ENSEMBLE COMPOSITIONS (back) (home)

Essay in Radiance (1981-83) 12’30”
picc/bass fl; sop/ten sax; Eb/bass cl; elec org or synth; 1-2perc; vn/va; vc
fp 5 February 1984, London; Music Projects/London, Richard Bernas

Coïgitum (1983-85) 15’
afl; ob d’am; 1perc; pno; mezzo-soprano
(After Matta part 1/4)
commissioned by New Macnaghten Concerts
fp 11 May 1985, Paris; Suoraan, Roger Redgate
(listen)

Illuminer le temps (1984-2005) 18’
picc/fl; bass/Bb cl; 1perc; hp; 2 elec gtrs; vn; cb (all amplified)
(After Matta part 3/4)
commissioned by the Nieuw Ensemble with funds from the Arts Council of Great Britain; definitive version commissioned by Musikfabrik
fp (definitive version) 3 March 2006, Cologne; Musikfabrik, Etienne Siebens
(listen)

Anatomy (1985-86) 7’
1. ca. bcl. 1 / 1000 / 1perc / str (11111) (all amplified)
(Fictions part 1/11)
fp 20 July 1986, Darmstadt; Ensemble Modern, Bernhard Kontarsky
(listen)

Temptation (1986)12’
alto/bar sax/contrabass cl; trpt/picc trpt/cornett/slide trpt; vc; DX7 synth; 1perc; live electronics
(Fictions part 2/11)
commissioned by Metanoia with funds from the Arts Council of Great Britain
fp 8 February 1987, London; Metanoia
(under revision)

I open and close (1983-88) 19’
string quartet (optional amplification)
(Fictions part 6/11)
commissioned by the BBC
fp 15 December 1988, London; Arditti String Quartet
(listen)

Another heavenly day (1989-90) 7’
Eb cl; elec gtr; cb; live electronics
(Fictions part 7/11)
commissioned by Elision with funds from the Arts Council of Great Britain
fp 22 April 1990, Melbourne; ELISION, conducted by Barrie Webb

lieder vom wasser (1989-90) 11’30”
soprano; bcl; cb; 1perc
text by Elisabeth Borchers
(Fictions part 10/11)
commissioned by Musica, Strasbourg
fp 22 September 1990, Strasbourg; Ensemble Accroche Note

what remains (1990-91) 9’30”
fl; bcl; pno
commissioned by Het Trio with funds from the Arts Council of Great Britain
fp 31 July 1995, London; Nancy Ruffer, Andrew Sparling, Ian Pace, conucted by. Roger Redgate

negatives (1988-93) 34’30”
ensemble (9 players) with amplification
five compositions composed with overlaps for complete performance; they may also be performed separately.
fp (complete) 14 October 1994, Cologne; ELISION, Sandro Gorli
(listen)

1. delta (1990-93) 6’30”
afl; tbn; angklung; sitar (amplified); 10-str gtr (amplified); str (10111)
fp 10 October 1993, Melbourne; ELISION, Sandro Gorli

2. colloid-E (1988-92) 8’
solo 10-str gtr (amplified); fl; tbn; mand; cb; 1perc
(guitar part as solo work colloid)
fp 10 May 1992, Melbourne; Daryl Buckley, ELISION, Sandro Gorli

3. archipelago (1990-92) 5’
solo mand (amplified); bfl/alto rec; tbn; 1perc; 10-str gtr (amplified); str (10111)
fp 10 May 1992, Melbourne; Stephen Morey, ELISION, Sandro Gorli

4. basalt-E (1990-92) 8’
solo tbn; 1perc; str (10111)
(trombone part as solo work basalt)
fp 10 May 1992, Melbourne; Brett Kelly, ELISION, Sandro Gorli

5. entstellt (1990-93) 7’30”
picc; tbn; angklung; sitar (amplified); 12-str gtr (amplified); str (10111)
(all doubling perc except picc, angklung & vc)
fp 10 October 1993, Melbourne; ELISION, Sandro Gorli

ruin (1985-95) 16’
6x3 instruments, spatially separated
2fl, sop sax; Bbcl, bcl , hn; 2tbn, tba; 3perc; 2vn, va; 2vc, cb
(Fictions part 11/11)
commissioned by the Schömer-Haus, Klosterneuburg
fp 23 November 1996, Klosterneuburg; Klangforum Wien, Pascal Rophé
(listen)

fluxion (1996) ca 10’
5 improvising musicians
tenor sax or bcl, el gtr, b gtr or cb, pf, perc
commissioned by LOOS
fp 10 November 1996, Utrecht; LOOS
unpublished

