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Book I. Voice with Orchestra:
1. Song Of The Figot Bird: 12 minutes and 40 seconds: cycle of 4 songs for low voice to poems (under copyright (uc)) by Samuel Beckett. Unperformed.
1a. Song Of The Figot Bird: with percussion, timpani, harp, viola solo and string orchestra.
1b. Song Of The Figot Bird: with harp and string quartet.
1c. Song Of The Figot Bird: with piano.
2. Orpheus in The Underworld: 14 minute of cycle of 7 for low voice; The text, in Latin, is by Boethius.This version has an unhappy ending.
2a. Orpheus in The Underworld: with percussion, timpani and string orchestra.
2b. Orpheus in The Underworld: with orchestra: 2+/2+/2+/2+ 2/2/2/1 percussion, timpani, celesta, harp and strings.
1. Song Of The Figot Bird: 12 minutes and 40 seconds: cycle of 4 songs for low voice to poems (under copyright (uc)) by Samuel Beckett. Unperformed.
1a. Song Of The Figot Bird: with percussion, timpani, harp, viola solo and string orchestra.
1b. Song Of The Figot Bird: with harp and string quartet.
1c. Song Of The Figot Bird: with piano.
2. Orpheus in The Underworld: 14 minute of cycle of 7 for low voice; The text, in Latin, is by Boethius.This version has an unhappy ending.
2a. Orpheus in The Underworld: with percussion, timpani and string orchestra.
2b. Orpheus in The Underworld: with orchestra: 2+/2+/2+/2+ 2/2/2/1 percussion, timpani, celesta, harp and strings.
3. Deep River: 15 minute cycle of 9 spirituals.
3a. Deep River: high voice with piano: complete cycle premiered by Christopher Aaron Smith, tenor, with pianist, Yelena Birayeva at Boston Metro Opera on January 27, Selections performed at 1st and 2nd U. U. in Boston by 1. Dorthy Yanick, soprano and Merton Brown, piano: "Swing Low" and 2. Sonante (soprano, Annalise Skovman with 'cello and guitar).
3b. Deep River: low voice and orchestra: 2/2+/2+/2+ 2/2/1/1 percussion, timpani, harp and strings.
3c. Deep River: low voice and piano; 9 spirituals; the original version: 6 spirituals, first performed with pianist, Barbara Roth at The First Unitarian Society of Newton in 2012. "Wayfaring Stranger" performed by the composer with Leo Abbott, pianist,
and heard on WBZ radio,
Book II. Two Voices with Instruments:
1. yes: three duets for two high voices with clarinet or English horn: 3 minutes;
e. e. cummings (uc).
2. Three Folk Songs: 8 minutes.
2a. Three Folk Songs: for high voice (#1 & #4) and low voice (#3) with flute and guitar.
Performed several times by PMC with soprano Mary Saunders (# 1 & 3) and the composer bass-baritone (# 3). George W. Harper of The Beverly Times wrote of this piece: "Easily the highlight of the concert were several arrangements by David Edgar Walther... Especially satisfying was Walther's setting of three familiar folk songs, a medley that managed to sidestep all the stereotypes with a version of Simple Gifts that owed absolutely nothing to Aaron Copeland's. Walther's touching arrangements of Long Time Ago set Mary Saunders' rich, soprano peeping through the lush harmonic haze of flute and guitar like the sun through the clouds.' George W. Harper, Beverly Times. See versions below with one high voice or one low voice. Here is a recording of this piece: Kristin Webb, flute; and Russell Southcott, guitar, with:
2a. Three Folk Songs: for high voice (#1 & #4) and low voice (#3) with flute and guitar.
Performed several times by PMC with soprano Mary Saunders (# 1 & 3) and the composer bass-baritone (# 3). George W. Harper of The Beverly Times wrote of this piece: "Easily the highlight of the concert were several arrangements by David Edgar Walther... Especially satisfying was Walther's setting of three familiar folk songs, a medley that managed to sidestep all the stereotypes with a version of Simple Gifts that owed absolutely nothing to Aaron Copeland's. Walther's touching arrangements of Long Time Ago set Mary Saunders' rich, soprano peeping through the lush harmonic haze of flute and guitar like the sun through the clouds.' George W. Harper, Beverly Times. See versions below with one high voice or one low voice. Here is a recording of this piece: Kristin Webb, flute; and Russell Southcott, guitar, with:
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with Marry Saunders, soprano with David Walther, bass-baritone; with Mary Saunders, soprano
2b. Three Folk Songs: for high voice with flute and guitar.
