A List of Compositions by Louise Denson
Works for Piano and Soprano Voice
Cooktown Cantata: Songs of Love, Place and Identity (2019/2021)
Libretto & Creative Direction - Jan Black
50-min work for soprano, baritone and tenor voice, piano, acoustic bass, cello, viola and 2 multi-wind players.
Still the Mystery Exists
Me Father Gave Me an Acre of Land
In the Name of Science
Flower of Cooktown
Reflection
The Picnic
My River
Journey into Country
The Land Beyond Beyond
Monsoon Time (2020)
Setting of a poem by Elvira Davis for SATB choir.
Fragment 40 (2016)
Settings of poems by American symbolist poet Hilda Doolittle (H.D.) (1886 – 1961).
Keep Love
Could Eros be Kept?
Love is Bitter and Sweet
I Had Thought Myself Frail
What Need?
Time (2015)
Settings of poems by Australian multi-instrumentalist John Stefulj (b.
Always There
What is There Wasn’t There Once It is to Have Never Been
It Is Now
Desire (2015)
Lyrics by Louise Denson, based on the writings of diarist Anaïs Nin (1903 – 1977)
Distant Land
Dream 1
Dream 2
Joy
One Desire
Four Songs for Piano and Soprano (2013)
Settings of poems by French poet/translator Denis Supersac (b. 1961)
Son parfum
Quand le soleil s’éteint
Frémit mon coeur
La lune
Non-jazz instrumental compositions
Une évolution (2021)
Five pieces for solo piano
Tipping Point (2021)
For two cellos
Salt and Light (2020)
For clarinet and piano
Violet is a State of Mind (2020)
Piano solo. In K. Zhukov (Ed.). Australian Women Composers’ Piano Anthology Vol. 3. Woolongong: Wirripang Pty. Ltd.
Illuminatio (1998/2019)
Piano solo. In K. Zhukov (Ed.). Australian Women Composers’ Piano Anthology Vol. 2. Woolongong: Wirripang Pty. Ltd.
Mill Life (2018)
For 14 pianos and percussion. Site specific work for the Piano Mill, curated by Erik Griswold & Vanessa Tomlinson.
Two Boleros (arrs. 2007/2016)
Arrangements for piano trio of Soñando de tí and Contemplación
Resolve (2014)
For piano, drums, acoustic bass, bass clarinet, cello and violin
Fisherman Islands (2013)
Vignette inspired by the poetry of Samuel Wagan Watson: Smoke Encrypted Whispers
For bassoon, bass clarinet, horn in F, oboe, piano and soprano voice.
Quatre vinaigrettes (1995)
Four short pieces for solo piano using 12–tone rows
Jazz, ‘Latin’ Jazz & Afro-Cuban compositions: Small Group arrangements (1989 – 2019)
* = recorded
Title |
GENRE/STYle |
Instrumentation |
*All I Know (Lyrics – Elly Hoyt) |
Jazz Ballad ¾ |
Rhythm + Vox |
And the Moonlight |
Jazz Ballad |
Piano Trio |
Another Bolero |
Bolero |
Piano Trio |
*Another Cup |
Afro 6/8 - fast salsa |
Rhythm + Tpt + Tenor |
A Yearning |
Jazz Ballad |
Piano Trio |
Balance |
Str 5/4 |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb |
Bolerito |
Bolero |
Rhythm + Flugelhorn |
Bolero 17 |
Bolero |
Piano Trio |
*Bolero for Wendy |
Bolero |
Rhythm + Clarinet |
Bright Spot |
Str 8, open improv sections |
Piano Trio |
Brillante esta la luna (Lyrics - Louise Denson) |
2:3 salsa |
Rhythm + Tpt + Tenor |
*Cha Cha Che |
Cha cha cha |
Rhythm + Flute |
*Cheek |
Swing |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb |
*Clean Start |
Boogaloo |
Rhythm + Tpt + Tenor |
*Contemplación |
Bolero |
Piano Trio |
*Colours of Your Love (Lyrics – Ingrid James) |
Jazz Ballad |
Rhythm + Vox |
Como escondír mi pena? (Lyrics - Louise Denson) |
