Choral Works

Choral Works

All of these choral works are published by
Charlotte Benson Music Publishers in Philadelphia
and are licensed through BMI.

GITANJALI (2000-2001)
a series of short choral works, all based upon texts by India's
Rabindranath Tagore

I. for SATB chorus and brass (3 trumpets, 3 horns, 3 trombones)
II. for unaccompanied SATB chorus
III. for SATB chorus, brass ensemble (as above) and timpani
IV. for chorus of sopranos and altos accompanied by string quartet
V. for SATB chorus and brass ensemble (as above)
VI. for SATB chorus and keyboard
(or a possible arrangement for 9 brass players)
VII. for chorus of sopranos and altos with brass ensemble (as above)
VIII. for soprano solo and 6 keyboards

premiered on September 17, 2000, Milano, Italy

"A Final Moment"
for 16 solo voices (and variable instruments)
text by Tagore

"Passage Through-2000"
for SATB chorus and string quartet; text by Tagore

"In Flight"
for SATB chorus and organ; a short choral work, originally
from Moran's singspiel "Leipziger Kerzenspiel"; text by the composer

"Stimmen des letzten Siegels"
(Voices of the Last Seal) (2000)
written specifically for Munich's Frauenkirche; text by King Ludwig II
Duration: approximately 30 minutes
for SATB chorus, 4 celli, organ, harp, percussion
Premiered in Munich on October 14, 2001, commissioned by Chrysmos and
Maestro Alexander Hermann

"A Remembrance" (1999)
a short work for sopranos, clarinet and piano (4 hands)
Text by Boris Pasternak

"Das Knie" (1999)
for unaccompanied SATB chorus
text by Christian Morgenstern

"Canticles" (1998)
for men's chorus
accompanied by an ensemble of oboe, string quartet and piano, or piano solo
text by James Skofield
duration approximately 17 minutes
   Part I.   "Alchemy"
   Part II. "Aeolus"
   Part III. "Yahrzeit"
(this work has had numerous performances as a solo work)
The work was commissioned by the Los Angeles Gay Men's Chorus
and premiered in by that ensemble.
"Canticles" has its East Coast premiere via the
Boston Gay Men's Chorus, Spring 2002, in Symphony Hall.

"Mots chuchotés" (1997)
("Whispered words")
for SATB chorus and orchestra
Commissioned by Frances Wagenseil
No text
Orchestra: piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2
trumpets, 4 horns, 3 trombones, bass trombone, tuba; harp, two sets of
percussion 1) timpani, bass drum, 2 tams, 2) vibraphone, chimes, large
suspended cymbal; strings

"MOTET-Peace is my passing gift" (1997)
for 3 SATB choruses
(3 conductors)

Opera "Remember Him to Me" (1996)
a short plot-less opera with a text by
Gertrude Stein; for piano (4 hands) and percussion (see OPERA)

Refer also to Operas: Remember Him To Me

Three short, unaccompanied choral works (1994)

"Anthem"
"Funeral Sentence for Henry Purcell"
"Mantra"
for three SATB choruses, at great distances from each other,
requiring three conductors; open duration; no text

The premieres of these three works were on April 8, 1995 by the
Seattle Choral Company.

"Winni Ille Pu" (1994)
for SATB chorus and two accompanying instrumental ensembles
(requires three conductors)
Text from Winni the Pu, in Classical Latin

Commissioned by the Philadelphia Mendelssohn Club, Alan Harler, conductor

2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, synthesizer, Percussion 1
Brass ensemble: 2 trumpets, 4 horns, 3 trombones, Percussion 2
The 2 sets of percussion include:
timbales, temple blocks, wood blocks chimes, bongos, vibraphone.

Opera "Night Passage" (1994)
for men's chorus and chamber ensemble

Refer also to Operas: Night Passage

"Seven Sounds Unseen" (1992)
for 20 solo voices (or full chorus)
the Part II text comes from letters of John Cage to Moran
from the period 1960-1987
the score was commissioned by BMG/RCA
and recorded/premiered (1993) by NYC's Musica Sacra
conducted by Richard Westenburg
duration of the work is approximately 23 minutes

The score has been presented either as a complete work, or in sections
throughout the USA, including Alaska. Its European premiere was in
Munich's Ursula Kirche, 2000 conducted by Alexander Hermann.

"Agnus Dei" and "Ite missa est" (1990)
for four soloists, SATB chorus and orchestra
commissioned by Philadelphia's Mendelssohn Club, Alan Harler conducting
premiered in Philadelphia on March 23, 1991,
sharing the program with the Mozart C Minor Mass
(both works use the same musical forces as the Mozart)
duration of both approximately 15 minutes

Orchestration: 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 3 trombones, strings

"Requiem: Chant du cygne" (1989)
for four SATB choruses and four instrumental ensembles
commissioned, premiered
(in Philadelphia's Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul)
and recorded on the Argo label of London Records by
Philadelphia Mendelssohn Club
conducted by Alan Harler and three other conductors,
the work requires an extremely live performance space,
preferably a large cathedral
Premiere in May 1990,
with following performances at the University of Minnesota
by Earl Rivers and his Vocal Arts Ensemble in Cincinnati

The recorded work has been danced by various companies
in the USA and Europe.
The text is from statements Mozart made the day he died.
This Requiem has always shared the program with the Mozart Requiem.
The final movement of this Requiem incorporates the 12
tone row from the Graveyard Scene in Mozart's Don Giovanni,
originally discovered by Darius Milhaud,
and mentioned to Moran as a possible inclusion in a future work.

Group I:   front of public-SATB chorus, 2 violins, viola, cello,
string bass, trombone and keyboard synthesizer
Group II: SATB chorus at the back of the cathedral-with 3 violins, viola,
cello, string bass, 2 trombones, keyboard synthesizer
Groups III and IV: (on either side of the public) SATB chorus, 2 violins,
viola, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet (in C)

"Hagoromo" (1988)
for SATB chorus and instrumental ensemble
(a performance requires the use of 2 conductors)
of flute/piccolo, 3 synthesizers, 1-2 percussionists
and variable instrumental ensemble of winds and brass
(maximum of l0 players)
the text is a relating through various translations of
the ancient Japanese legend
of the Angel who comes to Earth to bathe in a river.

The duration for the work is open,
most successful at approximately 15 minutes.

"Hagoromo" was commissioned and premiered the Paul Salerni and his
New Music Ensemble at Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA
premiered on November 5, 1988
with a following performance via a WNYC Radio live concert in
NYC's Merkin Hall, John Schaefer, moderating the broadcast.
The work was choreographed by Phyllis Lamhut for the
Jose Limon Dance Company.