adamsworks.com |
Compositions by Robert Train Adams |
||
| Find compositions by instrumentation | |||
| Welcome! You've entered a portion of my website that is currently under development. Feel free to look around. The dropdown list above will take you to the major divisions of my work. Some of the pages I link to do not have links back to this page; your browser back button will prove useful. Good luck! | |||
Chamber music |
|||
SacredClick title for more information, sample score, and midi sample. Easter Fanfares (1985) For 4 brass and organ. Based on Christ ist erstanden. Fanfares for an Easter Day A dynamic work for 3 trumpets, two trombones, and organ, with optional timpani. Can be put together with minimal rehearsal. Gilead Variations A lyrical set of four variations on There is a balm in Gilead for flute and piano. Jesus Loves Me (Variations) A continuous variation set on this familiar tune for flute and organ. Medium to hard difficulty. See also my Meditation on Jesus Loves Me. Meditation on For the Beauty of the Earth This pastorale for for flute and piano makes a great interlude or offertory. Easy to medium difficulty. Meditation on Jesus Loves Me A lyrical reflection for flute and organ. Medium difficulty. See also my Jesus Loves Me Variations for a more challenging but complementary work. Meditation on O Waly Waly A meditative work featuring oboe, accompanied by piano. Easy to medium difficulty. Meditation on Were You There A straightforward presentation of this familiar hymn tune for oboe and piano, with a few embellishments. Easy to medium difficulty. Music for a Christmas Eve This work, for organ and string quartet, served as prelude for a Christmas Eve service. Reflective in character, medium difficulty. Reflections on Brother James' Air This meditative work for flute and organ has room for an optional speaker in its middle section. Easy to medium difficulty. There is a Dream That Thrills God's Heart A continuous variation set on the American tune Bray, used by Thomas Troeger as a setting for his hymn celebrating the Louisville (Kentucky) Seminary. Variations on a French Carol (Noel Nouvelet) This work is a theme and variations set on this Christmas tune, also used with the Easter hymn Now The Green Blade Riseth. Originally written for flute and piano, arrangements for organ solo, and piano and organ are also available.
|
ConcertClick title for more information, sample score, and midi sample. Amazing Grace Variations An extended work for cello and piano. A bright, fun romp for organ and piano with recurring hints of the refrain from Angels We Have heard on High. A challenging but rewarding work. Fanfares and Dances A dialog for clarinet and trumpet. Medium difficulty. Fanfares and Flourishes For brass quintet (2tpt, fh, trb, tuba) and organ. Six variations on the hymn tune Bunessan (often used with the hymn Morning Has Broken) for cello and organ. Medium to hard for both instruments. Lyric Dance for Horn and Clarinet One of a set of instrumental "lyric dances," this piece features French Horn and clarinet, with piano assistance. Lyric Dances The first of the instrumental "lyric dances," this piece features clarinet and euphonium, with piano assistance. It was written in celebration of the Senior Recital two Susquehanna University students were sharing. Moment-Variations A three-movement work for seven instruments (fl, ob, cl, bn, fh, vn, vla). The work explores the technique of moment form. Movements for Saxophone Quartet A three-movement set (Sounding Piece, Aria, Mobiles) for satb saxes. Mirror Variations A playful set of four short variations for two flutes. Whistlestop is a companion work. Music for Flute, Clarinet and Piano A three-movement set featuring all three instruments. The first and last movements (Variants and Rondo) use all instruments, while the middle movement (Minuet) uses only the wind instruments. Saint Anthony Variations A challenging look at this theme, set so delightfully by Johannes Brahms. My work, for flute and organ, makes no allusion to Brahms, but he probably lurks behind the scenes anyway! Hard for both instruments. Soundings In the spirit of my instrumental "lyric dances" set, this work features tuba with piano accompaniment. Three Pieces for Clarinet and Piano A challenging, sparkling work for clarinet and piano.. Whistlestop A short, playful work for two flutes. A companion piece for Mirror Variations.