Pambiche |
Rhythm + Tpt + Tenor |
*Cut and Dried |
Blues, hard bop |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb |
Dark Side, The |
3:2 salsa |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb |
Decir y hacer (Lyrics - Louise Denson) |
Tango/bolero |
Piano Trio |
Finding |
Str 8 |
Piano Trio |
*First Love (Lyrics – Ingrid James) |
Bolero |
Piano Trio |
*Flame Tree |
Cha cha cha
|
Rhythm + Tpt + Tenor + Vox |
Flora australiae |
3 mvt suite |
Big band + wind soloist |
*Frangipani |
Bolero |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb |
From the Other Side |
Jazz Ballad |
Piano Trio |
*Gone too Soon (Lyrics – Ingrid James) |
Str 8 moody |
Rhythm + Tpt + Tenor + Vox |
*Green Tristano |
Hard bop |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb |
*Hear Me! (Lyrics - Louise Denson) |
Afro 6/8 |
Rhythm + Tpt + Tenor + Vox |
Here We Are (Lyrics - Louise Denson) |
Swing, up tempo |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb or Vox |
He Said, She Said (Lyrics - L. Denson) |
Samba |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb or Vox |
Hot Mambo Descarga (Lyrics - Louise Denson) |
2:3 salsa |
Rhythm + Tpt + Tenor + Vox |
*I Don’t Smoke (Lyrics - Louise Denson) |
Bebop contrafact |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb + Vox |
*I’ll Ask You One More Time (Lyrics - Louise Denson) |
Cha cha cha/songo |
Rhythm + Tpt + Tenor + Vox |
Illuminatio |
Jazz waltz |
Piano Trio |
*Ineffable |
Str 8 |
Rhythm + Tpt + Tenor |
*In the Morning (Lyrics - Louise Denson) |
Bossa nova |
Rhythm + Vox + Flute |
*Itty Bitty Boogaloo |
Boogaloo |
Rhythm + Tpt + Tenor |
*L’angoisse, qu’est-ce? |
Post bop |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb |
L’armonia (Lyrics - Louise Denson) |
2:3 salsa |
Rhythm + Tpt + Tenor |
*Lately |
Str 8, moody |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb |
*Life Itself |
Samba |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb |
Light of the Heart |
Jazz Ballad |
Piano Trio |
*Lonely Wing (Lyrics – Ingrid James) |
Jazz Ballad |
Rhythm + Vox |
*Lost my Heart (Lyrics – Ingrid James) |
Bossa nova |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb or Vox |
*Low Moon |
Str 8, moody |
Piano Trio |
Maga et Manu |
Str 8, moody |
Piano Trio |
*Maré de Agosto |
Samba |
Rhythm + Eb horn |
*Maybe Tomorrow (Lyrics – Ingrid James) |
Jazz Waltz |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb or Vox |
Means to an End |
Str 8, moody |
Piano Trio |
*Mercurio |
3:2 salsa |
Rhythm + 2 horns |
Moving On |
Swing, up tempo |
Rhythm + Tpt + Tenor |
New Sunrise |
Str 8 |
Piano Trio |
New Waltz |
Jazz Waltz |
Piano Trio |
Nigerian Daydream |
Latin/swing |
Rhythm + Tpt + Tenor |
*Not This Time (Lyrics – Denson/James) |
Blues, Funk |
Rhythm + Tpt + Tenor |
Nova Nova |
Bossa nova |
Rhythm + Tpt + Tenor |
*Now You Are Gone |
Bolero |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb |
Oath |
Slow, chorale |
Rhythm + Vox |
*Oblique Angle |
Swing, up tempo |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb |
Oh, by the way |
Jazz waltz |
Piano Trio |
*On the Level |
Str 8, 7/4 blues |
Rhythm + Tpt + Tenor or Alto |
On the Way (Lyrics – Ingrid James) |
Jazz Ballad |
Rhythm + Vox |
*Out of My Way! |
Samba |
Saxophone orchestra |
