THE MUSIC OF ROGER NIXON
The Christmas Tree
The Christmas Tree depicts a familiar Christmas scene with children “listening round the
tree” in this traditional, joyful, occasion of family life in Christian America.
tree” in this traditional, joyful, occasion of family life in Christian America.
Long, Long Ago
Long, Long Ago expresses the imagery of a child’s wonder associated with the story of Christmas. A wonder the composer experienced as a child and has never forgotten.
Music for Clarinet and Piano
Music for Clarinet and Piano by outstanding American Composer Roger Nixon should be part of every performing clarinetist’s repertoire. This set of five expressive movements will challenge the musicianship of performers and audience alike. Rhythmically demanding and technically advanced, this well-crafted display piece will be rewarding for all professional clarinetists.
Conversations for Violin and Clarinet
Conversations for Violin and Clarinet by Roger Nixon is a creative example of musical interaction.
The six movements: Intimate, Light, Bits and Snatches, Rather Serious, Playful, and Sad develop an
active dialogue that speaks through the instruments. A novel setting for violin and clarinet destined
to be a recital favorite.
The six movements: Intimate, Light, Bits and Snatches, Rather Serious, Playful, and Sad develop an
active dialogue that speaks through the instruments. A novel setting for violin and clarinet destined
to be a recital favorite.
Variations for Cello and Clarinet
Variations for Cello and Clarinet is a set of six short movements ranging from sustained expressive lines to quick chromatic and punctuated dialogues between the musicians. This composition displays the contrasting styles of both instruments in a rare and musically challenging setting. The final movement alone is worth the performance.
24 Preludes for Piano
Roger Nixon’s 24 Preludes constitute a general summary of the development of his harmonic language from 1946 to 2000. The earlier preludes were influenced by his teacher Arnold Schoenberg and incorporate aspects of the twelve-tone composition technique. The later preludes, inspired by Bela Bartok, use a “Mystery Mode” to develop a further extension of tonality. These preludes reveal Nixon’s consistent goals of exploration, assimilation, and integration of harmonic concepts and vocabulary.
