Compositions

Betty Wishart’s music has been performed throughout the United States, in England, Greece, France, Germany, Italy, South Korea, and Japan. To purchase scores please contact the composer.

Browse By Instrumentation

Solo Pieces

Piano

Après Margherita

My interpretation of Verdi’s loss and longing after the death of his wife. It was written for Verdi’s 200th birthday celebration.

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 1:00

View Score Excerpt

Atmospheres

Apprehensions 1:31
Frustrated 1:03
Self-Confident 0:37
Tranquil 0:58

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 3:29

Recordings:

MOODS
Available to stream and buy

Celebration Prelude

Commissioned by Margaret Mills for performance at a concert celebrating her birthday.

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 7:33

Recordings:

MOODS
Available to stream and buy

Divertissement

Commissioned by Nancy Bogen. Variations on the tune used as a World War II victory song in a Warner Bros. cartoon.

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 4:06

Recordings:

MOODS
Available to stream and buy

Etude No. 1

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 1:30

Illusions

Where it all began…my first piece. I woke in the middle of the night, got manuscript paper and wrote this straight through with no erasures.

Clouded 0:42
Restless Time 1:08
Interplanetary Visit 0:41
Goodbye (a dèmain) 0:43
Dawn 1:23
The End 0:48

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 4:05
Published by: Conners Publications

Recordings:

MOODS
Available to stream and buy

Interlude

An episode in the life of a musician.

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 1:35
Performer: Tamara Licheli, piano

Recordings:

NEW MUSIC FOR SOLO PIANO
Available to stream and buy

Intermezzo

Patrons rushing around during concert intermission.

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 1:12
Performer: Tamara Licheli, piano

Recordings:

NEW MUSIC FOR SOLO PIANO
Available to stream and buy

Night Visions Suite

The suite explores the sonorities of the piano. Utilizing the full range of the keyboard as well as the strings of the piano, the suite invites listeners to use their imagination. I wrote this during a week of nighttime storms. Rain, thunder, lightning, bushes brushing against the window, and limbs breaking fired my imagination.

I 5:13
II 6:31
III 4:25
IV 5:14

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 21:23

NIGHT VISIONS SUITE I

NIGHT VISIONS SUITE II

Recordings:

PIANO SONORITIES
Available to stream and buy

Overcoming

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 4:00

Phantasmagoria

Rain and thunder ignite my imagination. A cinematic kaleidoscope begins with a fortissimo two against three then encompasses the full range of the keyboard and strings of the piano. As the storm subsides, a lyrical wind eases me into a restful sleep.

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 6:10

Recordings:

MOODS
Available to stream and buy

Prelude No.9

This piece is based on brief motifs that depict events experienced during the pandemic.

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 1:52

Recordings:

NEW MUSIC FOR SOLO PIANO
Available to stream and buy

Prelude No.10

This piece is based on brief motifs that depict events experienced during the pandemic.

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 2:07

Recordings:

NEW MUSIC FOR SOLO PIANO
Available to stream and buy

Preludes: In Memoriam

These character pieces represent important people in the arts, literature, history, and exploration.

1. Audrey Hepburn 2:49
2. Amelia Earhart 2:06
3. Winston Churchill 1:58
4. Jane Austen 1:43
5. Henry David Thoreau 2:13
6. Lewis & Clark 2:53
7. Sylvia Plath 2:02
8. Anna Pavlova 1:36

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 17:00

Amelia Earhart

Jane Austen

Henry David Thoreau

Anna Pavlova

Recordings:

MOODS
Available to stream and buy

Remembrance

This expressive piece covers a depth of human experience within a very short time. The music takes the listener through a journey of loss, recollection and grief that ends with a feeling of completeness of expression.

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 2:23
Published by: Conners Publications

Recordings:

PIANO SONORITIES
Available to stream and buy

Reverie

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 3:00

Romanze No.1

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 3:00

Romanze No.2

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 4:00

Romanze No.3

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 4:25

Romanze No.4

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 2:00

Sonata

Adagio-Scherzo-Adagio “Sonata” refers to the form, “a sound piece”. Written without time signature, key signature, or measure markings, only tempo changes separate the sections.

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 12:11

View Score Excerpt

Recordings:

PIANO SONORITIES
Available to stream and buy

Sonata II

This piece displays introspection and drama, punctuated by distinct meter changes, melodies, and an expansive range of the keyboard.

Prelude 4:16
Capriccio 1:00
Finale 3:10

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 8:26

Recordings:

PIANO SONORITIES
Available to stream and buy

Toccata II

A virtuosic piece that plays with seconds, fourths and sevenths in various rhythmic combinations, yet stays centered on the tonality of A. Repeated triplet sixteenth notes add urgency to the driving rhythm and create a whirlwind finish.

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 2:24
Published by: Conners Publications

Recordings:

PIANO SONORITIES
Available to stream and buy

Toccata III

Seconds, fourths, sevenths and octaves propel the driving eighth and sixteenth notes from beginning to end.

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 1:57
Performer: Tamara Licheli, piano

Recordings:

NEW MUSIC FOR SOLO PIANO
Available to stream and buy

PIANO SONORITIES
Available to stream and buy

Variations On A Folk Melody

Variations contain imitative polyphony of the Baroque, Alberti bass and homophony of the Classical, chromatic harmony and thematic transformation of the Romantic, jazz and atonality of the Contemporary Era.

