NOTE: The prices, conditions and availability of items from this old catalog may not apply. Please contact Not Nice Music if you are interested in any of the items listed.

ABOUT OUR COMPANY AND PRODUCT

With the formation of Not Nice Music, Mr. Drogin has become a self-published composer, a growing trend amongst contemporary composers as the number, volume and backlists of music publishers continues to shrink due to economic pressures. By self-publishing, composers can directly control the quality, distribution and marketing of their scores, ensuring better prices and greater diversity and availability for the select public.

Most of the scores being offered in this catalog are on rugged, stiff, large (11" x 14" or more) music paper stock connected accordion style, appropriate for pencil marking without back support or falling off music stands during rehearsal or performance. Two processes are used: a few of the early piano scores are copied from non-transparent music paper originals using a xerographic process; the rest are copied from transparent deschon ("onion skin") originals using a diazo chemical process similar to blueprinting called whiteprinting. Both of these score types are indicated in the catalog with a (M) notation.

A few of the scores are offered on normal, 8 1/2" x 11" xerox paper; these are indicated in the catalog with a (X) notation, and the prices are noticeably lower. In either (M) or (X) scores, page turns are carefully planned to ease in rehearsal and performance, and score legibility is excellent.

Not Nice Music is also glad to discuss rental of scores, and to negotiate royalty fees for performances.

The cassette tapes we offer for sale are professionally recorded, mixed and performed under the composer's supervision. Demo cassette versions of certain pieces are also available to qualified professionals; these are offered at cost, the tape and performance quality is often poor, but a good idea of the sound and performing difficulty of the piece can be ascertained. Interested producers and performers should send supporting documentation (company letterhead, business cards, resume, performance history, etc.) with their requests. Not Nice Music will gladly combine several pieces, to a total of 60 minutes, on a single cassette for a single cost of $1.00 (plus $2.00 postage and handling).

VOCAL

Title:

Love Poems from the Hebrew

Duration:

15 minutes

Vocal/Instrumental Forces:

Soprano, piano (no page turner necessary)

First Performance:

World premiere - New York City, 1987
Eve Drogin, soprano, Nicholas Underhill, piano
Josquin Cage concert, Greenwich House Hayden Auditorium

Description:

This lovely song cycle consists of settings of English translations of some beautiful Hebrew poetry:
1. "Come, Let Us Exult in Love's Passion" by Tchernikhovsky --- bravura, tonal setting featuring vocal ornamentation;
2. "Awakening" by Carmi --- long, slow atonal setting with sparse, Cage-like accompaniment
3. "The Love of Therese du Meun" by Goldberg --- sweet, romantic setting based on the octatonic scale; and
4. "I Am My Beloved's" attributed to King Solomon --- lovely, flowing melody in the octatonic scale.
Rights for all four poems have been obtained. "I Am My Beloved's" is also appropriate for use at weddings.

Available as:

NNM-V1 Complete Piano/vocal score (M) - $15.00

Also available:

NNM-V1c "Come, Let Us Exult" (2', M) - $3.00 (min. order: 2)
NNM-V1a "Awakening" (3', M) - $6.50 (min. order: 2)
NNM-V1d "Therese du Meun" (3', M) - $4.00 (min. order: 2)
NNM-V1b "I Am My Beloved's" (3', M) - $3.00 (min. order: 2)
NNM-V1e 1 set parts, "I Am My Beloved's" accompaniment arranged for string quintet (M) - $3.00

CHORAL

Title:

An Exhortation ("Spare us, critics!")

Duration:

3 minutes

Vocal/Instrumental Forces:

Soprano solo
SATB chorus a cappella

Description:

This is a brief, amusing piece about the disadvantages of being reviewed and of having reviewers. The thesis is that audience members read reviews instead of attending performances, thus inadvertently killing off the art form while supposedly generating interest in it. Perhaps the best part is the "Talk is cheap" ostinato, over which a flowing soprano solo line is sung.

Available as:

NNM-C3 Full score (X) - $0.50 (min order: 10)

Title:

To A Lady Passing Time Better Left Unpassed (Ogden Nash)

Duration:

9 minutes

Vocal/Instrumental Forces:

SATB chorus
Barbershop quartet (TTBB)
Soprano solo
String quartet
Piano

First Performance:

Open reading - New York City, 1982

Description:

"Oh, lady of the lucent hair, why do you play at solitaire?" sings a barbershop quartet, thus beginning an eclectic, humorous paean to love, boredom, loneliness, and yearning. From 50's doo wop to 60's avant garde to 70's minimalism, this companion piece to "The Clean Platter" (for the same forces, but not as difficult) finally gets up the nerve to shout. "For God's sake, girl, come here and kiss me!"