2c. Three Folk Songs: for low voice with flute and guitar.
Book III. Voice with Instruments:
Book IIIa. High Voice with Instruments:
1. Echoes: lyric high soprano and violin, flute or clarinet; 3 minutes; Hart Crane; premiered by soprano, Deborah Cole and violist, David Feltner with Music Now at Holy Trinity Armenian Church, Cambridge, MA. Heard numerous times on WHRB Radio in Cambridge.
2. Londonderry Air:
2a. Londonderry Air: 5 minutes; soprano, viola and piano; traditional. Unperformed.
2b. Londonderry Air: 2 minutes; traditional; premiered on at 1st & 2nd by soprano, Dorothy Yanish, and pianist, Merton Brown; recorded by Janet Wheeler with the composer.
3. Serenade and Fugue: soprano and flute; 5 minute; Thomas Hardy; performed several times by soprano, Mary Saunders and Kristin Webb, flute with The Putnam Court Musicians. You can hear this piece below:
2b. Three Folk Songs: for high voice with flute and guitar.
2c. Three Folk Songs: for low voice with flute and guitar.
Book III. Voice with Instruments:
Book IIIa. High Voice with Instruments:
1. Echoes: lyric high soprano and violin, flute or clarinet; 3 minutes; Hart Crane; premiered by soprano, Deborah Cole and violist, David Feltner with Music Now at Holy Trinity Armenian Church, Cambridge, MA. Heard numerous times on WHRB Radio in Cambridge.
2. Londonderry Air:
2a. Londonderry Air: 5 minutes; soprano, viola and piano; traditional. Unperformed.
2b. Londonderry Air: 2 minutes; traditional; premiered on at 1st & 2nd by soprano, Dorothy Yanish, and pianist, Merton Brown; recorded by Janet Wheeler with the composer.
3. Serenade and Fugue: soprano and flute; 5 minute; Thomas Hardy; performed several times by soprano, Mary Saunders and Kristin Webb, flute with The Putnam Court Musicians. You can hear this piece below:
The withhheld original version: for two sopranos; 1 minutes; "A Secret and a Thought" with poem by Ann Head (uc) was included in a withheld cycle, performed in Rockport, MA by sopranos: Janet Wheeler and Charlotte Regni Lord with a text by Ann Head (uc). Partially lost. The manuscript may be in South Korea.
4. Six Valentine's Day Cards: 6 minute cycle for soprano, flute, harp and piano;
Emily Dickinson; performed, in an earlier, withheld version by Eric Mazonson, pianist, in Marblehead, MA. with soprano, Mary Saunders; Kristin Webb, flute; and Russell Southcott, guitar: The Putnam Court Musicians (PCM).
5. Simples of The Moon: 6 minute cycle of 6; Joyce. Unperformed.
5a. Simples of The Moon: high voice with flute & viola. See V/IIIb/5b.
4. Six Valentine's Day Cards: 6 minute cycle for soprano, flute, harp and piano;
Emily Dickinson; performed, in an earlier, withheld version by Eric Mazonson, pianist, in Marblehead, MA. with soprano, Mary Saunders; Kristin Webb, flute; and Russell Southcott, guitar: The Putnam Court Musicians (PCM).
5. Simples of The Moon: 6 minute cycle of 6; Joyce. Unperformed.
5a. Simples of The Moon: high voice with flute & viola. See V/IIIb/5b.
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6. Five Songs for Soprano,
Flute and Guitar: 7 minute cycle; Dickinson; performed several times by PCM. You can hear hree of the songs here: |
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7. Echo and Mirage: 13 minutes, 2 movements, Christina Rossetti.
7a. Echo and Mirage: with alto flute, clarinet in Bb, marimba, percussion, harp, piano, viola, and 'cello. Unperformed.
7b. Echo and Mirage: with flute, clarinet in Bb, violin, 'cello and piano. Unperformed.
