Works by C. Curtis-Smith
Orchestral Works
Concerto for Violin, Piano and Strings (2005)
For violin, piano and string orchestra. 30 minutes. Commissioned by the Irving S. Gilmore International Keyboard Festival, the Northwest Chamber Orchestra, and the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra of Finland.
30 minutes.
Lux Esto--Ring in the Light (2003)
For orchestra (winds in pairs). Commissioned by Kalamazoo College.
7 minutes.
Violin Concerto (1999)
Commissioned by the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra of Columbus for Sergiu Luca.
22 minutes.
Anthem for Piano and Strings (1996)
Commissioned for the 25th Anniversary of the International Workshops, Graz, Austria.
6 minutes.
Second Symphony (African Laughter) (1996)
Commissioned by the Kalamazoo Symphony for their 75th Anniversary season.
24 minutes.
Concerto for Left Hand and Orchestra (1990)
Commissioned by the Irving Gilmore International Keyboard Festival for Leon Fleisher.
30 minutes.
"...Float Wild Birds, Sleeping " (1988-92)
Seven haiku “settings” for orchestra. Supported by a grant from WMU.
25 minutes.
Celebration (1986)
Commissioned by the Upjohn Company for their 100th Anniversary.
6 minutes.
Chaconne à son goût (1984)
Supported by a grant from Research and Sponsored Programs, WMU.
15 minutes.
Songs and Cantillations (1983)
For guitar and orchestra. Commissioned by Michael Lorimer.
20 minutes.
The Great American Symphony (GAS!) (1981)
Commissioned by the Kalamazoo Symphony. Supported by a grant from the Michigan Council for the Arts.
24 minutes.
(Bells) Belle du jour (1975)
Supported by a grant from Research and Sponsored Programs, WMU.
20 minutes.
Winter Pieces (1974)
Commissioned by the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Louis Falco Dance Company.
30 minutes.
Vocal Music
O Wondrous Singer! (2008)
A setting of portions of Walt Whitman's When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd, for soprano, string quartet and piano. Commissioned by Stony Brook Contemporary Chamber Players, SUNY.
20 minutes.
Tulips (2007)
A setting of the Sylvia Plath poem, for soprano, string quartet and piano. Commissioned by the Fontana Chamber Arts for their 2007 Summer Festival.
16 minutes.
Gold Are My Flowers (1992) [Christopher the Christ-Bearer]
A cantata /melodrama for soprano, baritone, and chamber group. Commissioned by DaCamera, Houston, Texas .
44 minutes.
The Mystic Trumpeter (1991)
A setting of Walt Whitman’s poem, for baritone, men’s chorus, trumpet and organ. Commissioned by the Cleveland Museum of Art for their 75th Anniversary.
30 minutes.
Six Theodore Roethke Settings (1989; revised 2008)
Settings of poems of Theodore Roethke for soprano and piano.
22 minutes.
The Shimmer of Evil (1989)
Settings of seven poems of Theodore Roethke for baritone and chamber ensemble. Version for baritone and piano. Commissioned by the Fontana Concert Society.
30 minutes.
A Civil War Song Cycle (1987)
Settings of seven poems of Walt Whitman and Herman Melville for soprano and piano. Version for soprano and piano.
30 minutes.
Chansons innocentes (1987, revised 2007)
Settings of poems by e.e. cummings, for soprano and piano.
8 minutes.
Comedie (1972)
For two sopranos and chamber orchestra. Awarded the Koussevitzky Prize at Tanglewood.
20 minutes.
Canticum Novum/Desideria (1971)
For six sopranos, four tenors and chamber ensemble.
15 minutes.
“Passant. Un. Nous passons. Deux. De notre somme passons. Trois.” (1970)
For nineteen voices, chamber ensemble, and electronic sounds.
25 minutes.
“Till Thousands Thee. Lps. A Secular Alleluia Without...” (1969)
For six sopranos, two trumpets, and percussion.
20 minutes.
Chamber Music
More African Laughter (2008)
In two movements. For two percussionists (vibraphone and marimba).
7 minutes.
Games for Brass (2003)
In four movements. For Brass Quintet. Commissioned by the Western Brass Quintet.
23 minutes.
A Farewell...(Les adieux) (2001)
Commissioned by the Barlow Endowment for Music Composition. Additional funding was provided by Fontana Chamber Arts, the 33rd International Horn Symposium, and the Meir Rimon Commissioning Assistance Program of the International Horn Society. For horn, string quartet, and piano.