Available as:

NNM-C2 Full score (X) - $4.00
NNM-C2a String Quartet parts (M) - $8.00

Also available:

NNM-C1 "The Clean Platter" full score (M) - $8.00

Title:

The Clean Platter (Ogden Nash)

Duration:

8 minutes

Vocal/Instrumental Forces:

SATB chorus
Barbershop quartet (TTBB)
Soprano solo
String quartet
Piano

First Performance:

World premiere - New York City, 1983
The Occasional Singers, Gil Robbins, conductor
Music Downtown concert, Third Street Music Settlement

Description:

"Food, yes, food, just any old kind of food!" goes this wild rollerªcoaster ride through ragtime, Bach, American folk music and overwrought romanticism as a full menu of food favorites is excitedly listed. The harmonies are moderately difficult, and much of the music is fast! As an added surprise, a barbershop quartet pops out of the chorus at the end (keep it a secret!)! The same forces can then be used for "To A Lady...", NNM-C2.
"A very savory piece. Drogin is a lot of fun."--- Jim Theobald, ”The Villager•

Available as:

NNM-C1 Full score (M) - $8.00
NNM-C1a String Quartet parts (M) - $8.00

Also available:

NNM-C2 "To A Lady..." full score (X) - $4.00

INSTRUMENTAL

Title:

Eine Kleine Juddische Musik

Duration:

3 minutes

Vocal/Instrumental Forces:

String quintet

First Performance:

Private performance - NYC, 1986

Description:

This starts as a tongue-in-cheek setting of "Hava Nagila," then turns into a string of melodic moments from "Love and Idols." A novelty piece, perhaps, or a companion piece for use at weddings to NNM-V1e ("I Am My Beloved's") for strings and soprano.

Available as:

NNM-I4 1 set parts (M) - $6.00

Title:

I Am My Beloved's

Duration:

3 minutes

Vocal/Instrumental Forces:

Soprano, string quintet

First Performance:

Private performance - NYC, 1986

Description:

This lovely, pastoral setting evokes country fiddling. The flowing melody is in a very Jewish sounding octatonic scale.

Available as:

NNM-V1e 1 set string quintet parts, "I Am My Beloved's" (M) - $3.00
NNM-V1b "I Am My Beloved's" vocal score w/piano reduction (M) - $3.00

Title:

Duet for Flute and Trombone

Duration:

4 minutes

Vocal/Instrumental Forces:

Flute and trombone!

First Performance:

World premiere - New Jersey, 1983, Josquin Cage concert
Kathy Rodgers, flute and Rick Summers, bass clarinet

Description:

A commission for this unusual combination, the first of these two pieces will also work with violin, bassoon, cello, etc.

Available as:

NNM-I3 1 set parts (M) - $2.00 (min. order: 2)
NNM-I3b B flat bass part for first piece (M) - $0.50

Title:

Little Bach Birthday Piece

Duration:

1 minute

Vocal/Instrumental Forces:

Unaccompanied flute

Description:

This joyous, little piece has the flavor of a Bach piece for unaccompanied instrument. Of intermediate difficulty.

Available as:

NNM-I2 Flute score (M) - $0.50

Title:

A Sabbath Melody

Duration:

2 minutes

Vocal/Instrumental Forces:

Flute, piano

Description:

For beginning to intermediate flautist. The piano part contains all the harmonic and dramatic variation; the hardest part may be for the flute player to keep a steady beat as the pianist moves in, out and around its basic melody.

Available as:

NNM-I1 Full score (X) - $0.50 (min. order: 2)

PIANO

Title:

Elegy for John Dog

Duration:

3 minutes

First Performance:

Private performance - NYC, 1986

Description:

Written upon the death of a friend's old dog, this piece recounts the dog's fragile last years in halting, uneven phrases, slowing and softening as the piece progresses. A sad, funny work.

