(b. 16 October 1954, New York, New York).
American composer of mostly chamber, choral, vocal, piano, and electroacoustic works that have been performed in the Americas and Europe; he is also active as an electric guitarist and writer.
Prof. Polansky initially studied with Ron Riddle at the New College of Florida in Sarasota, then at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he earned his BA in mathematics and music in 1976, and with James Tenney at York University in Toronto in 1977. He studied composition with Ben Johnston at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and there earned his MA in 1978. He also had private studies in jazz guitar with George Barnes, Mick Goodrick and Chuck Wayne.
Among his honours are the Fulbright Fellowship (1995–96) and the Sony Music Fellowship (2001).
As an electric guitarist, he has often played contemporary music, notably with electric guitarist Nick Didkovsky and in Trio with Kui Dong and Christian Wolff. He also plays gendèr (metallophone from Indonesia), mandocello, mandolin, and other instruments. He has occasionally performed as a singer, including with the Enfield Shaker Singers.
As a writer, he has contributed articles to various publications. He co-edited with Judith Tick a critical edition of The Music of American Folk Song by Ruth Crawford Seeger (2003, University of Rochester Press).
He is also active in other positions. He founded the collective of experimental composers Frog Peak Music in New Hampshire in 1982 and has served as its co-director since 1982. He later co-authored with Phil Burk and David Rosenboom the computer-music language HMSL (Hierarchical Music Specification Language) from 1985–92. He co-founded the Leonardo Music Journal in 1990 and has served on the board of directors of the journal Perspectives of New Music since 1995.
He taught as an assistant professor at Mills College in Oakland, California from 1981–90 and taught at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire from 1990–2013, where he served as chair of the department of music from 1998–2013 and taught as the Joseph Strauss 1922 Professor of Music from 2000–13, now emeritus. He then taught at the University of California, Santa Cruz from 2013–19.
In addition to the works listed below, he has made numerous arrangements and has composed didactic music.
COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS
STAGE:
Dialogue 37 1/2, 2 actors, 1975
Silence Study #4 for Joe Pinzarrone, 4 actors, viola, 1976
Gauss Music/Dance of the Tombstone (dance music, choreography by Jean Moncrieff), dancer, homemade analogue oscillator-box, 1978
A Minor Miracle, dancer, electric guitar, 1978
Christopher Columbus/Cristóbal Colón, amplified male speaker, dancer, 1978, revised 1989
V/I (Born to Boogie) (dance music, choreography by Barbara Roesch), fixed media, 1981
Three Monk Tunes, tap dancer, percussion, 1982–83
Resting Place/Ann's Solo Boogie (dance music, choreography by Ann Rodiger), fixed media, 1983
Four Bass Studies (dance music, choreography by Ann Rodiger), double bass, 1983 (stage version of Four Violin Studies [what to do when the night comes for Jim Tenney])
Milwaukee Blues, 2 tap dancers, 2 alto saxophones, 3 tenor saxophones (1st + voice), 1984
Study for 'Milwaukee Blues', 3 tap dancers, 1986 (also concert version for 3 percussion)
Paradox (opera, libretto by Patrick Graybill), signer, interpreter, clarinet, electric guitar, 2 percussion, film (by the composer, douglas irving repetto), 2013
ORCHESTRAL:
Flutes, large number of flutes, 1978 (version of Psaltery; also version as Glass, 51 tuned water glasses [11 players], 1979)
Unhappy Set of Coincidences for Richard Myron, 1980 (version by Gary Schmidt of chamber work)
Bedhaya Sadra/Bedhaya Guthrie, gamelan, 1990 (version of choral work)
Four Voice Canon #7, gamelan, 1990
Yitgadal, small orchestra (13 players), 2004
