Composition List
Christian Asplund
Composition List
By Medium
As of 17 July 2007
Note: All compositions are either published by or forthcoming on Frog Peak Music (frogpeak.org)
Chamber Opera
History of Church, a Family Home Opera (2006)
Text: Christian Asplund and Lara Candland
3 or more singers/actors, piano, any other instruments.
Commissioned by the Watkins Endowment for Music and the Family
Sunset with Pink Pastoral (2005)
Text: Lara Candland
2002 (London)version: 2 sopranos, 2 tenors, 3 baritones, alto flute, 2 harps, violin, 2 celli, 2 contrabasses, electric guitar, electric bass guitar, and percussion.
Final (Salt Lake/Seattle) version: 2 sopranos, 3 baritones, violin, piano, contrabass.
Commissioned by Genesis Foundation (London), and the Barlow Endowment
Liquid Girls (2000)
Text: Lara Candland
For 2 sopranos, mezzo soprano, piano, electric guitar, electric bass guitar, percussion, and several dancers.
Commissioned by King County Arts Commission
Floralesque (1998)
Text: Lara Candland
For 7 sopranos, oboe, viola, piano, toy piano, and harmonium.
The Secretary’s Handbook (1997)
Text: Vanessa DeWolf
For 3 sopranos, flute, clarinet, harmonium, toy piano, contrabass, and percussionist playing typewriter.
Commissioned by On The Boards, Northwest New Works
The Archivist (1996)
Text: Lara Candland
Mixed Choir, 2 Violins, Cello, 2 Double Basses, 4 Actors, 1 Actress
The Open Curtain (1995)
Text: Brian Evenson
4 male voices, viola, harmonium, piano, double bass, percussion
A Girl’s Body at Crepuscule (1995)
Text: Lara Candland
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Flute
Orchestra/Band
Space Panther (2007)
For concert band
Commissioned by BYU Concert Band and Provo High School Band
Symphony #5 (2001)
For concert band/wind ensemble
Commissioned by University of Oklahoma
Symphony #4 (1998)
For orchestra
Commissioned by Seattle Creative Orchestra
String Beast Book (1996)
For improvising string orchestra
Includes the following pieces:
Bandle
Bond
Of Whom
Sule
Tamisk
Concerto Grosso (1995)
3 movements for chamber orchestra
Commissioned by Young Composers Collective
Chamber Instrumental
Istanbul/Passage (2007)
A diptych of two suites, one for clarinet, piano, and contrabass; the other for tenor saxophone and piano.
Commissioned by Istanbul Technical University and Deseret Chamber Music Festival
Gathering (2006)
For any string ensemble that includes at least one each of violin, viola, and either cello or bass.
Healing Streams Abound (2006)
In 5 sections, for trombone quartet
Ruach 2 (2006)
5 movements for shakuhachi with optional viola
Commissioned by Matthew Sperry Memorial Festival
Gathering 2 (2006)
Viola, trombone, cello
Commissioned by Matthew Sperry Memorial Festival
Homage to the Art Ensemble (2006)
Viola and percussion
Fields (2006)
2 or more clarinets, piano, percussion
Lament for Matthew (2004)
Viola and any other instruments.
Ruach (2004)
12 movements for 2 flutes
Commissioned by Christina Jennings
Elementals/Ethers (2003)
6 movements for fretless guitar and microtonal vibraphone
Commissioned by the Barlow Endowment for Music Composition at Brigham Young University
Multiviola (2003)
For 4 or more violas
Commissioned by the Utah Viola Society
Uba (2002)
Multimovement duo for tuba and organ.
Commissioned by Joseph Jensen
Fla (2001)
11 movements for flute and viola
Commissioned by Dane-Jennings Duo
Four Destructions (2001)
3 movements for flute, viola, and contrabass
5 Constructions (2001)
For viola and contrabass
The Anatomy Series (2000)
For electric bass, electric guitar, and percussion, other instruments optional
Salad (2000)
5 movements for 8 flutes
Commissioned by Oregon State University
C-9-23 (1999)
For vibraphone and viola.
