John Carbon
| John | Carbon |
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Composition list
Sheet music for John Carbon
Duo Sonata for viola and doublebass — John Carbon
Viola,Double Bass — Set of Parts — 21st Century
Composed by John Carbon (1951-). 21st Century. Set of Parts. 46 pages. Published by JCcollections (S0.16872).
Price: $6.00
Sonatina — John Carbon
Piano — Score — 21st Century
Composed by John Carbon (1951-). 21st Century. Score. 18 pages. Published by JCcollections (S0.7054).
Price: $9.00
Six Spanish Lessons — John Carbon
Piano — Solo Part — 20th Century
Composed by John Carbon (1951-). 20th Century. Solo Part. 24 pages. Published by JCcollections (S0.7091).
Price: $12.00
Brass Quintet (score and parts) — John Carbon
Brass Quintet — — 20th Century
Composed by John Carbon (1951-). 20th Century. 152 pages. Published by JCcollections (S0.166459).
Price: $8.00
Six Spanish Songs — John Carbon
Voice and piano — Score — 21st Century
Composed by John Carbon (1951-). 21st Century. Score. 38 pages. Published by JCcollections (S0.8525).
Price: $8.00
Love Letters from the Lost Cause (score and parts) — John Carbon
Violin,Violoncello,Piano (score and parts) — Score,Set of Parts — 21st Century
Composed by John Carbon (1951-). 21st Century. Score, Set of Parts. 70 pages. Published by JCcollections (S0.9458).
Price: $8.00
Duo Sonata — John Carbon
Viola,Double Bass — Score — 21st Century
Composed by John Carbon (1951-). 21st Century. Score. 17 pages. Published by JCcollections (S0.16871).
Price: $8.00
Six Twilight Pieces — John Carbon
Clarinet — Score — 20th Century
Composed by John Carbon (1951-). 20th Century. Score. 14 pages. Published by JCcollections (S0.9445).
Price: $6.00
Trio Kinetika — John Carbon
violin/viola, clarinets, piano — score and parts — Classical
Composed by John Carbon (1951-). Classical. Score and parts. Alea Publishing #ALEA1243. Published by Alea Publishing (A7.ALEA1243).
Price: $30.00
Three Fantasy Pieces — John Carbon
bass clarinet and piano — score and parts — Classical
Composed by John Carbon (1951-). Classical. Score and parts. Alea Publishing #ALEA1172. Published by Alea Publishing (A7.ALEA1172).
Price: $28.00
Operas
- Disappearing Act (2008) Full-length opera with libretto by Dorothy Louise about the Conan Doyle-Houdini spiritualist connection. Soprano; 2 Mezzo-Sopranos; Contralto; 3 Tenors; 3 Baritones; SATB Chorus; Dancers. [Piano-vocal version only] (Duration 180 minutes)
- Benjamin (1987) Operatic portrait of Benjamin Franklin, libretto by Sarah White. Soprano; 2 Mezzo-sopranos; Baritone; Boy Soprano; SATB Chorus; Dancers. Woodwind quintet; harp; harpsichord; piano; 1 percussionist; string quartet, bass. (Duration 150 minutes)
- Marie Laveau (1983) Full-length Voodoo opera. Libretto by the composer. Soprano; Mezzo-Soprano; Contralto; Tenor; Baritone; Bass.SATB Chorus; Dancers. 2.2.2.2; 2.2.1.1; celeste/toy piano; accordian; harp; 3 voodoo drummers; Assorted African percussion (1-3 players); strings: 8.6.4.4.2. (Duration 145 minutes)
Orchestral works
- Spark (2010) 4.4.3.2; 4.3.3.1; Timpani; 5 Percussionists; Harp; Strings. (Duration 7 minutes)
- Carpe Diem (2006) 3.2.2.2; 4.3.3.1; Timpani; 5 Percussionists; Harp; Strings. (Duration 12 minutes)
- Sinfonia (1997) 2.2.2.2; 2.2.1; Timpani; 2 Percussionists; Strings. (Duration 14 minutes)
- Inner Voices (1992) 3.3.3.3; 4.3.3.1; Timpani; 3 Percussionists; Piano/Celeste; Harp; Strings. (Duration 18 minutes)
- Hommage à Trois (1989-91) 3.3.3.3; 4.3.3.1; Timpani; 3 Percussionists; Piano/Celeste; Harp; Strings. (Duration 15 minutes)
Orchestral works with soloists
- Fantasy-Nocturne (2013) Piano solo; 2.2.2.2; 2.2; Timpani; Strings. (Duration 20 minutes)
- Endangered Species (2001) Double Bass solo; 2.2.2.2; 4.2.1; Timpani; 2 Percussionists, Harp, Strings (Duration 13 minutes)
- Concertino (2000) Flute and Bass Clarinet solo; 3.0.2.0; 2 Percussionists; Harp; Harpsichord; Accordian; Strings (Duration 18 minutes)