iiivxii (tooaytood #13), winds, 12 cellos, 2005
jargon, flute, clarinet, trombone, 12 cellos, 2005
Ladies Auxiliary, small orchestra, 2006
CHAMBER MUSIC:
Silence Study #3, cello (+ 3 tuned tom-toms), 1975
Movement for Lou Harrison, 4 double basses, 1975, revised 1978, 1988
A Very Slow Lament for Solo Oboe (which happens to be 51 measures long), oboe, 1976
In Memoriam: Stefan Wolpe, trumpet, 1976
Movement in E major for John Cage, violin, piano, 1976
Quartet in F for Paula Ravitz, A-clarinet (+ cymbals), trombone, viola, piano (+ crotales), 1978
Movement for Andréa Smith (My Funny Valentine), 2 violins (both with scordatura), 2 violas (both with scordatura), 1978
Four Voice Canon #4, 1–4 marimbas, 1978
'...getting rid of the glue...', guitar, 1978
Always Move Towards the Hoop and Go Up Strong, tuba, 1978, revised 1991
Sh'ma: Fuguing Tune in G, flute, alto flute, violin, viola, cello, double bass, percussion (+ harmonica), 1978
Cata/Tonic, viola, 1978 (version of Psaltery)
'Cello, cello, fixed media, 1978 (version of Psaltery)
Canon for Flute, flute, fixed media, 1978, revised 1990 (version of Psaltery)
Horse Turds and Roses, flute, piano, 1979
Riddled and Ragged, flute, mandolin, double bass, piano, 1980 (version of work for piano; collaboration with Gary Schmidt)
Unhappy Set of Coincidences for Richard Myron, flute/guitar, double bass, 1980 (also versions for any high instrument/any ensemble of high instruments, any low instrument/any ensemble of low instruments, 1980; piano; by Gary Schmidt for orchestra)
Another You (17 variations), retuned harp, 1980
Four Violin Studies (what to do when the night comes for Jim Tenney), violin, 1981 (also stage version as Four Bass Studies, double bass)
Here to Stay, violin, live electronics, 1983
Sascha's Song (for the peoples of Chile), clarinet, French horn, trumpet, trombone, violin, double bass, fixed media (2/4 tracks), 1983 (version of work for fixed media [2/4 tracks])
Little Maggie, violin, 1984
V'leem'shol – ...and to rule... (Cantillation Study #2), 5 flutes, 1984, revised 1987
Four Voice Canon #5, 4 percussion, 1984
Hensley Variations (Guitar Trio #1), flute, guitar, viola, 1985
E'leh T'ol'd'ot – these are the generations (Cantillation Study #3), 4 marimbas, computer ad libitum, 1985–86
Gottlieb Variations (The Year of Jubalo) (Guitar Trio #2), harp, guitar, cello, 1985–86
Study for 'Milwaukee Blues', 3 percussion, 1986 (concert version of stage work)
Toyoji Patch III/Toyoji Patch II, flute, computer, 1986 (also version for computer)
Distance Music, any number of players, computer, 1986
17 Simple Melodies of the Same Length (for Dan Goode), clarinet/any other melody instrument, computer, 1987–88
Horn, French horn, computer, 1990, revised 1992–94 (algorithmic variation of Psaltery)
Duet, any number of melody instruments, computer, 1990
Three Studies (for performers and live computer), any number of players, computer, 1990
51 Melodies (Pride holds the multitudes in a continual, habitual process of readornment), 2 electric guitars/any other melody instruments, bass guitar ad libitum, drum kit ad libitum, 1991
There is more headroom, but one's feet are forced into slippers of steel, 2 electric guitars, 2 computers, 1991 (collaboration with Nick Didkovsky)
Three Improvisations for guitars and software delay, any number of guitars, live electronics, 1991
Bedhaya Sadra/Bedhaya Guthrie, clarinet (+ kemanak [bronze idiophone from Indonesia]), gendèr (+ kemanak), 1992 (version by Daniel Goode of choral work)
Two Children's Songs, 2 bassoons/tubas/any other low wind instruments/any other low brass instruments, 1992
Roads to Chimacum, 4 mandolins, 1992 (also version for string quartet, 1992)
The World's Longest Melody, electric guitar, bass guitar, drum kit, 1992–93 (version of work for computer)
The Casten Variation, piano, any ensemble, 1993–94 (version of work for piano)