|
||
Choral music |
|||
SacredClick title for more information, sample score, and midi sample. 1 Corinthians 13 An upbeat contemporary setting of this beloved text. This short introit is based on a paraphrase of the hymn tune Slane. A contemporary setting of Isaiah 43:18-21 for men's choir and piano. Also available for satb choir and piano. Blessed is the One A setting of two verses of Psalm 32 for men's voices, optional congregation or women's voices. We've used it as an introit, with men in the chancel, women in the back and, since I'm both organist and director, the piano midied. Called by God A setting of the Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church mission statement, appropriate for themes of calling or mission. TTBB and satb versions available with keyboard (organ preferred) and optional congregation. Christ has no body now but yours This brief choral benediction sets a text by St. Teresa of Avila (satb a capella). A delightful, energetic work for satb and piano. It has a lot of flexibility for length and voicing, and is great for those times where you're not sure how many choir members will actually be available. Come, Ye Thankful People, Come This variation set for satb chorus and wind ensemble (organ reduction available) can function as an extended anthem, a concert work, or excerpted for a more conventional-length anthem. Eli, Eli This work, written for Good Friday, combines Psalm 22:1-3 and Eli, Eli, a poem by Hannah Senesh. This simple but powerful work is written for ttbb and string quartet (string parts are easy to medium difficulty). In both English and Hebrew. Find Your Rest, Oh My Soul Based on portions of Psalm 63:5-12, this introit, written for satb and piano, is of medium difficulty. It features the sopranos. This text-less work is a meditation on There is a balm in Gilead. Medium difficulty, although the vocalizing is a challenge! For satb, piano. An attractive retelling of Matthew 25:31-46 for satb and piano. Jesus Prayer A through-composed soprano solo intended for use over Jaques Berthier's Jesus, Remember Me. Appropriate for communion. Lord, Dismiss Us with Thy Blessing A choral benediction response for satb and piano. A choir favorite (well, no one in the congregation has complained, either...). Mary's Child An arrangement of the hymn version of Geoffrey Ainger's Christmas song. For satb, piano. May the Words of my Mouth Inspired by African choral music, this short anthem requires a strong tenor soloist. Works well in blended worship. Medium difficulty. A setting of psalm 131 for s solo, satb and keyboard, excerpted from The Needham Psalter. Standing in the Need of Prayer An upbeat arrangement of this familiar spiritual. Still, Still, Still A straightforward setting of this delightful carol. The accompaniment of the last verse pays homage to one of Johann Pachelbel's settings of Vom Himmel hoch. The Lord Your God is in Your Midst The piece learns easily and works well in choirs where sections aren't of equal strength. Though I May Speak A choral arrangement of the English folk tune O Waly Waly, setting the 1972 text by Hal Hopson paraphrasing 1 Corinthians 13 Medium difficulty; primarily homophonic; mixture of jazz and classical styling. You Satisfy the Hungry Heart An satb arrangement of the hymn by Robert E. Kreutz .Water This piece draws on Gospel, African and Western European traditions in setting the text by Presbyterian minister Gail Doering.