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 8:37

Recordings:

PIANO SONORITIES
Available to stream and buy

Variations On Shenandoah

Commissioned by Nancy Bogen Six paraphrases of the 19th century sea chanty. The 19th century sea chanty tune undergoes six transformations including one accompanied by blues harmonies – eventually culminating in a majestic adaptation of the original melody.

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 5:27

Recordings:

MOODS
Available to stream and buy

Vibes

Three short pieces depicting a day in New York City.

Blue 1:24
Quiescent 2:02
Ebullient 1:06

Instrumentation: piano
Duration: 4:32

Blue

Recordings:

MOODS
Available to stream and buy

Flute

Awaking

Waking up in the morning.

Instrumentation: flute
Duration: 1:00

Recordings:

ONE MINUTE
Available to stream and buy

Coffee Suite

Before Coffee 1:10
After the First Cup 0:40
A Little Later 0:35
Several Cups Later 0:50

Instrumentation: flute
Duration: 3:15

View Score Excerpt

Four Bibelots

Memories of a vacation filled with relaxation, fun, happiness, and joy.

Instrumentation: flute
Duration: 2:12

Recordings:

YODH
Available to stream and buy

Frolicking

Time to have a little fun. Album won the Global Music Award – Outstanding Achievement and Silver Medals in Contemporary Classical and Album, June 2017.

Instrumentation: flute
Duration: 0:45

Recordings:

ONE MINUTE
Available to stream and buy

Alto Recorder

Suite Of Miniatures

I MODERATO 0:45
II LARGHETTO 1:00
III ALLEGRETTO 0:30
IV ARIOSO 1:15

Written for Dr. James Chaudoir. Five diverse character pieces filled with unexpected harmonic twists and surprises.

Instrumentation: Alto Recorder
Duration: 3:30

View Score Excerpt

Organ

Sounds

Includes graphic notation and use of the arms.

Instrumentation: Organ
Duration: 5:06

View Score Excerpt

Cello

Stress

So much to do in very little time creates stress.

Instrumentation: Cello
Duration: 1:15

The Conversation

I’ve always liked to watch people interact. In this scenario, a talented but rather shy person meets one who is self-assured. “Meekness” (soft harmonics) questions “Confidence” (low register). After Confidence encourages Meekness to become more positive, Meekness lets loose a barrage of ideas he’s been withholding. The meeting ends as they unite in harmony.

Instrumentation: Cello
Duration: 5:33

View Score Excerpt

TUBA

Sketches

So much to do in very little time creates stress.

Instrumentation: Tuba
Duration: 6:30

Vocal

Requiem For Dreams

1. Fortune or Fate
2. Normal?
3. Marriage
4. Prayer

Commissioned by Judith Bruno (mezzo). Written to promote awareness about domestic violence. Four movements use widely varying styles – musical theatre, pop vocalisms, spoken dialogue, sprechstimme, and classical recitative.

Instrumentation: mezzo soprano, piano
Duration: 13:30

The Marriage

Duos

Piano Duo

Salute

View Score Excerpt

Clarinet and Cello

Searching for Home

Instrumentation: clarinet and cello
Duration: 4:00

Homeward Bound

Instrumentation: clarinet and cello
Duration: 3:20

Flute & Piano

Oracles

I 2:10
II 0:40
III 2:14

Instrumentation: piano and flute
Duration: 5:24

Recordings:

HE
Available to stream and buy

Small Ensemble

String Quartet

Experience

Although written after a traumatic experience, the ending conveys a feeling of hope.

Instrumentation: string quartet
Duration: 6:41

Brass Quartet

Fanfare No. 1

Written for Christian Fellowship of Art Music Composers May 2021.

Instrumentation: brass quartet
Duration: 1:00

Fanfare No. 2

Instrumentation: brass quartet
Duration: 1:00

Fanfare No. 3

Instrumentation: brass quartet
Duration: 2:30

Fanfare No. 4

Instrumentation: brass quartet
Duration: 4:00

Intertwining Brass

Instrumentation: brass quartet
Duration: 5:00

Chamber Ensemble

I Soliste

1. All 7:30
2. Clarinet, Cello 4:30
3. Piano 1:00
4. Flute, Violin 2:20
5. All 3:25

Written for the International Composers Conference Musicians from different countries meet for the first time. Sharing only the language of music, the first movement depicts the difficulty of performing as an ensemble.

Instrumentation: flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano
Duration: 17:15

Memories Of Things Unseen And Seen

“UNSEEN” 3:00
“SEEN” 3:50

Haunting melodic strains are shared equally by each instrument. Unseen evokes the human experience not often recognized in others. The pantonality of Seen depicts what people want us to see. Premiered July 5, 1996, in Talloires, France.

Instrumentation: flute, clarinet, violin, cello
Duration: 6:50

Large Ensemble

Orchestral

Concertante No.1….

“Journey into the Unknown”.

Instrumentation: winds, strings and horn
Duration: 10:41

Recordings:

PASSAGE
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