51 Harmonies (The sun sets and rises without saturation of the senses, rises and sets without redemption of the soul), electric guitar/any other melody instrument, 3 percussion, computer ad libitum, 1994
The Schneider Variations (Resting Place), guitar, 1994–95
for jim, ben and lou, harp, guitar, percussion, 1995
34 Chords, Christian Wolff in Hanover and South, electric guitar, 1995
Always cut off the baseline, trumpet, computer, 1995 (collaboration with Ed Carroll)
Parting Hands, 2 percussion, 1996
II–V–I, electric guitar/2 electric guitars, 1997 (also version as toovviivfor, 4 electric guitars, 2002)
Piker, piccolo/any other high melody instrument, 1998
Ensembles of Note, any ensemble, 1998 (also two versions for flute, 2011)
Three Cello Tunes, cello, 1998
all things, beings, equal, any saxophone, 1998 (may be performed simultaneously with cinderella, flute)
Approaching the azimuth..., clarinet, 1998
two minute warning, trumpet, 1998
cinderella, flute, 1998 (may be performed simultaneously with all things, beings, equal, any saxophone; also version for flute, percussion, 2011)
Essays for String Quartet, 1–3, string quartet, 1999
ivtoo, any number of guitars/electric guitars, 2000
Three Fiddle Tune Transcriptions by Ruth Crawford Seeger, 2 guitars, 2000
tetherball, Books 1–2, 6 percussion/any 6 players, 1998–2001
vfty, any number of trumpets/any other wind instruments/any other brass instruments, 2001
Four Voice Canon #15 (Shape Note Canon), any number of players, 2001
Four Voice Canon #17 (Guitar Canon), 6 electric guitars, 2002
Four Voice Canon #18 (Trio Canon for Christian Wolff), any 3 players, 2002
twoaytood #5, 4 electric guitars, 2002
Four Voice Canon #20A, any player, 2003 (version of Four Voice Canon #20)
lissatoods #1–5, trumpet, 2004
miwakatood, violin, percussion, 2004
onceatoods, tenor saxophone, 2 guitars, organ, accordion, 2004
terrytood, 5 mandolins, 2004
glockentood, 2 glockenspiels (+ voice) (1 player), 2004
dannytoods, clarinet, 2004
edtoods, 4 trumpets, 2004
abetoods (tooaytood #12), violin, 2004
songs and toods, guitar/national steel guitar (instrument invented by Lou Harrison), 2005 (its five sections may be performed separately: schneidertood; 85 chords ['The Historical Tuning Problem']; Sweet Betsy from Pike; Eskimo Lullaby; Dismission of Great I)
Three Pieces for Bass and Psalterion, psaltery, double bass, 2006
Four Voice Canon #22A (for jim tenney), 6 trumpets, 2008
Four Voice Canon #22B (for jim tenney), 12 brass, 2008
!tearrimedis, French horn, trombone, tuba, 2008 (also version for any number of instruments capable of variable pitch, 2008)
Four Voice Canon #23B (freeHorn canon), 9 tubas, fixed media, 2008
ontslaan, 4/5 guitars, 2009
tooaytood #17, a–f, string quartet, 2009
Hocket, 4 percussion, 2009
four doods (@ $6.25), 2010 (its four sections may be performed separately: monophony, 2 clarinets/any 2 similar instruments; homophony, 2 tubas/any 2 low instruments; polyphony, 2 accordions/any 2 instruments capable of playing chords; heterophony, 2 violins)
22 sounds, 4 percussion, 2010
Silent demonstration, any number of players, 2010
Three Pieces for Trombone and Tuba, trombone, tuba, 2011
10 strings (9 events), guitar, violin, 2011
9 events (quartet) for christian, doug, robert and me, guitar, double bass, piano (+ melodica), percussion, 2011
performance practice for doug perkins, Twitter (1 player), 2011
She is Full of Patience, flute, alto saxophone, harp, guitar, violin, cello, piano, percussion, live electronics, 2012
(number piece), 10 players, 2012
3 translations for electric guitar, 2 electric guitars, 2012–13
catchaiku, guitar, percussion, 2013
holding patterns for george marsh, drum kit, any ensemble, 2013
tritune (3 pieces), 2 electric guitars, 2013
String Quartet in six movements, 2010–
CHORAL:
Departure (text by Arthur Rimbaud), mixed chorus, 1978
Four Children's Songs (text by the composer), children's chorus/mixed chorus, 1978