3 Pieces for Koto and Viola (1998)
Vla/Vibe (1998)
Multimovement piece for viola, prepared piano and percussionist
Aspois (1997)
For clarinet and piano.
Collection (1997)
7 movements for brass quartet and electric guitar
Commissioned by the Young Composers Collective
Crispois (1996)
For clarinet, piano, contrabass, and percussion
Commissioned by Francois Houle and Marilyn Crispell
Faraway (1996)
For violin, viola, cello, and contrabass
Thingsome Q (1996)
For violin, viola, cello, and contrabass
From Morton to Tom (1995)
For guitar and piano
Soon (1995)
For violin, viola, cello, and contrabass
Again We Meet (1994)
A long multisection piece for 2 tenor saxophones, trombone, viola, contrabass, and percussion.
Open Curtain Symphony (Symphony #3) (1994)
For viola and harmonium (1 or 2 players)
Adam-Ondi-Ahman (1993)
An epic set of variations for two tenor saxophones.
Duo for Last Days (1993)
For Cello and piano, 7 movements
Commissioned by the Baker/Drinkall Duo
Seven Trumps (1992)
For trumpet and organ (1 or 2 players)
Dressed (1992)
For tenor saxophone, viola and harmonium
The Martyrs (1992)
Tenor saxophone, viola, and harmonium.
Symphony (1990)
2 movements for viola and harmonium (1 or 2 players)
Hope #2 (1990)
For piano trio
Fanfare! (1989)
For two french horns
Hope #1 (1989)
For violin and piano
Emergencies (1988)
4 movements for clarinet, piano, contrabass, and percussion
String Quartet (1987)
3 movements
Fear and Trembling (1987)
Viola and piano.
Manifesto (1987)
4 movements for flute and percussion
Solo Instrument
You Flowers (2006)
For Vielle (medieval fiddle)
Commissioned by Margriet Tindemans
4 Organisms for Fretless Guitar (2004)
Commissioned by Tom Baker
Creation (2003)
For Carillon
5 movements
Commissioned by Neil Thornock
Decaying Bird (1998)
For koto
Commissioned by Elizabeth Falconer
Guitar Piece (1996)
Go With Me (1995)
For violin
Commissioned by Eyvind Kang
Underway (1995)
For flute
This is the Piece (1995)
For viola or other bowed string instrument
Symphony #2 (1993)
For viola
Piano
The Wind (2007)
Seven movements.
Bring Heavy Heart (1994-2007)
Virtuoso piano piece that is structured like a piano duo for one pianist using the sostenuto pedal extensively.
Vision (2003)
Commissioned by Mormon Artist Group and Grant Johannsen for Mormoniana, a score and CD compilation.
Preludes to What? (2002)
22 short preludes
Seven Pieces for Prepared Piano (2000)
Using a complex preparation that accounts for different sized grand pianos.
Eva ‘Spiece (1998)
Hope #3 (1991)
3 Ostinatos (1986)
I. Boogie Woogie Brutality
II.
III. Hip Hop Hyperbole
Sonatina (1986)
Invention (1986)
Piano Sonata (1982)
3 movements
Organ
Miltenberg Suite (2005)
Six movements commissioned by Doug Bush, Vleugel Organ Manufacturing, St. Jakobus Church and the city of Miltenberg to celebrate the rebuilding of the church’s organ. Each movement is an homage to architectural features of the church from a certain era.
I. Conductus (9th century)
II. Canon (15th century)
III. Motet and Dance (16th century)
IV. Toccata (17th century)
V. Fugue (18th century)
VI. Chorale (20th century)
Awakening (1995)
Seven Organ Pieces (1992)
Songs for Voice and Piano
Theorem (2004)
Text: Thomas Asplund
I Think Continually (2004)
Text: Stephen Spender
A People (2003)
Text: Lara Candland
History of Church (2003)
Text: Lara Candland
Ancient (1999)
Text: Lara Candland
Cake (1999)
Text: Lara Candland
When I Take Petals and Strew Them (1999)
Text: Lara Candland
Leave Softly (1998)
Text: Lara Candland
Resting (1997)
Text: Lara Candland
Loveth (1997)
Text: Lara Candland
Night (1992)
Text: Lara Candland
Cycle of 3 songs
Seasoning (1992)
Text: Thomas Asplund
Cycle of 4 songs
Emma Smith Speaks Her Piece (1992)
Text: Thomas Asplund
She Slept Parts 1 and 2 (1991)
Text: Lara Candland
Matters of Great Importance (1990)
Text: Thomas Asplund
Vocal with Other Instrumental Accompaniment
Rain (2004)
Text: Lara Candland
5 movement cycle
For soprano, clarinet, fretless guitar, trombone, viola and piano.