- Piano Concerto (1999) Piano solo; 3.3.3.3; 4.3.3.1; Timpani; 3 Percussionists; Harp; Strings (Duration 25 minutes)
- Rhapsody (1997) Clarinet solo; 2.2.2.2; 4.2.1; Timpani; 2 Percussionists; Piano; Strings (Duration 13 minutes)
- Violin Concerto (1995) Violin solo; 3.3.3.3; 4.3.3.1; Timpani; 3 Percussionists; Harp; Strings (Duration 20 minutes)
- Clarinet Concerto (1994) Clarinet solo; 3.3.2.3; 4.3.3.1; Timpani; 3 Percussionists; Piano/Celeste; Harp; Strings (Duration 26 minutes)
- Notturno (1994) Trumpet solo; Harp; Strings (Duration 13 minutes)
- Rasgos (1993) Violin solo; 2.2.2.2; 2.2.2; Timpani; Harp. (Duration 15 minutes)
Wind ensemble
- CCXXV (2012) Flutes 1-2; oboe; clarinets 1-2; bass clarinet; bassoon; alto sax; tenor sax; baritone sax; trumpets 1-2; horns 1-2; baritone horn; trombone; bass trombone; tuba; double bass; timpani; percussion 3-4 players. (Duration 2.5 minutes)
- Katydid March (2008) Piccolo; flutes 1-2; oboe; bassoon; clarinets 1-3; bass clarinet; alto saxophone; tenor saxophone; baritone saxophone; trumpets 1-3; horns 1-4; trombones 1-3; baritone horn, tuba; timpani; percussion 3 players. (Duration 5 minutes)
- Magic Circus Music (1994) Piccolo; flutes 1-2; oboe; bassoon; clarinets 1-3; bass clarinet; alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone; trumpets 1-3; horns 1-4; trombones 1-3; baritone; tuba; timpani; percussion 3 players. (Duration 7 minutes)
- Rasgos (1993) Violin solo; 2.2.2.2; 2.2.2; Timpani; Harp. (Duration 15 minutes)
- Shadows and Echoes of Summer (1991) Solo harp; flutes 1-2; oboes 1-2; clarinets 1-2; bassoons 1-2; Horns 1-2; trumpets 1-2; tenor trombone; bass trombone; double bass. Trumpets and trombones play tuned crystal glasses when offstage, bassoon 1 plays bells when offstage, bassoon 2 plays bowed and struck crotales when offstage.
- Different Ghosts (1991) Solo percussion; pre-recorded electronic percussion; Piccolos 1-2; flutes 1-2; oboes 1-2; clarinets 1-3; bass clarinet; bassoon; Alto saxophones 1-2; tenor saxes 1-2; baritone sax; horns 1-4; trumpets 1-3; trombones 1-3; bass trombone; baritone horn; tuba; percussion 5 players. (Duration 10 minutes)
- Dreams within Dreams (1989) Solo percussion (vibraphone, marimba, xylophone); Flutes 1-2 (doubling piccolos); oboes 1-2; clarinets 1-2; bassoons 1-2; Horns 1-2; trumpets 1-2; tenor trombone; bass trombone; Chimes and crotales (1 player). (Duration 18 minutes)
- Dreaming the Wild Spririt Dance (1989) Solo clarinet; piccolos 1-2; flutes 1-2; oboes 1-2; clarinets 1-3; bass clarinet; bassoon; Horns 1-4; trumpets 1-3; trombones 1-3; bass trombone; baritone horn; tuba; Piano/celesta (also plays police whistle and whip); timpani; percussion 4 players. (Duration 12 minutes)
- Angels (1988) Solo alto saxophone; Piccolos 1-2; flutes 1-2; oboes 1-2; clarinets 1-3; bass clarinet; bassoon; alto saxophones 1-2; tenor saxes 1-2; baritone sax; horns 1-4
Small ensembles
- When It Was Raining (2013) Tuba; piano. (Duration 10 minutes)
- Love Letters from the Lost Cause (2012) Violin; violoncello; piano. (Duration 10 minutes)
- Trio Kinetica (2011) B-flat clarinet (doubling E-flat and bass clarinets); violin (doubling viola); piano. (Duration 11 minutes)
- Bowings without Words, Book I (2009) Inspired by the poetry of Dorothy Louise Violoncello; piano. (Duration 15 minutes)
- Bowings without Words, Book II (2009) Inspired by the poetry of Robert Frost Violoncello; piano. (Duration 15 minutes)
- Bowings without Words, Book III (2009) Inspired by the poetry of Federico García Lorca Violoncello; piano. (Duration 16 minutes)
- Woodwind Quintet (2008) Flute; oboe; clarinet; bassoon; horn. (Duration 10 minutes)
- Brass Quintet (2008) Trumpets (2); horn, trombone, tuba. (Duration 15 minutes)
- Duo Sonata (2008) Viola; doublebass. (Duration 14 minutes) [More information]
- Five Ghost Tangos (2006) Soprano sax; viola; bass clarinet; piano. (Duration 10 minutes)
- Tres Arullos (2005) Violin; viola.