22 minutes.
Trio for Violin, Clarinet and Piano (2000)
Commissioned by the Verdehr Trio.
18 minutes.
Masques d’Afrique (1997)
For Organ, Trumpet and Percussion. Commissioned by the American Guild of Organists for their National Convention in Denver.
24 minutes.
African Laughter (1994)
Commissioned by the American Artists Series, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan for their 25th Anniversary year, and supported by a grant from The Arts Foundation of Michigan. Septet for flute, oboe, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, and piano.
20 minutes.
Second Piano Trio (“The Secret Heart of Sound”) (1992)
Commissioned by the Merling Trio.
18 minutes.
Sextet for Piano and Winds (1991)
For piano and woodwind quintet. Commissioned by Dennis Russell Davies , the Stuttgart Windquintet, and the City of Bonn, Germany.
20 minutes.
Five Pieces for Piano and Percussion (1988)
Commissioned by the Darmstadt Internationale Ferienkurse fur Neue Musik.
19 minutes.
Fantasy Pieces (1987)
Five pieces for violin and piano.
18 minutes
Sardonic Sketches (1986)
Five pieces for woodwind quintet. Commissioned by the Western Wind Quintet.
22 minutes.
Ragmala -- A Garland of Ragas (1983)
For guitar and string quartet.
12 minutes.
The Sweetgrass Trio (1982)
For piano trio. Commissioned by the New Arts Trio, Eastman School of Music.
15 minutes.
The Barbershop String Quartet (1982, revised 2001) (Third String Quartet)
Commissioned by the Kronos Quartet.
15 minutes.
Black and Blues (1979)
For brass quintet.
14 minutes.
Sundry Dances (1980)
Five pieces for winds and brass.
25 minutes.
Plays and Rimes (1979)
For brass quintet and piano.
18 minutes.
Tonalities (1978)
For clarinet and percussion (one).
10 minutes.
Ensembles/Solos (1977)
For chamber ensemble and piano. Composed in the “Five and Seven” temperament (a microtonal temperament).
17 minutes.
Partita (1977)
For flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, piano and percussion. Commissioned by the Boston Musica Viva.
19 minutes.
Unisonics (1977)
For alto sax and piano.
18 minutes.
Music for Handbells (1977)
For 37 handbells played by ten performers.
7 minutes.
Five Sonorous Inventions (1973)
For violin and piano.
18 minutes.
A Song of the Degrees (1972)
For two pianos and percussion.
18 minutes.
Fanaffair for Fanny (1971)
For nine trumpets in three unequal groups and four-channel tape.
7 minutes.
Second String Quartet (1965)
30 minutes.
Sonata for Flute and Piano (1963)
15 minutes.
Instrumental Music
Goldberg Variation (2003)
One of a group of 13 variations on Bach's theme, commissioned by the Irving Gilmore International Keyboard Festival.
3 minutes.
Twelve Etudes for Piano (2000)
For solo piano.
40 minutes.
Collusions (1998) Co-written with William Bolcom
For solo piano.
10 minutes.
Bagatelles (1989)
For guitar. Commissioned by the New York Concert Artists Guild for William Kanengiser.
12 minutes.
More Southpaw Pitching (1985)
For piano, left hand. Commissioned by Keyboard Classics
2 minutes.
Variations on Amazing Grace (1983)
For organ.
10 minutes.
The Great American Guitar Solo (GAGS!) (1982)
Commissioned by Michael Lorimer.
7 minutes.
For Gatsby (Steinway #81281) (1982)
Four movements for piano.
18 minutes.
Masquerades (1978)
Seven pieces for organ. Commissioned by William Albright.
30 minutes.
Three Pieces for Harp (1976)
12 minutes.
Suite in Four Movements (1975)
For harpsichord. Commissioned by Igor Kipnis.
10 minutes.
Tristana Variations (1975)
For piano. Supported by a grant from Research and Sponsored Programs, WMU.
18 minutes.
Rhapsodies (1973)
For piano. Commissioned by David Burge.
16 minutes.
Choral Works
The Mystic Trumpeter (1991)
A setting of Walt Whitman’s poem, for baritone, men’s chorus, trumpet, and organ. Commissioned by the Cleveland Museum of Art.
30 minutes.
Alap -- Raga Kedar (1984)
SATB Chorus.
6 minutes.
Beastly Rhymes (1983-84)
Thirteen tongue-twisters and limericks for SATB chorus. Commissioned for the New Jersey Music Educators Convention.
20 minutes.