Commissioned by the Downtown Ensemble
She Is Led (2004)
Text: Lara Candland
Voice and viola
Close Your Eyes (2004)
Text: Lara Candland
For voice and viola
My Private Body (2001)
Text: Lara Candland
Cycle of 5 songs
Commissioned by Delores Leffingwell
Girls In Absentia (2001)
Text: Lara Candland
For soprano and two beginning pianists
Little Apples (2001)
Text: Lara Candland
For soprano and two beginning pianists on one piano
Emma’s Lullabye (2000)
For unaccompanied female voice
Bergman on the Beach (1999)
Text: Lara Candland
For soprano and violin
Adherence (1998)
Text: Lara Candland
2 voices, accordion, harmonium
Ente (1997)
Text: Lara Candland
For four sopranos and harmonium
Commissioned by Speakeasy
Moments (1997)
Text: Lara Candland
For soprano and viola
Seattle Experimental Opera Chorus Songbook (1994-96)
Texts by Lara Candland
2 sopranos, oboe, harmonium, viola, horn, contrabass, and percussion
A collection of avant garde cabaret songs including:
A Recollection of Girls Sleeping
A Room Unentered
Eating Pigeon
Failure of a Sentence, The
Gold
Helen
I Will Write Ten Poems…
In a Fever of Writing
Miss Tiny Voice
Plainness
Queen Mother
Recollection, A
Recollection, A (Northern)
Regard for Sickness, A
Remember Marquez
Resting on the Alien Garden of Your Forehead
Rhythmic Falling, A
Sentimental Recollection, A
Sight of Bodies, The
Streisand Dream
You Tire Me
Pale Leaves on Wet Black Bough (1995)
Text: Lara Candland
For soprano and contrabass
Five Poems (1992)
Text: Lara Candland
A cycle of 5 songs
For voice, soprano saxophone, and piano
Key to the Science of Theology (1986)
Text: Parley P. Pratt
Each song for a different ensemble:
I: Male chorus
II: Viola and speaker
III: Tenor, marimba, and bass marimba
Parting (1986)
For baritone and two percussionists
Psalm of Forgiveness (1986)
For tenor and vibraphone.
Psalm 61 (1982)
For baritone, electric guitar, bass guitar, and percussion.
Open Instrumentation
Time and Speech Series (2003)
For any two or more musicians
Anomalous 1-6 (1997)
For any group of instruments that includes at least one bass instrument.
Circle Piece (1995)
Any instruments and/or voices
Variations on La Mont (1994)
Any instruments and/or voices
Coldsweat (1992)
For any instruments or voices
Tree Piece (1991)
1 or more voices and 1 or more instruments
Hymns and Sacred Songs
Brick Church Hymnal Vol. 3 (completed 2005)
Over 100 hymns and sacred songs of varying levels of difficulty for church, home, or concert use.
Brick Church Hymnal Vol. 2 (completed 1998)
Over 100 hymns and sacred songs of varying levels of difficulty for church, home, or concert use.
Brick Church Hymnal Vol. 1 (completed 1995)
Over 100 hymns and sacred songs of varying levels of difficulty for church, home, or concert use.
Chamber jazz compositions
(Compositions for specific instrumentation with scores that involve separately notated parts for all prescribed instruments. In addition, most of these pieces involve improvisation.)
