Andrew Ford

Composer, Writer & Broadcaster

Home / Compositions / Orchestral

Orchestral

Andrew Ford has composed a lot of works for orchestras, large and small, with and without soloists.

Please click work titles for more information and resources (audio, sheet music, program note etc.) about individual works in this category.

Manhattan Epiphanies (1994-99)

32 minutes
for string orchestra

i Motherwell at the Guggenheim

ii Rothko I

iii Utopia Parkway: 13 Cornell Boxes

iv Rothko II

v Blue Poles

N.B. Movements may be performed separately.

i. solo violin and string orchestra

ii. 5-5-3-3-1

iii. 5-5-3-3-1 and toy instruments

iv. 5-5-3-3-1

v. string orchestra

The whole piece may be played by 17 solo strings, but larger forces may be employed in the two outer movements.

Commissioned by the Australian Chamber Orchestra

First performance of Rothko I & II by the Australian Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Roger Smalley, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, 25 September 1994.

First performance of Utopia Parkway by the Australian Chamber Orchestra, conducted by the composer, Huntington Festival, Huntington Estate Winery, Mudgee, NSW, 1 December 1994.

First performance of Blue Poles by Canberra School of Music Chamber Orchestra conducted by Tor Fromyhr, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, October 2002.

First performance of Motherwell at the Guggenheim by Christina Katsimbardis (violin), Australian Youth Orchestra (NMC), conducted by John Harding, Llewellyn Hall, Australian National University, Canberra, 17 January 2004.

More Info

The Great Memory (1994)

24 minutes
for solo cello and orchestra

2(I=bass fl; II=picc)-2(II=cor ang)-2(I=Ebcl; II=bass cl)-sop sax-2(II=contrabsn) / 4-2-3-1 / 2 perc / timps (=lion's roar) / elec org (=cel, pno) / hp / 14-0-0-4-3

First performance by Sue-Ellen Paulsen and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra conducted by En Shao, Odeon Theatre, Hobart, 22 August 1995

More Info

The Widening Gyre (1993)

20 minutes
for 2 solo violins, solo cello and chamber orchestra

0-2-0-1(=contrabsn) / 2-0-0-0 / 4-4-3-2-1

Commissioned by the Australian Chamber Orchestra

First performance by Richard Tognetti and Julian Shevlin (violins), Cameron Retchford (cello), Australian Chamber Orchestra conducted by the composer, Eugene Goossens Hall, Sydney, 23 July 1993

More Info

Harbour (1992)

18 minutes
For tenor and 17 solo strings

Text: Margaret Morgan

5-5-3-3-1 (double bass also plays tubular bell)

First performance by Gerald English and the Australian Chamber Orchestra conducted by David Stanhope, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, 10 May 1992

More Info

Patapan (1992)

1 minute
for orchestra

2(2+picc)-2-2-2 / 4-2-3-1 / 2 perc /hp / strings

Commissioned by Tall Poppies Records

First performance by Australian Youth Orchestra conducted by Graham Abbott, Eugene Goossens Hall, Sydney, 

More Info

Piano Concerto: Imaginings (1990-91)

26 minutes
for solo piano, concertino group and orchestra

Concertino: vibraphone (also side drum), celesta, harp, electronic organ

Orchestra: 2(II=picc)-2(II=cor ang)-2(I=Ebcl; II=bass cl)-sop sax-2(II=contrabsn) / 4-2-3-1 / 2 perc / pno / strings

Commissioned by Lisa Moore with financial assistance from the Performing Arts Board of the Australia Council for the Arts

More Info

The Big Parade (1985-1986)

20 minutes
For concertino group, string quintet, string octet and three orchestras

Concertino: bass clarinet, mandolin, guitar, celesta, harp, violin, viola and cello
String quintet: 1-1-1-2-0
String octet: 2-2-2-2-0
Orchestra I: 4(1=bass fl, picc; 2=picc; 4=alto fl)-3-0-3(3=contrabsn) / 0-0-0-0 / pno / 0-0-0-0-8
Orchestra II: 0-0-4(=bass cl)-0 / 0-0-0-0 / elec.org / hp / 0-0-10-0-0
Orchestra III: 0-0-0-0 / 6-6-4-2 / 6 perc / 0-0-0-0-0

More Info

Epilogue to an Opera (1982)

7 minutes
for small orchestra

1(=picc)-1(=cor ang)-1(=bass cl)-1(=contrabsn) / 1-1-0-0 / 1 perc / hp / 4-4-2-2-2 (or 1-1-1-1-1)

First performance by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra conducted by Patrick Thomas, Arcadia Theatre, Sydney, 1 November 1985

More Info

Concerto for Orchestra (1980)

15 minutes

2(=picc)-2(1=cor ang)-2(1=bass cl)-2 / 4-1-1-1 / 3 perc / pno / 0-0-0-0-8

First performance by the London Sinfonietta conducted by Oliver Knussen, St John's, Smith Square, London, 5 April 1982

More Info