be performed as encores, as concert openers, or as interludes between longer pieces. They don't have to be performed in numerical order.

The First Six Bassoon Solos include easy music for new bassoonists. The solo parts are written within the octave from low F (F2) to open F (F3). The piano parts are easy, too. Rhythms used are whole notes, half notes and quarter notes. Most of the music is smooth. One piece requires staccato quarter notes; another requires tied half notes. Additional, more challenging music can be found in Five More First Solos for bassoon and piano [1218B].
No. 1 Andante (0'48") B-flat major in 4/4 meter