Opening of the Mouth (1992-97) 80’
soprano, mezzo soprano, ensemble (11 players) with amplification, live electronics, tapes
Texts by Paul Celan
commissioned by the Festival of Perth
fp 3 March 1997, Perth; ELISION, cond. Simon Hewett, with installation by Richard Crow
consisting of the following overlapping/intercut sections:
1. Landschaft mit Urnenwesen
2. Engführung (I) - incorporates abglanzbeladen/auseinandergeschrieben and CHARON
3. Largo
4. Schneebett
5. Zungenentwürzeln
6. Tenebrae
7. Engführung (II) - incorporates knospend-gespaltener, air, von hinter dem Schmerz

Schneebett (1994-96) 7’30”
solo flute & percussion (as duo work inward), soprano, mezzosoprano, bass recorder, hardanger fiddle
text by Paul Celan
(from Opening of the Mouth)
(listen)

Largo (1994-96) 6’
soprano, koto & cello
text by Paul Celan
(from Opening of the Mouth)
fp 11 March 1997, Sydney; Deborah Kayser, Satsuki Odamura, Friedrich Gauwerky; conducted bySimon Hewett

Tenebrae (1994-97)  6’
mezzosoprano, electric guitar, percussion, sampling keyboard, live electronics
Text by Paul Celan
(from Opening of the Mouth)
fp 1 November 1997, London (version for solo voice); Ute Wassermann

Partikelgestöber (1992-97) 8’
C clarinet (as solo work knospend-gespaltener), mandola, 10-string guitar, jushichigen (bass koto)
(rearranged from Opening of the Mouth)
fp 11 March 1997, Sydney; Carl Rosman; Elision, cond. Simon Hewett

stress (1996-97) 10’
string quartet
commissioned by the Westdeutscher Rundfunk
fp 27 April 1997, Witten; Arditti String Quartet
(listen)

Trawl (1994-97) 10’30”
flute, bass clarinet, violin, cello, piano
commissioned by Ensemble Köln with support from the Fonds voor de scheppende Toonkunst
fp 11 September 1998, Amsterdam; Ensemble Köln, Robert HP Platz
(listen)

Liebestod (1999-2000) 10’
4 recorders, live electronics
commissioned by the Malle Symen Quartet with support from the Fonds voor de scheppende Toonkunst
fp 26 November 2000, Hellevoetsluis; Malle Symen Quartet
(listen)

DARK MATTER (1990-2002) 95’
19 musicians, electronics, installation by Per Inge Bjørlo
soprano 2030 0000 2perc 2gtr pf/chamber organ 2121 electronics (2 performers)
texts from the Pyramid Texts, Hesiod, Hippolytos, Anaxagoras, Melissos, the Orphic Hymns, Lucretius, Pascal and Beckett
commissioned by ELISION, Cikada and the DAAD
fp (1st version) 16 November 2001, Brisbane; ELISION & Cikada ensembles, Christian Eggen
(final version) 14 March 2003, Berlin; as above
see elsewhere for excerpts playable as separate works

codex I (2001) 10’
6-12 improvising musicians
commissioned by the Bangor New Music Festival with funds from the Arts Council of Wales
fp 6 April 2001, Bangor; Chris Burn’s Ensemble (John Butcher, saxophone; John Russell, acoustic guitar; Chris Burn, prepared piano; Rhodri Davies, harp; Mark Wastell, cello; Matt Hutchinson, electronics)

khasma (1999-2001) 13'
(from DARK MATTER)
string quintet (2111) and electronic sounds
commissioned by Cikada
fp 11 October 2001, Oslo; Cikada, Christian Eggen
(listen)

stirrings (1999-2001) 6'
(from DARK MATTER)
flute/piccolo/alto/bass flute, bass clarinet, 1 percussion, piano, string quintet (2111)
commissioned by Cikada
fp 11 October 2001, Oslo; Cikada, Christian Eggen
(listen)

The Empire of Lights (2000-2001) 9’45”
(from DARK MATTER)
flute/piccolo, Bb clarinet/Eb contra-alto clarinet, 1 percussion, piano, hardingfele, violin, viola, cello, bass
commissioned by Cikada
fp 11 October 2001, Oslo; Cikada, Christian Eggen

