Nico Muhly

POD-Nico Muhly's Pulses Cycles Clouds for large mixed Percussion ensemble was written for the 50th anniversary of the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. At its core it is a group of four marimbas surrounded by various bells and other mallet instruments; unpitched instruments here are primarily played by an ensemble of amateur percussionists. The piece obsesses over a cycle of eleven chords introduced slowly through the beginning of the piece. Each chord is announced by a large vertical moment with bells vibraphone and a sudden shift in tonality. The four marimbas then relax into a series of soft interlockingpatterns over which an ensemble of glockenspiels and crotales plays a simple rhythm in a complex relationship to the other instruments. Eventually the pulse disintegrates entirely into a vision of a night sky; insects unexpected interruptions - a walk around a quiet landscape. Eventually the pulse returns but nocturnally subdued. The piece is meant to echo in its way the thrill of community music making the joy of sharing a pulse and the various connections both rhythmic and interpersonal I made at BUTI two decades ago. - Nico Muhly

Expecting The Main Things From You is a work by Nico Muhly for SATB Choir String Quartet Percussion and Organ. Commissioned by the Gabe Wiener Foundation and first performed in May 2005 at Central Synagogue New York U.S.A. the piece lasts around 24 minutes. These are the Instrumental Parts.

Muhly fell in love with Byrd’s setting of the Christmas words Senex Puerum Portabat as a chorister so much that the ‘fluidity of the lines the relentless lilting rhythm and the way Byrd both avoided and cradled the text’ that he was inspired to follow a life in music. Early in his career he set the same text in modern style. The first statement of the words is a capella with ecstatic brass entering in the restatement. The ancient Hodie Christus Natus Est follows on seamlessly in a new mood.Contemporary American composer Nico Muhly is a prolific writer and arranger who at 32 is the youngest composer ever to have been commissioned by the Metropolitan Operain New York. His oeuvre includes two operas and many solo pieces and works for small ensemble Orchestra and Chorus and he has collaborated widely.

So Many Things is a work by Nico Muhly for Mezzo-Soprano and String Quartet. The piece sets two poems by C.P. Cavafy and one by Joyce Carol Oates for a vocal work that lasts around 15 minutes. This is the score and parts.

Muhly fell in love with Byrd’s setting of the Christmas words Senex Puerum Portabat as a chorister so much that the ‘fluidity of the lines the relentless lilting rhythm and the way Byrd both avoided and cradled the text’ that he was inspired to follow a life in music. Early in his career he set the same text in modern style. The first statement of the words is a capella with ecstatic brass entering in the restatement. The ancient Hodie Christus Natus Est follows on seamlessly in a new mood.Contemporary American composer Nico Muhly is a prolific writer and arranger who at 32 is the youngest composer ever to have been commissioned by the Metropolitan Operain New York. His oeuvre includes two operas and many solo pieces and works for small ensemble Orchestra and Chorus and he has collaborated widely.

Written for multi percussion.  Like much of the percussion repertoire time (rhythm) takes center stage as the primary compositional element namely though various additive procedures. These additive procedures however are clouded or actually they're 'coloured ' by Nico's enormous and infectious personality as is the pitch material orchestration and form. 

Vocal score for Nico Muhly's God Will Be Their Light. Composed for AATTBB choir unaccompanied includes texts from Revelation 22 vv.1-2 King James Version (1611) & Prayer for Compline (after Revelation 22 vv.3--4) Common Worship (2005). Commissioned by The Queen's Six and first performed on 4 April 2018 at Hood College Frederick Maryland USA. Duration: c. 3 minutes  

Balance Problems by contemporary classical composer Nico Muhly is a work arranged for Chamber Ensemble. This product includes the full score and parts for each instrument that is Flute Clarinet in B Trumpet in C Viola Violin (or Acoustic Guitar) and Violoncello. Balance Problems was commissioned by Linda and Stuart Nelson for yMusic an innovative ensemble that intersects the line between pop and classical music. Their debut album was named the number one classical album of the year by Time Out New York and this new Nico Muhly composition forms one track from their 2014 offering also titled 'BalanceProblems.' This work is in the key of C and lasts around 8 minutes.

Treble ATB and Organ-Commissioned In Memoriam 9/11 by the Music Patrons of St. Paul’s Cathedral. First performed by the Choir of St. Paul’s Cathedral directed by Andres Carwood.

Wish You Were Here written for the Boston Pops pays homage to Colin McPhee one of the first western musicologists to study Balinese gamelan as well as to the great illustrators Carl Barks and Herge (responsible for Donald Duck & Tintin respectively). Muhly has written a completely romantic and fanciful gamelan-influenced piece. On top of this twittery and excited music a long lonesome melody unfolds. After a desolate interlude with severe ship’s-horn brass the energetic patterns start again and the long line returns this time with a triumphant revelatory ending. Arranged for orchestra this piece has a duration ofapproximately 8 minutes.

Contemporary American composer Nico Muhly is a prolific writer and arranger who at 32 is the youngest composer ever to have been commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera in New York. His oeuvre includes two operas and many solo pieces and works for small ensemble Orchestra and Chorus. Muhly has collaborated widely. This Choral work manifests some influences of Phillip Glass for whom he has previously worked. Like As The Hart is Muhly’s response to Herbert Howells’s setting of the psalm though in this version elongated harmonies ‘drag’ melodic fragments behind them.