Bresnick's compositions tend to be concise and direct in expression,
Oratorio • "Passions of Bloom" for solo voices, chorus (SATB) and orchestra • "Self Portraits 1964, Unfinished" for chorus (SATB) and saxophone quartet
Orchestra • "Angelus Novus" • "Encore!" • "Falling" for orchestra and mezzo-soprano • "Grace" for two marimbas and orchestra • "Little Suite" for amateur string orchestra • "Ocean of Storms" • "On An Overgrown Path" (Janáček-Bresnick) for chamber orchestra • "ONE" for chamber orchestra • "Pan Penseroso" for solo flute and orchestra • "Pontoosuc" • "Sinfonia" • "The Way It Goes" • "Wir Weben, Wir Weben" for string orchestra
Large ensemble • "Ants" for woodwind quintet, contrabass, percussion, harp, soprano, mezzo, tenor, baritone soli, 5 actor/mimes • "B.'s Garlands" for 8 cellos • "Bread & Salt" for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 saxes, 2 horns, cello, contrabass • "Der Signál" for flute, clarinet, cornet, trombone, viola, cello, contrabass, percussion, soprano, alto, mezzo soli, narrator or tape • "Fanfare" for 4 trumpets, 4 horns, 4 trombones • "Fantasia on a Theme by Willie Dixon" for vibraphone, clarinet, drum set, Piano, electric Organ, Violin, electric guitar • "Introit" for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones • "Musica" for flute, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, violin, voila, cello • "Parisot" for 12 cellos
Small ensemble • "***" (Three Stars) for clarinet, viola (opt. violin), and piano • "A Message from the Emperor" for two speaking percussionists marimba, vibraphone, four small drums amplification as needed • "And I Always Thought" for clarinet, violin, and piano • "Ballad" for cello and piano • "BE JUST!" for clarinet, cello, contrabass, guitar, piano, percussion • "Bird as Prophet" for violin and piano • "Bitter Suite" for violin and piano • "The Bucket Rider" • "Capricho Nuevo" for clarinet, alto saxophone, percussion, vibraphone, piano, violin, contrabass • "Caprichos Enfaticos: Los Desastres de la Guerra" for piano and percussion quartet • "Conspiracies" for solo flute and four other flutes • "Elan's Blues" for violin, cello, piano • "Everything Must Go" for saxophone quartet • "Everything Must Go" for trombone quartet • "Follow Your Leader" for bass clarinet, bassoon, percussion, piano, violin, viola, cello; or bass clarinet, bassoon, barisax, percussion, piano, synth, violin • "Going Home" (Vysoke, My Jerusalem) for oboe, violin, viola, cello • "Grace" for 2 marimbas and piano • "Handwork" for 2 pianos • "High Art" for piccolo and piano (opt.
toy piano) • "Just Time" for woodwind quintet • "La Gaya Scienza" for Brass Quintet (Bass Trombone) & Timpani • "Mending Time" for saxophone quartet • "My Twentieth Century" for flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, piano • "Pan Penseroso" (Version 3) for flute with
multiphonics and piano • "Pan Penseroso" (Version 4) for 2 flutes and piano • "Pigs & Fishes" for clarinet, bassoon, percussion, piano, violin, viola, cello • "Pine Eyes" for narrator, 2 percussion, clarinet/bass clarinet in Bb, piano • "Prayers Remain Forever" for cello and piano • "Songs of the Mouse People" for cello and vibraphone • "String Quartet No. 1" • "String Quartet No. 2" (Bucephalus) • "String Quartet No. 3" • "String Quartet No. 4" (The Planet on the Table) • "Tent of Miracles" for solo baritone sax, tape; or solo bass clarinet, tape; or solo bassoon, tape; or solo baritone sax and three baritone saxes; or solo bass clarinet and three bass clarinets; or solo bassoon and three bassoons • "Trio" for 2 trumpets and piano • "Trio" for violin, cello, and piano • "Tucket" for bass clarinet, bassoon, percussion, piano, violin, viola, cello; or bass clarinet, bassoon, baritone sax, percussion, piano, synth., violin; or brass quintet • "Willie's Way" for woodwind quintet • "Wir Weben, Wir Weben" for string sextet
Solo compositions • "Bag O' Tells" for mandolin • "Bundists" (Robert, György and Me) for piano • "Conspiracies" for flute and tape • "Extrana Devocion" (Strange Devotion) for piano • "For the Sexes: The Gates of Paradise" for piano and DVD projections • "Four Short Piano Pieces" for piano • "Ishi's Song" for piano • "Joaquin is Dreaming" for guitar • "Josephine, the Singer" for violin • "Lady Neil's Dumpe" for CX7 digital synthesizer; TX 816 driven by Mac • "On an Overgrown Path" for solo guitar • "Strange Devotion" for piano • "Tent of Miracles" for baritone sax solo and tape; or bass clarinet solo and tape; or bassoon solo and tape • "The Dream of the Lost Traveler" for piano • "Theme and Variations" for oboe • "Three Intermezzi" for cello • "Willie's Way" for solo piano
Vocal compositions • "Falling" for mezzo-soprano and piano • "New Haven" for SATB chorus a cappella • "The Human Abstract" for mezzo-soprano and piano • "Three Choral Songs" for SATB chorus a cappella • "Where is the Way" for SATB chorus a cappella • "Woodstock" for SATB chorus a cappella ==Recordings==