Bedhaya Sadra/Bedhaya Guthrie (text by Woody Guthrie), mixed chorus, kemanak, any ensemble of melody instruments, gamelan, 1989, revised 1990, 1992 (also versions for gamelan; by Daniel Goode for clarinet [+ kemanak], gendèr [+ kemanak])
David's Mensuration over Seattle (text by the composer), mixed chorus (maximum 16 voices), any number of players, 1994
Choir/Empi's Solo, female voice, fixed media, 1997 (collaboration with Marie Pauline Esguerra)
Three New Hampshire Songs (texts from various sources), mixed chorus, 1999
Five Shaker Songs, mixed chorus, flute (+ piccolo), clarinet, trombone, electric guitar, percussion, 2000
Four Voice Canon #14 (Kid Canon), children's chorus, 2001
astraphony, mixed chorus, fixed media, 2001
Selected rounds, mixed chorus, 2005 (its three sections may be performed separately: Explication. a celebratory round in 4 parts; a birthday round for dan and his family [from my perspective] in the form of a reverse alphabetic telestich; Leave logs for frogs! [text by Sarah Lloyd])
Selected rounds, mixed chorus, 2006 (its three sections may be performed separately: yet another round on the subject of tofurkey; Don't tidy up! [text by Sarah Lloyd]; Are Your Platypuses Healthy? [text by Sarah Lloyd])
Fungimap. A round in four rounds (with underground chorale) (texts by Sarah Lloyd, other poets), mixed chorus, 2006
Christian Music (2- and 4- part rounds in a limited-edition set of four cards, co-designed by Laura Gray), mixed chorus, 2007
rounds, mixed chorus, 2007 (its four sections may be performed separately: Four Pedagogical Rounds for Dan Rockmore; Don't tidy up! [2] [text by Sarah Lloyd]; Emoroundicon; Misdirection)
#[DoWhat?AllYes/No?(ok)Back] (sign round in American Sign Language), 5 signers, 2007
pardalotes, eucalypts and lerps (5 rounds, text by Sarah Lloyd), mixed chorus, 2008
Selected Rounds, mixed chorus, 2008 (its fifteen sections may be performed separately: what to do? [text by Sarah Lloyd]; biographical dictionary entry [for Michael Byron]; transcontinental warren [round in 6 parts]; bereavement; It's Difficult not to Love a Pelican [text by Sarah Lloyd]; Scarlett Tanager [for Amy Charlotte Benson]; divinorum; Kites in the meadow!; historical events [cyclical round in 7 parts]; another perspective on tofurkey ["dog's breakfast"]; One Day in Toronto [an epithalamian] [text by Jody Diamond]; leap second; self-reflection [pedagogy in 6 parts]; entreaty; Borland St. para-culinary report)
anti-war round (II) (round in 2 parts), mixed chorus, 2008
Pedagogy, 6 mixed voices, 6 guitars, 2009
Selected Rounds, 2009 (its sixteen sections may be performed separately: esb, mixed chorus; See you Around, mixed chorus; toon and jutta live in Antwerp, mixed chorus, harp, guitar; exuberance, mixed chorus; skinks [text by Sarah Lloyd], mixed chorus; extra innings [a round in two parts and two speeds], mixed chorus; y o y o y o [for mike seeger], mixed chorus; ! delta, mixed chorus; grunt, honk, whistle or quack [chirp 2] [text by Sarah Lloyd], mixed chorus; new york life, mixed chorus; the antipodes [2 gotham rounds], mixed chorus; hudson ecclesiastical view, mixed chorus; one more day, mixed chorus; broome street bar, mixed chorus; hinterlands and accompaniment, mixed chorus; new year's day at joe's [catch], mixed chorus)
Rounds, mixed chorus, 2010 (its six sections may be performed separately: 4-part round for laura steenberge; an accounting [for Sarah Lloyd]; hurry home; moving day; Antwerp; two slime mould rounds [text by Sarah Lloyd])
30 Rounds (MacDowell diary) (31 rounds), mixed chorus, 2010
Perception, 3 signers, piano, 2010
Rounds: viiii, mixed chorus, 2011 (its eight sections may be performed separately: the way down east; to do list; common things; five Ostrava rounds [halda; confession; sisterhood; clumpiness; 329]; Three Lowland Rounds; Sage Advice!; Music 206; ornithology)