Brainstun Collection (1996-1999)
Compositions composed for Brainstun, a quartet with the following instrumentation (i.e. including doublings):
1. Alto and tenor saxophones
2. Viola, piano, and harmonium
3. Contrabass
4. Percussion and french horn
Compositions include:
Back Up
Batmap
Abacus
Blowing Free
Brainstun
Darkness and Estrangement
Down
Drogget
Enoch
Fangle
Fragments
Gentle Fonk
Gnome, Noam, ‘Nam
Hat
Hay
Heavensend
Horns of Chance
Know
Motion Equity
Oft Minded Melody
OK
Paucity
Pretty Fast and Aggressive
Pulchritude
Seven Signs
Sevens
Shaws
Sine
Sing and Seek
Smoothy
Snass
Solemn Solid
Solominim
Sonarchy
Song for La
Sowing
Speakeasy
Spent
Stbop
Suk
Thou Earth
Walk Shock
Whatever it Takes
Which, When, What
White and Black
Compositions for Brainstamp (electric viola, contrabass, drums) (2004):
Nine
Snow
Bibisection
Other chamber jazz compositions:
Freedom (2004)
Piano, contrabass, drums
Peace (2004)
Viola, contrabass, drums
Next (2000)
Electric violin, electric guitar, alto saxophone, electric bass guitar, drums
Corvallis (2000)
Electric violin, electric guitar, alto saxophone, electric bass guitar, drums
Starla (2000)
Piano, optional bass, optional drums
Beckett (1995)
Viola, harmonium, contrabass, drums
Sound (1995)
Violin, contrabass, drums
Francois (1995)
Clarinet, piano, contrabass, drums
Breathspace (1994)
For two tenor saxophones, viola, harmonium, and percussion. Instrumentation somewhat variable.
Quartet Sun (1994)
2 tenor saxophones, viola, harmonium, drums
Jazz Tunes
(i.e. “lead sheets” for non-specific jazz instrumentation, most of which involve improvisation)
Asptunes (compiled 2006, composed 1980-2006)
Most jazz tunes over many years are collected in the book Asptunes in C, Eb, and Bb editions (available from Frog Peak Music). Individual tunes include:
“Abacus,” “The Amazement,” “And Time Began,” “Ballad #1,” “Ballad #2,” “Baruch,” “Blue Asp,” “Body and Soul” (reworking), “Colours Crosses,” “Done,” “Farm Jazz,” “Findly,” “Fourth Birthday,” “Frag,” “Gethsemane,” “Growl,” “Lala,” “Lap Sang Su Shong,” “Lose Blues,” “Love,” “Lovely,” “Lumberjack Dream,” “Minamerial,” “Monster Fingers,” “Odean,” “Pastures,” “Perpetual Prey,” “Play,” “ Please,” “Rebop,” “Rhythm 1,” “Rhythm 2,” “Skinner,” “Slime,” “Sneeva Suite,” “Special Indeterminate Minimalism,” “Straight w/No Funk,” “Street Steam,” “Streisand Dream,” “Thanksgiving Dream,” “The War that Rages in Our Hearts,” “Thinkrid Suite,” “This and That,” “To Messiaen,” “Tune #1,” “Tune #2,” “Tune #3,” “Unnamed,” “Vln Valse,” “W95,” “Waltz,” “When Time”
Other jazz tunes:
Naked (1997)
Slime (1997)
Electronic
I Am (2004)
Viola, live electronics, tape
Tongues (1993)
Voice and tape
2 Pieces for Violin and Tape (1991)
Dance
Being 3 (1999)
Choreography: John Dixon
For vocalist, percussionist
Commissioned by Composer-Choreographer, Seattle
Shift (1998)
Choreography: John Dixon
For violin
Commissioned by Composer-Choreographer, Seattle
Gait (1988)
Choreography: Frances Rosario
For viola, baritone saxophone, and percussion
Commissioned by Brigham Young University Department of Dance
Theater
16 Shades of Spring (1995)
Incidental music for play
Roaring Girl Songs (1998)
Songs for 17th century British play
Other
Some Day (1992)
24-hour piece for various ensembles
Canons, Vol. 1 (2006)
A collection of canons of various types