7c. Echo and Mirage: with piano. recorded by soprano, Nancy King with the composer, piano; otherwise unperformed. Here is "Mirage" the second of three movements:
7a. Echo and Mirage: with alto flute, clarinet in Bb, marimba, percussion, harp, piano, viola, and 'cello. Unperformed.
7b. Echo and Mirage: with flute, clarinet in Bb, violin, 'cello and piano. Unperformed.
7c. Echo and Mirage: with piano. recorded by soprano, Nancy King with the composer, piano; otherwise unperformed. Here is "Mirage" the second of three movements:
8. Hymns of Orpheus: 30 minute cycle of 8 songs; with flute and guitar; trans. Thomas Taylor. Written for PCM and BMO. Unperformed.
Book IVb. Low Voice with Instruments:
1. A Thought: with guitar; 2 minutes; Dickinson.
2. all worlds have half-sight: very low voice; 3 minutes; e. e. cummings (uc).
2a. all worlds have half-sight: string trio and double bass.
2b. all worlds have half-sight: piano; 3 minutes;
3. It came upon a midnight clear: 3 movements in 5 minutes. flue, harp, string trio and double bass; Edmund Hamilton Sears; original version (withheld) performed by the composer with Dr. Sam Walter, organist in Augusta, ME. Several withheld versions.
4. The Conqueror Worm: with violin, 5 minutes, The complete version of the poem "Ligeia" by Edgar Alan Poe. Unperformed. IVb. 3. "Last Murmurs of Ligeia" for low voice and piano, below, is a partial setting of the text.
5. Simples of The Moon: 6 minute cycle of 6; Joyce. Unperformed.
5b. Simples of The Moon: low voice with flute and 'cello; #4. may be done with alto flute. See III/Va/5a.
6. 1000 Breezes: 6 minutes & 10 seconds; the composer's birthday card to the poet: 10/22/19, poem by Drew Hubbard; the poet's birthday card to the composer: early 1990s? VI/III/2 for TTB chorus.
6a. 1000 Breezes: with xylophone/gong; vibraphone & marimba. Unperformed.
6b. 1000 Breezes: with guitar and 'cello. Unperformed.
6c. 1000 Breezes: with piano. Unperformed.
7. Recitative: with guitar; 7 minute song; Hart Crane.
8. Echo's Bones: with 'cello; 8 minute cycle of 4; Samuel Beckett (uc); performed by the composer with Priscilla Chew, at 1st and 2nd.
9. Hear The Trumpet: with 'cello & double bass; 10 minute cycle of 5 spirituals. Unperformed.
Book IV. Solo Voice with Piano:
Book IIIa. High Voice with Piano:
1. Love Suicides at Sonezaki: 3 minutes; in Japanese, performed at The United Parish in Brookline, MA by mezzo-soprano, Shinobu Takagi, with pianist, Darryl Cooper. Cablecast BNN-TV with animated netsuki as the video "Love Song" as part of "Crazy Dinosaurs" that was cablecast on BNN-TV. Withheld.
2. De Profundis Clamavit: 3 minutes, premiered at The United Parish in Brookline, MA by Shinobu Takagi, mezzo-soprano and Daryl Cooper, pianist. See IV/II/3c.
3. Three Songs: 8 minutes; Dickinson (uc), Joyce and Robert Lewis Stevenson. Unperformed.
4. When The Heart is Full of Love: 8 minutes; 3 songs to anonymous poets.
5. The Steeple's Remembrance: 10 minute cycle of 10 each depicting the ghost of a woman who has died; Dickinson (uc). Unperformed.
Book IIIb. Low Voice with Piano:
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1. Crazy Dinosaurs:
one minute and thirteen second theme song for the cable TV show, recorded by the composer, cablecast on BNN-TV. |
2. Wondering: 2 minute song to Charles Schultz (uc) from "Snoopy" comic strip.
3. Last Murmurs of Ligeia: 5 minute cycle of 3 songs excerpted from the poem "Ligeia" by Edgar Allan Poe. Performed and taped at BPL, by the composer. See complete setting of the poem below: "The Conqueror Worm" with violin above: IIb. 3.
3. Last Murmurs of Ligeia: 5 minute cycle of 3 songs excerpted from the poem "Ligeia" by Edgar Allan Poe. Performed and taped at BPL, by the composer. See complete setting of the poem below: "The Conqueror Worm" with violin above: IIb. 3.