Ars Magna Lucis et Umbræ (1996-2001) 16’
(from DARK MATTER)
soloist (contrabass clarinet, voice, pedal bass drum - as interference) and ensemble of 12 instrumentalists
2030 0000 2perc chamber organ (or synth.) el.gtr 2020
written for the DAAD Berliner Künstlerprogramm
(listen)

De vita coelitus comparanda (1998-2001) 8’
(from DARK MATTER)
8 or 9 performers
3 Bb clarinets, 1 percussion, steel-strung acoustic guitar, soprano, viola, 2 cellos
written for the DAAD Berliner Künstlerprogramm

codex II (2001-02) 15’
improvisational structure for solo live electronics, oboe, saxophone, piano
commissioned by the DAAD
fp 21 February 2002, Berlin; Ensemble Mosaik with RB
unpublished

13 selfportraits (2000-02) 20’
string quartet
commissioned by Wien Modern and the BBC
fp 24 November 2002, Vienna; Kairos Quartett
(listen)

Katasterismoi  (1998-2003) 10’
(from DARK MATTER)
electronic music with ensemble:
2030, strings 2121

codex III (2003) 15’
improvisational structure for live electronics, bass clarinet, cimbasso
commissioned by Kammerensemble Neue Musik Berlin
fp 20 June 2003, Trier; KNM Berlin with RB
unpublished
(listen)

faux départs (2000-03) 15’
piano and string quartet
commissioned by  Ars Musica Brussels and the Cheltenham International Festival
fp 13 March 2004, Brussels; Arditti Quartet and Ian Pace
(listen)

codex VI (2004) 15’
improvisational structure for live electronics, voice, clarinet, bass clarinet, tuba, violin
commissioned by Kammerensemble Neue Musik Berlin
fp 10 September 2004, Berlin; KNM Berlin with RB
unpublished

fOKT I-III (2005) 30-40' each
improvisational structure for fORCH (8 improvising musicians)
commissioned by Südwestrundfunk NEWJazz Meeting
fp (fOKT II) 1 December 2005, SWR, Baden-Baden (version II); fORCH (RB, John Butcher, Rhodri Davies, Paul Lovens, Phil Minton, Wolfgang Mitterer, Paul Obermayer, Ute Wassermann)
fp (fOKT I) 2 December 2005, ZKM, Karlsruhe; fORCH
fp (fOKT III) 4 December 2005, Theaterhaus, Stuttgart; fORCH

codex IV (2004-06) 10’
improvisational structure for 9 players
commissioned by Elision
fp 12 August 2006, Brisbane; Elision with RB
unpublished

Island (2006) 11’ or more
2 improvising soloists and instrumental octet (alto fl., alro rec., flugelhorn, trombone, vn., va., vc., cb.)
from CONSTRUCTION: resistance & vision part 8
commissioned by the City of Liverpool
fp 18 November 2006, Huddersfield; Timothy O’Dwyer (sax) & RB; Elision, conducted by Carl Rosman
(download score v1.1)
(listen)

fOKT IV (2007)  45’
improvisational structure for fORCH (8 improvising musicians)
fp 16 June 2007, London; fORCH (RB, Peter Evans, Aleksander Kolkowski, Paul Lovens, Phil Minton, Wolfgang Mitterer, Paul Obermayer, Ute Wassermann)
(listen)

codex V (2007) 6’
12 or more players of any instruments, with conductor
commissioned by COMA
fp 22 June 2007, London; COMA London, Gregory Rose
(listen)  

codex VII (2007) 18’
improvisational structure for 17 performers
fp 10 May 2007, Antwerp; students of the Gent and Antwerp conservatoria and Champ d’Action with RB

codex VIII (2007) 18’
improvisational structure for septet based on codex VII
fp 24 October 2007, Leuven; Champ d’Action with RB

codex IX (2008) 33’
improvisational structure for 9 players
fp 5 October 2008, Brisbane; Elision with RB

fOKT V (2009) 45’
improvisational structure for fORCH (8 improvising musicians)
fp 8 November 2009, Aberdeen; fORCH (RB, John Butcher, Rhodri Davies, Aleksander Kolkowski, Paul Lovens, Phil Minton, Paul Obermayer, Ute Wassermann)
(listen)

fOKT VI (2009) 45’
improvisational structure for fORCH (8 improvising musicians)
fp 28 November 2009, Huddersfield; fORCH (RB, John Butcher, Rhodri Davies, Aleksander Kolkowski, Anne La Berge, Phil Minton, Paul Obermayer, Ute Wassermann)
(listen)

