Compositions
&
Performances
Please enjoy these musical excerpts. Many are original compositions or arrangements featuring the groups mentioned on the Performing Ensembles page of this site.
Bourrée
Solo Performance: Chris Braddock - guitar
This excerpt comes from a delightful Baroque piece by Graf Bergen that is typical of the solo classical guitar works I often play at weddings and other functions.
Seminary Tango
Solo Performance: Chris Braddock – guitar
This piece was written and recorded in remembrance of my stepfather. It works equally well as a guitar duet with piano or with violin. The solo album I'm currently working on will feature lots of music like this.
Water for Paco
Mosaic String Duo: Chris Braddock – octave mandolin and bass; Douglas Seth – flamenco guitar
This flamenco-inspired piece is from Mosaic’s Dead Reckoning CD, which can be purchased via this site. We regularly kick-off shows with this one.
Mosaic Blue Sky
Mosaic String Duo: Chris Braddock – 12-string guitar, mandolin and bass; Douglas Seth – classical guitar
This is another track from the Dead Reckoning CD, this one with less of a world music vibe. We’re not really sure how to classify it. Nevertheless, it showcases the 12-string and classical guitar, which might be our favorite instrumental combination. It also shows the increased orchestration possibilities afforded to us during the recording process, with multiple layered tracks of additional guitars, bass, and mandolin, especially toward the end of the song.
Close Tolerances, 1st movement
By Chris Braddock
Mélomanie: Tracy Richardson – harpsichord; Kimberly Reighley and Lynne Cooksey – flute; Douglas McNames – cello
This was the first time I was ever commissioned to write a piece for someone. Close Tolerances is included on Mélomanie’s CD, Fluorescence, and the group has performed it live numerous times. It is every composer’s dream to have musicians of this caliber play his music.
All The Days He Has Seen
By Chris Braddock
Pegasus Trio: Mindy Bowman – flute; Jeanmarie Braddock – violin; Chris Braddock – guitar
This work was originally composed for the Winterthur Museum’s Playing in the Garden CD, a project including contributions from several Wilmington-area composers. I was pleased to hear recently that Winterthur still gives copies of the disc to donors and members, and Pegasus enjoys including this piece in live performances.
The Easy Winners
Pegasus Trio: Mindy Bowman – flute; Jeanmarie Braddock – violin; Chris Braddock – guitar
I include this excerpt here because it so perfectly shows the versatility and compatibility of the flute, violin and guitar. We often do a whole set of Joplin rags in our recitals.
Well You Needn’t
Second Opinion: Paul Boris – piano; Chris Braddock – guitar
Paul and I love doing Thelonious Monk’s songs, and this particular style of jazz ideally suits our instrumentation and playing style. We nearly always include this song in our live sets.
Wandflower
Solo Performance: Chris Braddock – guitars
I love how this one turned out, with the sustained electric guitar atop a lush 12-string accompaniment. It’s quite harmonically simple, but the melody took a long time to finalize. In addition to doing it as a looped guitar duet with myself, both Mosaic String Duo and Pegasus Trio play versions of the piece.
The Unclouded Day/I'll Fly Away
The Nearly Valentines: Jeanmarie Braddock - violin and voice; Chris Braddock - guitar and mandocello
Jeanmarie and I very much enjoy playing traditional gospel tunes and spirituals, in church services and also concert settings. It's fun creating medleys of these timeless songs, and presents an opportunity to try different instrumentation. This is our frist recording to feature mandocello.
Eu Preciso de Você
Rocío: Gina Perregrino - voice, Chris Braddock - guitar
Gina discovered this song, made popular by Brazilian musician, Maria Bethânia. It’s our own arrangement, and our first recording together.