|
ConcertClick title for more information, sample score, and midi sample. The Bait A setting of the John Donne poem. Echo A setting of the Christina Rossetti poem. Entreat Me Not to Leave Thee Click title for more information, sample score, and midi sample. A setting of the Omar Khayyam poem. How Do I Love Thee? A setting of the Elizabeth Barrett Browning poem. If To Be A setting of excerpts from letters by George Washington. A choral cycle of eight Emily Dickenson poems for satb a capella. Music Expresses A short setting of a Victor Hugo quotation (translator unknown) for satb a capella. Needham Psalter, The A concert-length work setting 15 psalm texts for two choirs, soloists, organ, piano and chamber orchestra. One hour 15 minutes. Needham Psalter, The (short) An extract from the full Needham Psalter for satb chorus, soprano and tenor soli, flute, cello and piano. 20 minutes Never the Time and the Place A setting of a Robert Browning poem. Pictures from Breughel A setting of William Carlos Williams' collection of the same name for satb chorus, soloists and chamber orchestra. Settings of four Shakespeare texts for saab and piano. Great for choirs with an abundance of women's voices and a reduced complement of men. Settings of eight texts extracted from the Christmas portion of Messiah, reordered with a contemporary translation for satb choir, string quartet, and handbells. Two extended a capella songs for women's voices and percussion, originally set as incidental music for a production of Women of Troy. |
||
Organ music |
|||
SacredClick title for more information, sample score, and midi sample Chorale prelude on the hymn tune Inward Light. A combination of several familiar carols for organ for those times when nothing else will really do... Christ is Risen A hymn medley of five Easter hymns. Since the churches I have served recently have spent little time with Easter music (the Easter season gets truncated down to a week or two) this is a favorite with congregations hungry for the familiar Easter tunes they know and love. I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light A chorale prelude on the tune Houston, often known as I Want to Walk... Medium to hard difficulty. In Memoriam Written following the death of my mother. Meditation on Were You There An arrangement for organ of an earlier work for oboe and piano. The pedal solo covers the oboe part. Variations on the tune Beach Spring. Partita on Immortal, Invisible A set of seven variations on St. Denio. Begun in 1980, the set was augmented in 2005. This makes a nice concert work as well as providing material for prelude, offertory, and postlude. A straightforward setting of this familiar tune, with a traditional walking bass, simple left-hand chords, and a slightly quirky, playful right-hand melody. A paraphrase of a typical Baroque passacaglia using elements of Jim Manley's Spirit, a flowing, melodic work with a powerful Pentecost text. Medium difficulty. Quodlibet on Olivet and Battle Hymn A combination of My Faith Looks Up To Thee (Olivet) and Battle Hymn of the Republic (Battle Hymn). Appropriate for memorial services and other special occasions. A continuous variation set on this familiar tune. Listen for hints of How Great Thou Art in this meditative work. Soli Deo Gloria Written following the death of my mother. A great Christmas season postlude, containing elements of the tune Gloria. Toccata on He Never Failed Me Yet This work served as postlude for a service featuring Greg Murai's work for gospel choir. It is a good example of how contemporary and classical music can cheerfully coexist. Written as a postlude for a service where the contemporary song Shout to the Lord closed out the service. Medium to hard difficulty (ok--it's challenging, with the melody in the pedal for a good portion of the piece). Toccata on We Are The Church A postlude that builds on musical ideas found in Greg Murai's updating of Avery & Marsh's text We Are The Church. Variations on a French Carol An arrangement of my work of the same title for flute and piano. See my description under chamber music for more information. A lively setting of this tune, first presented as a postlude. Fun to play, with an easy pedal part (although the composite rhythmic activity places this in the medium difficulty range). A three-movement exploration of one of the tunes associated with the hymn In Christ There Is No East or West. Please see the concert listing for details on this piece.
|
ConcertClick title for more information, sample score, and midi sample All Things Bright and Beautiful A set of five variations on the hymn tune Royal Oak. Excerpts function well as prelude or postlude. An improvisatory work for organ with optional rain stick and untuned chimes. This can serve as an extended prelude or a concert work. Dance Procession on Simple Gifts The repetitive, ever-increasing nature of this piece makes it a natural for visual elements, either on screen or with dancers. This three-movement piece is cross-listed with my sacred organ works, because individual movements work well as service music. The work as a whole, however, is a great concert choice, combining standard organ writing with elements of jazz (including an opportunity for improvisation--although a suggested realization is also provided). Five movements on some wonderful Norwegian melodies. Medium to hard difficulty.
|
||
Piano music |
|||
SacredClick title for more information, sample score, and midi sample. All Creatures of Our God and King |
ConcertClick title for more information, sample score, and midi sample. |
||
Vocal music |
|||
SacredClick title for more information, sample score, and midi sample. |
ConcertClick title for more information, sample score, and midi sample. |
||