MAARTEN ORNSTEIN
  • Home
  • The news
  • Player
  • Composer

On this page I offer downloads of some of my works, released under the Creative Commons 4.0 license. You can pay any amount you think is appropriate using the Donate button below, which will take you to Paypal. There you simply fill in the amount you want to pay. Or simply scan the QR code with your phone camera.

Also, please subscribe to my newsletter. Thank you!

If you need any special adaptations, please send an email to info [AT] maartenornstein.com

  paypal donate button png 15S Paypal donation QR code

 

 


Elegies (1) for contrabass and piano

Composed in 2023 for the eminent Dutch bassist Wilmar de Visser. As the title suggests, it is a dark and mournful piece. The piano part is simple and transparent, using a few repeated patterns (or grounds). The bass part however is quite virtuoso with many double stops, fast pizzicato lines and some high register fireworks. I know Wilmar enjoys to play this piece and I hope you will too. View and download the score and a separate bass part here


Isabella's Funkybone for trombone (and dance)

A fun(ky) piece for trombone solo requiring the player to make some 60's and 70's dance moves, published here on request. This was commissioned by an 11 year old player who wanted something fun to play at a concert. Composing music for children is not something I do regularly, but I really enjoyed writing this piece. It can also be played as a duet or trio, and you can insert little solo improvisations either on the trombone or dancing. A pointer to some good dance instruction videos is included. Preview and download here and enjoy!


Sleigh Ride and Let it Snow: It's Christmas!

In December 2024 I played a little Christmas concert with some really good friends who also happen to be fantastic musicians. For the occasion I arranged two wonderful evergreens: Jule Styne's Let it Snow and Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Ride. The arrangements are originally for flute, bass clarinet, piano and violin but are easily adapted to other lineups. I have included a cello part (which is the same as the bass clarinet part). If you need any special transpositions or whatever, just send me a message. Sleigh Ride score and parts are here, and Let it Snow is here for you to download, play and enjoy. Merry Christmas!


Bickers & Slickers, for piano.

Composed in 2015 for the brilliant Dutch pianist Gerard Bouwhuis. This is a piano solo piece in three parts, each named after one of my favourite jazz pianists; Lennie Tristano, John Purcell and Andrew White. Duration is approximately 9 minutes. PDF preview and download here.  A computer generated preview of Part One is below:


Ruis for Ruysdael, for string quartet.

Written in 2022 for the Ruysdael Quartet for their 25th anniversary. A three minute piece with lots of colour, in three short movements. A preview of the score is here, and you can download a zip file of  the score and parts here. The Ruysdael Quartet have recorded this piece for a video, see below.


Radio Rotor, for clarinet or saxophone, bass and percussion.

A collection of seven pieces for jazz trio, written in 2022/23 for my own trio DASH! and released on Bandcamp. Funky grooves and introvert ballads, with some nice melodies that require a bit of virtuosity but are very rewarding. In the PDF you will also find some tips and tricks on how you could play the music. Preview and download here, and watch a clip below.

 

 

 

 

 

 


Pizzicato Waltz, for string trio

Composed in 2003 for the staging of Jean Cocteau's La Voix Humaine, this is a short (2.5 minutes) piece for violin, viola and cello. Preview and download the score here. Below is a version played live in the show. Also there is a video of an adaptation of the piece by Emily Beynon, for 3 flutes.

   Youtube Black Bluesky Icon 1367054160 substack