Rounds, mixed chorus, 2012 (its eight sections may be performed separately: !; illuminations; righteous doodette; primer; detritus haikus; census; reasonable expectations; tympanocryptis)
Rounds, mixed chorus, 2013 (its nine sections may be performed separately: 3 x 17; 1/16/13; Ha'sof ha'yom; alacrity; aggadic midrash; prosperity [for mike winter]; shell game; alarum; miscommunication)
VOCAL:
17 for the 36 (A Hymn) (text by Gershom Scholem), female speaker, ocarina, flute, soprano saxophone, 1977
Seventeen Parables of Love (text by the composer), female speaker, piano ad libitum, 1978
Will You Miss Me (text by the Carter Family), untrained male voice (+ transfer harp [instrument invented by William Colvig and Lou Harrison]), 1978 (also version for untrained male voice [+ transfer harp], flute, double bass, 1980)
Fifty Miles of Elbow Room (text by the Carter Family), untrained male voice, 3 trumpets, 2 trombones, 1978
Prayer without Words (vocalise), female voice, male voice, cello, 1978
Three Rimbaud Settings (text by Arthur Rimbaud), soprano, percussion, 1979–83
A Pregnant Pause (sketch) (vocalise), voice, piano, 1983
Psalm 138/Psalm 131, soprano, flute (+ piccolo), trombone, mandola, gendèr, 1984
al het (for the people of Nicaragua) (text by the composer), pesindhèn (female voice from Indonesia), percussion, 1986
B'rey'sheet – In the Beginning (Cantillation Study #1) (text from the Torah), voice, computer, 1986, revised 1987
The Time Is Now (text by Melody Sumner Carnahan), voice, flute, clarinet, guitar, viola, double bass, 1987
Simple Actions/Rules of Compossibility (text by Chris Mann), voice, computer, 1989 (collaboration with Chris Mann; incorporates revised version of Simple Actions)
Three Shaker Songs, voice, electric guitar, 1999
Six Declarations (text by Virginia Levitt Snitow), speaker, clarinet, 2000
Four Voice Canon #20, any voice, 2003 (also version as Four Voice Canon #20A, any player)
Numbers (17 pieces), any number of speakers, piano, 2008
Simple song (agnosia), female voice, piano, 2010
8 Lines, voice, any 8 melody instruments, 2012
Three Songs for Tom and Joe, male voice, piano, 2012
PIANO:
Piano Study #4 (Et Morphogenese), any number of pianos/any other instruments, 1977 (version of Four Voice Canon #2, fixed media)
Piano Study #2 (March in D for Melissa), 1977
Piano Study #5, electric piano, drone, 1977
Riddled and Ragged, 1978 (also version for flute, mandolin, double bass, piano [collaboration with Gary Schmidt])
Two Can Float as Cheap as One, 1978
Five Piano Haiku, 1978
Unhappy Set of Coincidences for Richard Myron, 1980 (version of chamber work)
Piano Study #1 for Carl Ruggles, 1976–81
Lonesome Road (The Crawford Variations), 1988–89 (suites were compiled by Michael Arnowitt, 1996; Joseph Kubera, 1998)
The World's Longest Melody Piano Studies #1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 11, 15, 16, 1993 (version of The World's Longest Melody, computer)
The Casten Variation, 1993–94 (also version with any ensemble)
Neighborhoods of Note (pianists must be young), 2/3 pianos, 1997
ivt, piano/2 pianos, 2000
tooaytoods #1–11, 2000–04
days, weeks, months, years, 2006
almost a quintet (sounding), twice before gone, sadly giving up (8), piano/any number of pianos, 2006
iiiisiv joan (tooaytood #14), 2006
Dismission (pianotood), piano, any ensemble ad libitum, 2006
Dismission (pianotood) II, 2006
Dismission (pianotood) II (stretched), 2006
(p)safety, 2007
hetood, 2007
Three Pieces for Two Pianos (with optional interloods), 2 pianos, 2007
172 chords, piano, any ensemble ad libitum, 2008
hojas nuevas (seven canonic variations for piano), 2010
Old Paint, 2010
steinmehrhund, 2013
ELECTROACOUSTIC:
Four Voice Canon #2, fixed media, 1975 (also version as Piano Study #4 [Et Morphogenese])
Hoy Comienza Una Nueva Etapa, fixed media (2/4 tracks), 1976
