ENJAMIN LEES
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Scarlatti Portfolio ...


The San Francisco Ballet once again staged Scarlatti Portfolio, the score Benjamin Lees originally prepared for the company in 1979 to choreography by Lew Christensen. After its highly successful premiere it was subsequently programmed for several seasons. The new performances ran from February-April 1988.

As an orchestral suite it was first performed in New York by the Y Chamber Orchestra under Gerard Schwarz. Since then the Delaware Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic, Sacramento Symphony Orchestra and Bangor Symphony Orchestra have presented it.

The performances September 28, 1989, by Marin Alsop and the Richmond (VA) Symphony Orchestra drew critical acclaim from Carl Dolmetsch in the Virginia Gazette. "In 1979, Benjamin Lees, one of our major composers in this era who, though now 65, remains undeservedly obscure, fashioned an orchestral suite from themes of seven of the harpsichord sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti to be choreographed by the San Francisco Ballet. He did more than merely orchestrate these themes, setting them into an idiom of his own that is, nonetheless, not avant-garde. The result is something akin to Respighi's Ancient Airs and Dances or Ravel's Le Tombeau de Couperin, and equally delightful, especially as played on this occasion with ease and expertise."


PLEASE NOTE:
No reproductions of photos, articles, music or reviews are permitted without permission
of the Estate of Benjamin Lees.
  • Home
  • Biography
    • The Introduction
    • Biography of the Man
    • Biographical Chronology
    • Awards
    • Feature Articles
    • Yale's Acquisition
  • Compositions
    • Written Works >
      • Chronological List of Works
      • A Capella
      • Chamber Works
      • Works for Concert Band
      • Orchestral Works
      • Works for Solo Instrument
      • Stage Works
      • Works for Solo Instrument & Orchestra
      • Song Cycles & Solo Vocal Works
      • Works for Voice(s) and Orchestra
    • Reviews >
      • Reviews - Piano Music 1947 - 2005 >
        • Review - Uncle Dave Lewis (AllMusic Blog)
        • Review - Shirley Ratcliffe
        • Review - Scott Morrison
      • Borealis
      • Concerto for Brass Choir and Orchestra
      • Concerto for Chamber Orchestra
      • Concerto for French Horn and Orchestra
      • Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra
      • Concerto for Violin & Orchestra - April 29, 2008
      • Concerto for Woodwind Quintet and Orchestra
      • Constellations for Orchestra
      • Divertimento-Burlesca
      • Echoes of Normandy
      • Etudes for Piano and Orchestra
      • Fantasy Variations for piano
      • Medea of Corinth
      • Mirrors
      • Oboe Concerto
      • Odyssey 1
      • Odyssey 2
      • Passacaglia for Orchestra
      • Piano Concerto No. 3
      • Piano Sonata No. 4
      • Piano Trio No. 2 "Silent Voices"
      • Scarlatti Portfolio
      • Six Ornamental Etudes
      • Sonata No. 3
      • String Quartet No.1
      • String Quartet No.2
      • String Quartet No. 4
      • String Quartet No. 5
      • String Quartet No. 6
      • Symphony No. 2
      • Symphony No. 3
      • Symphony No. 4 "Memorial Candles"
      • Symphony No. 5 "Kalmar Nyckel"
      • Variations for Piano and Orchestra
      • Violin Concerto
  • Media
    • Interviews >
      • Interview KPFA 94.1 FM
      • Interview KUSC fm 91.5
    • Documentary
    • Photos
    • Audio
    • Video Clips #1
    • Video Clips #2
  • Recordings
  • Contact