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world premieres – acoustic music for solo piano and solo tuba 2022-2025
Processes of Art and Musical Composition (2021-2022)
Newman’s definitive work within the category of ‘seed-origin, pointillistic parachosms’- a style evident in works like Horses Breaking Through the Frothing Sea (2021), and sauvagine joyeuse (2021)- preceded an extensive unfolding of his instrumental works most notably for solo piano beginning in 2022 and 23. This visual concept had been developed by the composer from ca. 1999, slowly, and organically from black and white tapestry designs expanded into larger scenes evident in works like Cat Study (2011). Later the concept was broadened through bright and clashing color palettes as in works like Bird Study (2014), and further adapted to the creation of vibrant, graphic notation scores in a manner given by composers like Karlheinz Stockhausen. In this instrumental music 2022-2025, the concept is musically evident as motivic flourishes and complex developmental passagework in nearly all of these instrumental works.
Musical Style, 2023- 2025
Newman has a unique quality of harmony steeped in a template of traditional intervals nestled within a broad, clanging, chromatic symmetry. Inspired by a lifetime of double bass drum playing on the drum kit, Newman’s piano passagework typically unfolds through motor rhythmical, leaping broken chordal figures, alternating between the hands like drumming at the keys, and spinning out through complex arrays of bitonal and chromatic progressions. These works evoke numerous qualities of older, ‘tonal’ musical paradigms, including many familiar intervallic and harmonic outlines from late Romantic music, or even Baroque ground basses, among other features. These features of his music are laid bare in these acoustic works as the composer writes for a standard approach to playing and utilizing the instrument. Although the works are far advanced in terms of natural resonance and harmonic cohesion, the method of performance is primarily on the keys, and with a fairly traditional approach to use of the pedal, phrasing, and dynamics. In several respects, these works can even be performed with a quasi-baroque approach to dynamic unity and rhythmical flow and evenness. The general writing with minimal embellishment conveys a sense of dramatic certainty given in the chords, the tempo, and the resulting atmosphere.
Handwritten score – measures 52to 53 in ‘Three Fantasies…’, I. Fantasia on La (2023). Note the up-and-down beaming indicating the back and forth approach to playing between the hands. For most passages this is between individual notes at high speed. In the descending line, one can see the figures divided up as four notes for each hand between alterations.
Exploring the Works- Handwritten Scores and Performance Recordings
Newman’s compositional productivity found an urgent flowering in these years, as he premiered over two hours of music- a total of eighteen unique works within five collections, mostly performed from handwritten scores in various stages of completion and detail. All of these were composed for solo piano and premiered by the composer except for the three-movement collection, “in secret” for solo tuba (2022), which was premiered by Sean Kennedy, and the five-movement collection,, ‘Small Scenes for Solo Violoncello’ (2024), which was finished too late for a given opportunity; the set has yet to be performed except as a performance for organ played by an anonymous student (unreleased). Although four of the themes and concepts were developed in Düsseldorf, Köln, Istanbul, Portland, Denver, and other locations over the course of nearly a decade, the themes were fleshed out into complete works in the weeks leading up to each premiere in Albuquerque, NM, on UNM Main Campus in Keller Hall, as part of the UNM Faculty Spotlight Series.
For each of these complete works, we have provided full scans of the original handwritten scores, analytical diagrams and writings, videos, and performance recordings for each complete piece. Click on the links below to explore the full documents. Note that you have the full permission of the composer to performer these works from the given materials. For some passages, however, the reader may observe several forms of shorthand notation, simplistic indications of formal outlines, or other elements left completely absent and performed as improvisatory elements in the live premieres or studio recordings.
Explore Scores and Recordings Here:
White Rose Blooms (weiß Rosenbluten) (2025)
impressions momentanées…(2024)
“I See a Bright Light” (2019-2024)
Small Scenes for Solo Violoncello (2024)
Three Fantasies for Solo Piano (2023 – 2025)
“in secret” for solo tuba (2022)
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2022-2025 Photo Gallery
Albums, Recordings, Collections
Christian M. Newman, Hot Summer Nights- Electroacoustic Works for Mixed Ensemble (2016), cover by S.N. Babay; prod. by C.M. Newman and S.N. Babay @ Baby Bubba’s Baking Company, April- December, 2015
Zoviet France, “Something Spooked the Horses”, The Decriminalization of Country Music (2000), cover by C.M. Newman; prod. by C.M. Newman and S.N. Babay @ Perineum Pines, June 10, 2022
Studio Releases
Sigils and Other Spells (2018), Anna Mall & Christian M. Newman
VIDEO GALLERY
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impressions momentanées…(2024)
II. Fantasia- “Un chat traque les plus gros papillons dans les parterres de fleurs de souci” (excerpt)
World premiere,Sept.8, 2024
impressions momentanées…(2024)
IV. Rondo- “Les Polyommatinae s’abritent dans les plants de guimauve contre la crue soudaine qui
approche”
World Premiere, September 8, 2024, Keller Hall, University of New Mexico
Three Fantasies for Solo Piano, I. Fantasia on “La” (2023) (excerpt, mms. 21-
Three Fantasies for Solo Piano, I. Fantasia on “La” (2023) (excerpt, mms. 53- end)
Three Fantasies for Solo Piano, III. “Diatryma” (Terror Bird) (2022)- Dress Rehearsal, Nov. 3, 2022
Prelude for Low Frequency Trio – “Euronymous” (2016)
“Every Drop” for Soprano and Mixed Ensemble (2014) -except
Featured New Releases –
Christian M. Newman, Hot Summer Nights- Electroacoustic Works for Mixed Ensemble (2016), cover by S.N. Babay; prod. by C.M. Newman and S.N. Babay @ Baby Bubba’s Baking Company, April- December, 2015
Zoviet France, “Something Spooked the Horses”, The Decriminalization of Country Music (2000), cover by C.M. Newman; prod. by C.M. Newman and S.N. Babay @ Perineum Pines, June 10, 2022
Studio Releases
Sigils and Other Spells (2018), Anna Mall & Christian M. Newman
Live Performances
Listen to tracks from the live premiere of “Censorship Party” – For Live Drummer and Fixed Media (Premiered at Red Gorilla Studios, Abq, NM March 16, 2022)
Music Visualizer Projects
Christian M. Newman 