Sascha's Song (for the peoples of Chile), fixed media (2/4 tracks), 1977 (also version for clarinet, French horn, trumpet, trombone, violin, double bass, fixed media [2/4 tracks])
Stochastic Studies #1–3, fixed media, 1977
Four Voice Canon #3, fixed media, 1977
Psaltery, fixed media, 1978–79 (also versions as Cata/Tonic, viola; 'Cello, cello, fixed media; Canon for Flute, flute, fixed media; Flutes, large number of flutes [also version as Glass, 51 tuned water glasses (11 players)]; algorithmic variation as Horn, French horn, computer)
Buka Bucha, guitar, live electronics, computer, 1985 (collaboration with Ron Kuivila)
Conversation (sound installation), 1985 (collaboration with John Levin, Richard Povall)
Toyoji Patch III/Toyoji Patch II, computer, 1986 (version of work for flute, computer)
Four Voice Canon #6, computer, 1986
Simple Actions (sound installation), 1986 (also incorporated into Buy Some for Spare Parts [collaboration with Phil Burk]; revised version incorporated into Simple Actions/Rules of Compossibility, voice, computer [collaboration with Chris Mann])
Buy Some for Spare Parts (sound installation), 1986 (incorporates Simple Actions; collaboration with Phil Burk)
Cocks crow, dogs bark, this all men know. But even the wisest cannot tell why cocks crow, dogs bark, when they do, live electronics, computer, 1987, revised 1987–88 (revision in collaboration with John Bischoff, Melody Sumner Carnahan)
The Birth of Peace, live electronics, 1989 (collaboration with Chris Mann, Alistair Riddell, Simon Veitch, other composers)
The World's Longest Melody, computer, 1992, revised 1995 (also version for electric guitar, bass guitar, drum kit; version as The World's Longest Melody Piano Studies #1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 11, 15, 16, piano)
Four Voice Canon #8 (Nerve Canon), computer, 1992 (collaboration with Ray Guillette)
Three Anna Studies, fixed media, 1993–95 (its sections may be performed separately: Study: Anna, the long and the short of it, 1993; Four Voice Canon #9A–D [Anna Canon], 1994; Study: baa baa birthday have you any star, 1995)
17 Behaviors, computer, 1996
Anna's Music Box, computer, 1996
Frog Peak Collaboration Pieces, fixed media, 1997 (its 14 sections may be performed separately: Chris Choir; Fours Boys Mannin' [Four Voice Canon #10]; Time Studies 1–7; Chris Morphs 1–5)
Killing Time, computer, 2000
Four Voice Canon #16A–B (Canon in one octave for Arthur Farwell), fixed media, 2002
untitled, fixed media, 2005 (collaboration with Ilya Monosov)
to foster and encourage (Anna Study #4), fixed media, 2005
Epitaph (Four Voice Canon #21) (tmfg), fixed media (4 tracks), 2006 (also version for fixed media [2 tracks], 2008)
Four Voice Canon #23A (freeHorn canon), fixed media, 2008
Duchess Bridge, fixed media, 2011
FILM SCORE (DIRECTOR):
Night Hunter, 2011 (animation; Stacey Steers)
TEXT SCORES:
No Replacement (85 verses for Kenneth Gaburo), 1993
Four Voice Canon #13 (DIY Canon), 2001 (realisations by Daniel Goode as Java 2, fixed media, 2002; Nick Didkovsky as Headphone Canon for Ross Hendler, fixed media, 2002; Nathan Davis as On Skin, Wood, Metal, and Stone, fixed media, 2002; George Zelenz as Pingola, fixed media, 2002; Bo Bell as MetroCard Canon, fixed media, 2002; Ross Craig as Barbie's Phone Canon, fixed media, 2002)
ARRANGEMENT:
Eine Kleine Gamelan/Computer Music (Eine Kleine Gamelan Music by Daniel Goode), gamelan, computer, 1995 (collaboration with Daniel Goode)
DISCOGRAPHY
Hensley Variations (Guitar Trio #1). (Opus One Music, 1985) (LP)
Movement for Andréa Smith (My Funny Valentine). (Tellus Audio Cassette Magazine: 14, 1985) (cassette)
Four Voice Canon #3. (Mills College, 1986) (LP)
Another You (17 variations); Movement for Andréa Smith (My Funny Valentine); Movement for Lou Harrison; Horn. Chris Bobrowski, French horn; Alyssa Hess Reit, retuned harp; Ron Erickson, violins, violas; Robert Black, double basses (Artifact Music: ART-1011, 1990)