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4. Three Portraits: 6 minutes; William Butler Yeats, Linda Cecil (uc), and Emily Dickinson (uc); performed several times with the composer and pianist, Merton Brown. You can hear this piece:
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5. Three Songs to Poems by James Joyce: 8 minute cycle of 3; one incomplete. Unperformed.
6. Songs of Summer: 11 minute cycle, with poems from "Songs of Innocence and Experience" by William Blake. Performed by mezzo-soprano, Susan Craft Larson, with pianist, Yelena Birayeva at Boston Metro Opera on January 27, 2012 (recording coming soon). On October 24, 2017, baritone, Hartmut Schulz presented the European premier
in Cologne, Germany.
6. Songs of Summer: 11 minute cycle, with poems from "Songs of Innocence and Experience" by William Blake. Performed by mezzo-soprano, Susan Craft Larson, with pianist, Yelena Birayeva at Boston Metro Opera on January 27, 2012 (recording coming soon). On October 24, 2017, baritone, Hartmut Schulz presented the European premier
in Cologne, Germany.
7. Chamber Music: 10 minute cycle of 4 songs, Joyce; Performed and recorded at: BPL, Old South, Boston, Colby College, ME, and many other times by the composer with pianists Merton Brown, Eileen Feldman, and Dr. Sam Walter.
8. Rain has Fallen: 10 minute cycle of 5; Joyce. Unperformed.
9. Remembrance of Love's Death: 10 minute cycle of 10; Emily Dickinson (uc); performed by the composer with pianist, Eileen Feldman at 1st and 2nd.
10. Great Streets of Silence: 16 minute cycle of 9; Dickinson (uc). Unperformed.
Book V. Unaccompanied Voice
Book Ia. Unaccompanied for High Voice
1. Dachshund: 1 minute; poem by Jill Shapiro (uc). Unperformed.
2. Mother Goose Songs: 3 minute cycle of 7 songs in 100 notes; Mother Goose. Unperformed.
3. Three Unaccompanied Songs: 3 minutes; James Joyce. Unperformed.
4. Cal'mus: 6 and a half minute cycle of 4 love songs for tenor; poems by Walt Whitman from "The Leaves of Grass." Premiered by Christopher Aaron Smith,
on 1/27/112 with Boston Metro Opera (BMO). You can hear his performance below:
8. Rain has Fallen: 10 minute cycle of 5; Joyce. Unperformed.
9. Remembrance of Love's Death: 10 minute cycle of 10; Emily Dickinson (uc); performed by the composer with pianist, Eileen Feldman at 1st and 2nd.
10. Great Streets of Silence: 16 minute cycle of 9; Dickinson (uc). Unperformed.
Book V. Unaccompanied Voice
Book Ia. Unaccompanied for High Voice
1. Dachshund: 1 minute; poem by Jill Shapiro (uc). Unperformed.
2. Mother Goose Songs: 3 minute cycle of 7 songs in 100 notes; Mother Goose. Unperformed.
3. Three Unaccompanied Songs: 3 minutes; James Joyce. Unperformed.
4. Cal'mus: 6 and a half minute cycle of 4 love songs for tenor; poems by Walt Whitman from "The Leaves of Grass." Premiered by Christopher Aaron Smith,
on 1/27/112 with Boston Metro Opera (BMO). You can hear his performance below:
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You can hear his performance with
the button to the right: |
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Book Ib. Unaccompanied Low Voice:
The Book of Runes: written in Ireland; 3 cycles; Joyce:
1. The Folk Cycle: 12 minute cycle of 7; performed by the composer at The Boston Public (BPL).
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2. The Whole Tone Cycle: 4.5 minute cycle of 3 songs; performed by the composer
at First and Second Unitarian Society in Boston. |
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3. The Modern Cycle: 5 minute cycle of 3. Unperformed.
4. A Tree: 2 minute; Joyce Kilmer. Written for Virginia Harms, Alto soloist at Radio City Music Hall. Unperformed.
4. A Tree: 2 minute; Joyce Kilmer. Written for Virginia Harms, Alto soloist at Radio City Music Hall. Unperformed.