Available as:

NNM-P7 Full score (X) - $1.00

Title:

Eve and Dawn: Greenwood Lake, NY

Duration:

2 minutes

First Performance:

Private performance - NYC, 1986

Description:

Upbeat ragtime segues into morning light, brought on by a bird's call. The piece requires a lot of cross hand work, with lines tossed back and forth between the two hands: an excellent challenge for a student pianist.

Available as:

NNM-P6 Full score (M) - $2.00

Title:

Perceptions for Electric Keyboard

Duration:

3 minutes

First Performance:

World premiere - New Jersey, 1983
Barry Drogin, electric piano
Josquin Cage concert

Description:

An optical illusion for the ear, this piece requires an electric keyboard ”without• a touch-sensitive keyboard. In a minimalist style, patterns form different patterns: when did it change?

Available as:

NNM-P5 Full score (X) - $0.50

Title:

Four For

Duration:

4 minutes

Description:

A collection of four short pieces, somewhat difficult, and only occasionally in four-four time.

Available as:

NNM-P4 Full score (M) - $2.50

Title:

Americana

Duration:

5 minutes

Description:

A rather easy-to-play piece evoking Copland at times.

Available as:

NNM-P3 Full score (M) - $2.50

Title:

Untitled (1980 - Opus One)

Duration:

3 minutes

Description:

Atonal, edgy, moderately difficult piece.

Available as:

NNM-P2 Full score (M) - $1.50

Title:

Animal Story

Duration:

9 minutes

Description:

This carnival of the animals in miniature is in six movements: Introduction, Fish, Birds, Reptiles and Amphibians, Mammals and Ending. Each is an appropriately stylized variation on an appropriate song: can you guess which one?

Available as:

NNM-P1 Full score (X) - $1.00

CASSETTE

Title:

Typhoid Mary

Duration:

45 minutes

Vocal/Instrumental Forces:

Low alto voice (German Lotte Lenya)
Piano (page turner for performance only)

First Performance:

World premiere - New York City, September 30, 1988
Bicycle Shop Dancers, Nikolais/Louis Performance Space
Blake Rowe, piano; Kathy Barr, voice

Description:

This dance piece was written when public hysteria over AIDS brought calls from many sectors for quarantine policies. Befitting its social commentary aspects, the composer has fashioned a homage a early Kurt Weill, including a cabaret-style danse macabre complete with Lenya singing voice (in German!). In keeping with the early 20th century setting, there are also stylistic references to Wagner, Mahler, early Schoenberg and Stravinsky. In its original incarnation, the piece is a large solo piano piece in five movements, with vocal episodes punctuating the first two movements.
"Her tragic, gruesome story has been turned into a dramatic dance work." --ª Andrew Yarrow, ”The New York Times"
"The choreographer mounts the piece in a homespun version of German Expressionist theatre.... Intriguing because it puts us in mind of threats of quarantine in connection with the AIDS crisis." --- Gus Solomons, ”The Village Voice"
"Dancers were rapidly overcome by disease and dropped dead to the accompaniment of composer Barry J. Drogin's melancholy piano score.... The resulting product is a rather ghoulish yet intriguing dramatization [that] effectively illustrates the fear that drives the public." --- Julinda Lewis, ”Dance Magazine"

Available as:

NNM-D2r Cassette recording - $8.00

Title:

Butterfly Dream (orchestral music)

Duration:

60 minutes

Vocal/Instrumental Forces:

17-piece orchestra

First Performance:

Private performance - New York City, 1981
Radio Broadcast - WBAI-FM, New York City, 1983

Description:

Why listen to Tchaikovsky when you can put on Drogin instead? Aside from the fake schmaltz, you'll get a piano rag, a habanera, lots of melody and youthful energy, played by the Liliana Belfiore Dance Company orchestra under the baton of Jay Blumenthal. Don't take our word for it, read the reviews:
"This is sort of innocent, nice, friendly, wonderful-to-listen-to music. Barry Drogin is a lot of fun, and I think you're going to like this music." --- Jim Theobald, WBAI-FM
"I decided over the weekend that I was sick of my own stuff and therefore turned yours on. It's terrific, especially the instrumentals from ”Butterfly Dream•. Thanks for letting me listen." --- Stephen Sondheim (during the composition of his Pulitzer Prize-winning work, "Sunday in the Park with George")

Available as:

NNM-D1r Cassette recording - $8.00

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Last Updated: April 18, 2006