V'leem'shol (Cantillation Study #2). Anne La Berge, flutes (Centaur Records, 1991)
B'rey'sheet (Cantillation Study #1). (Just Intonation Network, 1992)
al het (for the people of Nicaragua). (Leonardo Music Journal: 2, 1992)
Four Voice Canon #8 (Nerve Canon). (Cuneiform Records, 1993)
Psaltery; Four Voice Canon #3; Four Voice Canon #4; Four Voice Canon #5; Four Voice Canon #6; B'rey'sheet (Cantillation Study #1); Simple Actions/Rules of Compossibility. Jody Diamond, Chris Mann, voices; Phil Burk, Larry Polansky, computers (Artifact Music, 1994 [partially reissued as New World Records: 80684-2])
The World's Longest Melody Piano Studies (excerpts). (Frog Peak Music: FP002, 1994)
Study: Anna, the long and the short of it. (Non Sequitur, 1995)
Study: baa baa birthday have you any star. (Computer Music Journal, 1996)
Cocks crow, dogs bark, this all men know. But even the wisest cannot tell why cocks crow, dogs bark, when they do; There is more headroom, but one's feet are forced into slippers of steel. (Burning Books/Frog Peak Music, 1998)
Frog Peak Collaboration Pieces (excerpts). (Frog Peak Music: FP007, 1998)
The Casten Variation (original version); Lonesome Road (The Crawford Variations) (excerpt). (Musicworks: 81, 2001)
Lonesome Road (The Crawford Variations). (New World Records: 80566-2, 2001)
Bedhaya Sadra/Bedhaya Guthrie (version by Daniel Goode); Choir/Empi's Solo; The Casten Variation (original version); Three Anna Studies; 51 Melodies (Pride holds the multitudes in a continual, habitual process of readornment); Piano Study #5. Daniel Goode, clarinet, kemanak; Larry Polansky, gendèr, kemanak (Artifact Music: ART-1023, 2002)
Four Voice Canon #2; Four Voice Canon #4; Four Voice Canon #5; Four Voice Canon #6; Four Voice Canon #7; Four Voice Canon #8 (Nerve Canon); Four Voice Canon #9B (Anna Canon); Fours Boys Mannin' (Four Voice Canon #10); Four Voice Canon #12; Four Voice Canon #13 (DIY Canon); Java 2 (realisation by Daniel Goode of Four Voice Canon #13 [DIY Canon]); Four Voice Canon #14 (Kid Canon); Four Voice Canon #16A–B (Canon in one octave for Arthur Farwell); Four Voice Canon #17 (Guitar Canon); Four Voice Canon #18 (Trio Canon for Christian Wolff). (Cold Blue Music: CB0011, 2002)
Trios (improvisations). Chris Mann, voice; Christian Wolff, melodica, double bass, piano, percussion; Larry Polansky, electric guitars; Tom Erbe, live electronics; douglas irving repetto, live electronics, computer (Pogus Productions: 21031, 2004)
untitled. (elevator bath: eeaoa022, 2005)
Movement in E major for John Cage. Miwako Abe, violin; Michael Kieran Harvey, piano (New World Records: 80641-2, 2006)
Epitaph (Four Voice Canon #21) (tmfg) (original version). (Everglade DVDs, c. 2007) (DVD)
Piker. Margaret Lancaster, piccolo (New World Records: 80665-2, 2009)
B'rey'sheet (Cantillation Study #1); Four Voice Canon #3; Epitaph (Four Voice Canon #21) (tmfg) (second version); Four Voice Canon #23B (freeHorn canon); Simple Actions/Rules of Compossibility; Psaltery. Jody Diamond, Chris Mann, voices; Robin Hayward, tubas; Phil Burk, Larry Polansky, computers (New World Records: 80684-2, 2009 [partial reissue of Artifact Music])
Ensembles of Note (original version); tooaytoods #1–11 (8 excerpts); for jim, ben and lou; '...getting rid of the glue...'; ivtoo; The World's Longest Melody (second version); ontslaan; toovviivfor; 34 Chords, Christian Wolff in Hanover and South. Jutta Troch, harp; Toon Callier, Larry Polansky, guitars, electric guitars; Jeroen Stevens, electric guitar, percussion; Stefan Prins, live electronics; [sic]; ZWERM (New World Records: 80700-2, 2010)
Four Voice Canon #23A (freeHorn canon). (University of Illinois, c. 2011)
Eskimo Lullaby. John Schneider, guitar (Cold Blue Music, 2012)
catchaiku (two versions). Toon Callier, guitar; Jeroen Stevens, percussion (Bandcamp, 2013)
Duchess Bridge. (Bridge Records, 2013)