- Bess Houdini’s Vaudeville Act (2004) Trumpet; piano. (Duration 12 minutes)
- Land’s End (2004) Violoncello; piano. (Duration 6 minutes)
- In Early March (2004) Violin; piano.
- A Winter’s Tale Suite (2002) Clarinet; violoncello; piano. (Duration 10 minutes)
- Crossing Over (2001) Violin; clarinet; piano. (Duration 11 minutes)
- Berceuse (2000) Violin; violas 1 and 2; violoncello.
- Bestiary (1999) Clarinet duo. (Duration 8 minutes)
- Dream Spiral (1999) Violin; clarinet; piano. (18 minutes)
- Fantasy Impromptu (1998) Flute (or violin); violoncello; piano. (Duration 12 minutes)
- Wisteria (1997) E Shakuhachi; guitar; viola; violoncello. (Duration 5 minutes)
- Do Not Go Gentle (1996) Violin; violoncello; piano. (Duration 13 minutes)
- Felix (1996) Soprano saxophone; alto saxophone; tenor saophone; baritone saxophone. (Duration 6 minutes)
- Paseos (1995) Flute; guitar. (Duration 9 minutes)
- Ghost Town Sketches (1995) English horn (or clarinet); viola; piano. (Duration 15 minutes)
- New Moon Music (1994) String quartet. (Duration 15 minutes)
- Quartetto spettrale (1993) String quartet. (Duration 13 minutes)
- Music for Two Clarinets (1993) Clarinet duo. (Duration 9 minutes)
- Fantasy (1991) Harpsichord and string quartet. (Duration 10 minutes)
- Troika (1989) English gown; clarinet; violoncello; piano. (Duration 15 minutes)
- Ballade (1987) Violoncello, piano. (13 minutes)
- Night Music (1987) Violin; piano. (Duration 9 minutes)
Piano
- The Well-Blended Primer, Book I (2013) (Duration 51 minutes)
- Small Town Memories (2010) (Duration 14 minutes)
- Piano Sonata (2009) (Duration 24 minutes)
- Ghostly Flickerings (2006) (Duration 3 minutes)
- Tarantulatella (2005) (Duration 3 minutes)
- Sonatina (2002) (Duration 13 minutes)
- Six More Spanish Lessons (2001) (Duration 14 minutes)
- Time Out of Mind (2001) (Duration 8 minutes)
- Six Spanish Lessons (1988) (Duration 18 minutes)
- Sphinx (1990) (Duration 5 minutes)
- Icarus (1989) (Duration 11 minutes)
- Metaphysical Études, Book I (2004) (Duration 12 minutes)
- Cadenza Ingannata (1979) (Duration 18 minutes)
Two pianos
- Marumba (1984) (Duration 5 minutes)
Organ
- Autumn Landscapes (2004) (Duration 17 minutes)
- Pentacles (1988) (Duration 10 minutes)
Harpsichord
- Six Spanish Lessons (1988) (Duration 18 minutes)
- Night Faeries (1984) (Duration 7 minutes)
Two harpsichords
- Dreaming (1985) With self-prepared recording of two harpsichords (Duration 15 minutes)
Choral works
- Adam and Eve and the Animals (1990) Text by Sarah White, Orchestration by Harry Jepson Vocal soloists: 2 tenors, baritone, soprano, mezzo soprano, mixed chorus (SATB) Orchestra: 2.2.2.2; timpani; 2 percussionists; piano/celeste; harp; strings. (Duration 27 minutes)
- Lullabies for the Infant Jesus (1989) Two Nativity carols. SATB; Harp. (Duration 12 minutes)
- Jabberwocky (1989) Text by Lewis Carroll SATB; flute; bassoon. (Duration 6 minutes)
- Fern Hill (1971, revised 2008) Poem by Dylan Thomas SATB; piano. (Duration 12 minutes)
Solo instrumental
- Bagatelles (2007) Bassoon (Duration 5 minutes)
- Four Impromptus (2007) English horn (Duration 6 minutes)
- Weeping Willow (1998) 1.6 Shakuhachi (Duration 2 minutes)
- Astro Cats (1994) Guitar (Duration 12 minutes)
- Six Twilight Pieces (1992) Clarinet
- Niobe’s Tears (1991) Flute (Duration 2 minutes)
- Suite Trouvères (1983) Guitar (Duration 12 minutes)
Music for voice
- Letters from the Great Lost Cause (2009) Six songs for high voice and piano Text drawn from American Civil War letters by the composer (Duration 14 minutes)
- Queen Victoria’s Journey (2006) Poetry by Dorothy Louise Soprano; piano. (Duration 20 minutes)
- Letters from Abigail (2002) Seven songs for high voice, violoncello and piano Text drawn from the letters of Abigail Adams by Sarah White (Duration 12 minutes)
- Le Bestiare (2002) Three songs for soprano, horn and piano Poetry by Guillaume Apollinaire (Duration 6 minutes)
- Winter’s Tale Songs (2002) Five songs for medium voice and piano Poetry by William Shakespeare (Duration 10 minutes)
- A Benjamin Songbook (2000) Arias and a trio from the composer’s opera Benjamin (1987) Arranged for baritone, mezzo-soprano, soprano, B-flat clarinet and piano (Duration 20 minutes)
- Six Spanish Songs (1994) Six songs (in Spanish) for soprano and piano Poems by Federico García Lorca (Duration 15 minutes)