Paperchase |
Str 8 |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb |
Parting |
Str 8 |
Piano Trio |
*Pondside |
Jazz Waltz |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb |
*Prevailing Wisterly |
Jazz Waltz |
Piano Trio |
Running Creek |
Str 8 |
Rhythm + Tpt + Tenor |
*Sambacita |
Samba |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb |
Samba Lucia |
Samba |
Piano Trio or Bb or Eb |
*Sanctuary |
Jazz Waltz |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb |
*Seamless Sea |
Bossa nova |
Rhythm + Tpt + Tenor |
Second Step |
Str 8, moody |
Piano Trio |
Serious Undertaking |
Jazz waltz |
Piano Trio or Bb or Eb |
Si te quiero (Lyrics - Louise Denson) |
Bachata |
Rhythm + Tpt + Tenor |
Slow Down (Lyrics –James/Denson) |
Blues, slow or funky |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb or Vox |
Smarten Up |
2:3 salsa |
Piano Trio |
*Soñando de tí |
Bolero |
Rhythm + Flugelhorn |
Souvenir de Montréal |
Jazz Waltz |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb |
*Sparring, Sparing |
2:3 salsa |
Rhythm + Eb |
Star of |
Str 8 |
Piano solo |
Suddenly the Sun Went Down |
Str 8, slow |
Piano Trio |
Switchback |
Str 8, up |
Rhythm + Tpt + Tenor or Alto |
Temporary Insamity |
Str 8, 12/8 |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb |
Think Twice (Lyrics – Ingrid James) |
Samba |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb or Vox |
*Time to be (Lyrics – Denson/James) |
Choro/bossa |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb or Vox |
Unexpected, The |
Jazz Waltz |
Piano Trio |
*Upstart |
Blues, med |
Rhythm + Bb or Eb |
*Wild December Wind (Lyrics – Ingrid James) |
Bossa nova |
Rhythm + Vox |
Wind |
Bossa nova |
Rhythm + Gtr + Vibes; or Bb or Eb |
You Said (Lyrics - Louise Denson) |
Swing, up tempo |
Rhythm + Bb and Eb, or Vox |
Arrangements for jazz/classical nonet (voice, piano, drums, acoustic bass, tenor saxophone, trumpet/flugelhorn, violin, viola, cello)
# = Originals listed above
Constant Craving (Lang/Mink)
Gnossienne No. 1 (Satie)
#Gone Too Soon
If You Could Read My Mind (Lightfoot)
It’s Too Late (King)
Logical Song (Hodgson)
#Maybe Tomorrow
Out of Season (Sherlock/Denson)
Russian Lullaby/Old Country (Berlin/Adderley)
San Francisco River (Moreira/Purim)
#Switchback
The Hope (Purim)
#Think Twice
#Time to Be
Trajectoire (Tcholakian/James)
#Wild December Wind
Arrangements for jazz/classical septet (voice, piano, drums, acoustic bass, violin, viola, cello)
# = Originals listed above
#Colours of Your Love
#First Love
#On the Way
Tristeza de amar (Vandré/Roberto)
Arrangements for big band
# = Originals listed above
#Flora Australiae – Eucalyptus regnans, Ozothmnus ledifolius, Bougainvillea glabra
(Commissioned by multi-wind instrumentalist Diana Tolmie)
#Another Cup
#Bolerito
#Bolero for Wendy
#Cha Cha Che
#Decir y hacer
#Flame Tree
Gnossienne No. 1 (Satie)
#I Don’t Smoke
#I’ll Ask You One More Time
#Life Itself
#Mercurio
Son of Northland (Finnish trad.)
#I Don’t Smoke
Rent-a-Crowd (Green)
#Sparring, Sparing
#Wild December Wind
Arrangements for saxophone quartet
# = Originals listed above
#Green Tristano
#Pondside
#Star of
Arrangements for saxophone orchestra
# = Originals listed above
#Bougainvillea glabra
#Out of My Way!
#Wild December Wind