Recitative for Sorely Tested Products
May be the only cantata ever written about product testing. Text is by John Updike. David Ripley sings the part of a mournful and abused tire as well as a now-irregular watch. Karol Bennett becomes a broken typewriter and an angry pair of scissors. Together they dream of a Dies Irae The pianist is John McDonald, and the performance is at MIT.
The Descent of Mr. Aldez
A short song on a poem of Updike. Like many poems of his early work, he found unexpected ambiguities in newspaper headlines of the day. Karol Bennett and John McDonald performed at MIT.
War Songs
for voice and electronic orchestra, performed by David Ripley in 2003. Ripley has performed both books of songs a number of times, most recently in 2009.
Book 1
Book 2
Ruminations: Old Lady’s Winter Words
For mezzo-soprano and chamber ensemble. This performance is from 1980 and occurred at Tanglewood (you can hear the birds if you listen carefully), under the baton of Jahja Ling. The singer is Laurie Stewart Otten.
Five Poems
One movement from Five Poems for mezzo soprano and string orchestra. This is a short song on a poem by Williams. A cat gets what's coming to him. Karen Lykes sings with the Red Sneakers Nonharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of (or perhaps in spite of) the composer.
(2) Cummings songs
A pair of e.e. cummings settings. Karen Lykes sings with Nancy Zeltsman on Marimba. This is from a Red Sneakers concert in the early 1980s.