- Wind Shadows (1991) Six songs for high voice, clarinet and piano Poems by D. H. Lawrence (Duration 18 minutes)
- Two Concert Arias (1990) Baritone and piano Text from Edmond Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac (Duration 12 minutes)
Composer John Carbon (born 1951) began to play the piano and compose at a very early age. His first composition for voice and piano was written at the age of five, and he continued to write music during his childhood and adolescence. Coming from a musical family, he was exposed to a wide variety of musical influences including classical music, folk music, operettas and rock and roll. His eclectic musical background accounts for the wide variety of styles that he now embraces in his work. During his high school years he played and wrote for a rock band, but he also performed standard classical repertoire as a pianist and composed orchestral works that were influenced by Stravinsky and Prokofiev. His father played jazz saxophone, and some of Carbon’s works, notably his Clarinet Concerto (1993), written for Richard Stoltzman and the Warsaw Philharmonic, incorporate bluesy harmonies and rhythms.
Although much of John Carbon’s pre-1980’s music was cast in an avant-garde idiom, he also composed more lyrical and tonal works during this period, particularly for voice and piano. During the 1980’s these two seemingly disparate stylistic tendencies came together to create what might be considered his mature style. The comic Franklin opera Benjamin (1987) is one of the composer’s most successful works from this period. More recently, an ever-more lyrical and tonal tendency can be heard in John Carbon’s music, along with an increased interest in contrapuntal textures. His music is more rhythmically propulsive, sometimes as a result of the introduction of vernacular styles such as ragtime and tango. Most of his later work is aligned with his own unique version of "the new tonality," but at the same time his music falls firmly in the post-modern camp, meaning that he fuses different syles from past eras with the present to create his own highly accessible and distinctive voice.
Much of John Carbon’s orchestral music, including the concerti for clarinet, piano, trumpet and double bass, has been recorded by the Warsaw Philharmonic, Slovak Radio Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic, New York Chamber Symphony, Concordia and the Seattle Symphony. Conductors who have performed and recorded his music include Gerard Schwarz, George Manahan, Vladimír Válek, Maron Alsop and Robert Black. His music has been performed and recorded by clarinetists Richard Stoltzman and Doris Hall-Gulati, violinists Claire Chan and Peter Zazofsky, pianists Steven Graff and William Koseluk, cellist Stephen Balderston and double bassist Richard Fredrickson. Performances have included premieres in Boston’s Symphony Hall, New York’s Avery Fisher, Alice Tully, Merkin and Carnegie Halls, Smetena Hall in Prague, the Mozarteum in Salzburg, and the Wuhan Conservatory in China. His music has also been heard in London, Berlin, Madrid and Beijing.
Recordings of John Carbon’s music can be found on the Naxos, Delos, MMC, CGS, Moonbridge, VMM and Zimbel labels. A compilation of his piano music can be heard on the 2012 Zimbel release John Carbon: Piano Music Played by Steven Graff. Recordings are available from iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Tower Records. His primary publisher is JCcollections, and scores can be purchased from Sheetmusicplus, J. W. Pepper and Lulu.
Recent performances have included the premiere of Fantasy-Nocturne (2013) for piano and orchestra by pianist Steven Graff with Allegro, the Chamber Orchestra of Lancaster, with Brian Norcross conducting. Current projects include two new works for clarinet and piano, to be recorded for the Zimbel label by clarinetist Doris Hall-Gulati.
John Carbon was awarded the Master of Music degree from Shepherd School of Music at Rice University and a Ph.D. in Musical Composition from University of California, Santa Barbara. His principal teachers were Peter Racine Fricker, Emma Lou Diemer, Thea Musgrave and Paul Cooper. He is presently the Richard S. and Ann B. Barshinger Professor of Music at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.