Diane Jones, Composer
Diane Jones
Composer

             This beautiful pin of the
      Pet Dragon logo was handmade
               by Les Thompson.



        Click on a title to hear the piece in its entirety.  The .mp3 file will play with your default media player.
        All recordings are live performances.  If the link is not active, the piece has yet to be premiered!

328 Rue du Toucher

For Harpsichord Solo.  Inspired by Francois Couperin's L'Art de toucher le clavecin, these three short movements draw from pitch and rhythmic gestures found in his third, second, and eighth preludes.
Acclivity For String Quartet.  Emerging from nothing and slowly building to a frantic climax.  Originally titled "Second Pass," this is a dramatic revision of that original piece.
American Triptych
For Mixed Ensemble.  This piece was commissioned by Ryan Silveira to accompany his multi-media work of the same name.  The long, flowing music accompanies four characters performing both live and on film.  (Please note that this piece is not available for sale.)
Bottom's Dream For Mixed Ensemble (English Horn, Bass Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Viola, 'cello, Double Bass, Voice). "Man is but an ass . . ." declares Bottom as he wakes from his long, adventurous night.  Inspired by and with text from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, this piece gives Bottom the Weaver the spotlight he so richly deserves.
Caged For Percussion Ensemble.  Six short movements tell a life story in 15 minutes.  Each movement is distinct in its timbre, yet all blend seamlessly to tell a haunting story.  (To hear each movement individually, click these links:)
I. Innocence      II. Error of My Ways     III. Straight and Narrow / IV. Fall From Grace  
V. Sleep of the Dead                                      VI. Abandonment
Catching Up
For Brass Quintet (in three movements)  A fast, rhythmic first movement gives way to a gentle waltz in the second, leading up to a furious tidal wave in the third.
Charm Bracelet For Cello Solo.  A series of very short movements, each showcasing different aspects of the ever agile cello.  The performer is encouraged to arrange the movements in any order they choose.  (Click these links to hear the movements:)
Arch               Echo                Pizzicato                  Doublespeak
Choro Samba Laranja
For Flute, Cello, 6-string Bass, and Improvised Pandeiro.  Based on the traditional Brazilian Choro (a popular music form in the 1930s), this piece brings a new sound with the addition of the cello.  Fast and bouncy, listeners will feel the urge to get up and dance!
Endings and Beginnings For Tenor with Piano Accompaniment.  Our lives are an endless cycle of endings and beginnings.  Through it all, it seems a story is being told, moving from one person, to the next, to the next.  Endings are often sad, beginnings are usually exciting, and through it all, we pass our stories from one generation to the next.
Fair Sarah For Beginning Band.  There is a dearth of new music written for our children as they begin their journey into music.  Fair Sarah was written for young players, and, along with a narrator, tells the classic story of a hero, a heroine, a villain, and a train.
Guardian's Promise For Women's Voices (SSAA).  The poem and original melody are from Maggie Rowe, with Diane providing the arrangement and additional music.
In the Heart of the Earth For Mixed Choir.  This piece was commissioned by Vocal Synthesis, and depicts the slumbering earth in the depths of winter.  It is the first of an 8-piece song cycle.
Language of the Cosmos
For Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Piano.  Inspired by the fabric art of Sandra Woock, the piece begins in chaos.  Soon patterns begin to emerge as the music flows and changes, gently swirling and finally fading away to nothing.
Let Me Help
For Mezzo-Soprano, Alto Flute, and Marimba.  The poem was a gift to a loved one.  Set to music for vocalist Kristie Collura, the piece is a trio rather than vocal with accompaniment.
Middle Reel
For intermediate band.  Grounded in the rhythm of the traditional Irish dance reel, this piece challenges the developing musician to listen and play independently.  With some non-traditional chord clusters in the chorale sections, it grabs the attention of both the audience and performers.
O What a Tango'd Web
For Two Pianos.  From the opening flourish to the final rousing chords, this is an exciting piece that lends itself to a flashy performance.  A great way to end a concert and bring the audience to their feet!
Open Space
For Trombone (unaccompanied).  Portraying a struggle to contain a space too wide for words, this piece challenges the performer to present several distinct and separate voices, all intermingling.  The rushing opening fanfare quickly gives way to a flowing line.  That smooth landscape is soon marred, however, until the open space disappears completely once more.

(Unfortunately, the first two notes of this piece are missing on the recording due to circumstances beyond my control, however, I didn't want you to miss Andrew Friedrich's wonderful performance.)
Paroxysm For Flute Quartet.  Fast and furious, this is not your standard flute quartet.
Porch Music For Flute Choir (Piccolo, 4 C Flutes, Alto Flute, Bass Flute)  Sitting on a porch swing high in the Appalachia mountains, the evening sounds ebb and flow over the listener.
Shame, Guilt and Trickery A piece for Mixed Ensemble (Flute/Alto Flute, Clarinet, Oboe, Bassoon, Viola, Double Bass, Piano, and Percussion).  The haunting strains of the flute soon give way to driving rhythms and melodies chasing through the ensemble.
So Beautiful For Women's Voices (SSAA).  The poem and original melody are from Maggie Rowe, with Diane providing the arrangement and additional music.
Woodwind Waltz For Woodwind Quintet.  Exactly as the title suggests, a waltz from beginning to end.  A minor beginning soon moves to a fugal section, with an almost chorale-like ending.

These pieces are currently available through Pet Dragon Music.
Please contact Diane if you are interested in any of the above pieces,
or would like to commission a piece.



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