Mesopotamia (2004-09) 25’
(resistance & vision part 5/8)
17 instruments: 1111 sax 1111 1perc pf/el kbd 2121
commissioned by the London Sinfonietta
fp 28 November 2009, Huddersfield; London Sinfonietta, Pierre-André Valade
(listen)

codex X (2009) 15’
improvisational structure for around 12 players
fp 18 June 2009, Cologne; Comprovise Ensemble
(listen)  

codex XI (2010) 15’
improvisational structure for 7 players
fp 8 February 2010, London; ELISION (Peter Veale, Richard Haynes, Tristram Williams, Benjamin Marks, Daryl Buckley, Séverine Ballon) with RB
(listen)

cell  (2005-11) 14’
alto saxophone, accordion and contrabass
commissioned by POING
fp 17 April 2012, Basel; POING
(download score v1.3)
(listen)

CONSTRUCTION (2003-11) 120'
(resistance & vision part 8/8)
3 voices, 16 instrumentalists and electronics
commissioned by the City of Liverpool
fp 20 November 2011, Huddersfield; ELISION, Eugene Ughetti
(download score v1.2)
see elsewhere for excerpts playable as separate works

Politeia (2003-11) 9'
(from CONSTRUCTION: resistance & vision part 8/8)           
recorder, flugelhorn, percussion, baroque double harp, electric guitar, plus 3 saxophones (tenor, baritone, bass), bassoon, trombone, violin, viola, cello
commissioned by the City of Liverpool
(download score v1.1)
(listen)

wound (2009-11) 15'
(from CONSTRUCTION: resistance & vision part 8/8)           
solo violin with oboe, clarinet, percussion, lap steel guitar, 1 perc
commissioned by the City of Liverpool
fp April 2012, Brisbane; Graeme Jennings, ELISION
(download score v1.1)

heliocentric (2005-11) 15'
(from CONSTRUCTION: resistance & vision part 8/8)           
10 instruments and electronics
bfl, brec, 2cl, flh, atbn, triple harp, electric guitar, 1perc, vc
(incorporates the duos Adocentyn, Aurora, Hypnerotomachia)
commissioned by the City of Liverpool
(download score v1.1)

news from nowhere  (2005-11) 7’
(from CONSTRUCTION: resistance & vision part 8/8)
4 wind-instrument players (each with at least 3 instruments), 1 percussionist, (optionally) 3 or more “drone-instruments”
commissioned by the City of Liverpool
(download score v1.1)

Hekabe-alpha  (2005-11) 4’
(from CONSTRUCTION: resistance & vision part 8/8)
text from Euripides, Troiades
contralto, piccolo, sopranino recorder, 2 contrabass clarinets, triple harp, contrabass
commissioned by the City of Liverpool
(download score v1.1)

Kassandra  (2005-11) 4’
(from CONSTRUCTION: resistance & vision part 8/8)
text from Euripides, Troiades
soprano, oboe, clarinet in Bb, alto saxophone, flugelhorn, triple harp, viola
commissioned by the City of Liverpool
(download score v1.1)
(listen)

Andromakhe  (2005-11) 4’
(from CONSTRUCTION: resistance & vision part 8/8)
text from Euripides, Troiades
contralto, 3 bass clarinets, bassoon, triple harp, cello
commissioned by the City of Liverpool
(download score v1.1)

Helene  (2005-11) 4’
(from CONSTRUCTION: resistance & vision part 8/8)
text from Euripides, Troiades
soprano, tenor recorder, triple harp, marimba
commissioned by the City of Liverpool
(download score v1.1)
(listen)

Hekabe-beta  (2005-11) 4’
(from CONSTRUCTION: resistance & vision part 8/8)
text from Euripides, Troiades
soprano, contralto, countertenor, piccolo/alto flute, bassoon, piccolo trumpet, trombone, triple harp, violin
commissioned by the City of Liverpool
(download score v1.1)

ON  (2005-11) 20’
(from CONSTRUCTION: resistance & vision part 8/8)
ensemble - 5 or more improvising performers
commissioned by the City of Liverpool
fp 22 October 2011, Leuven; ELISION
(download score v1.1)
(listen)

Germania  (2005-11) 3’
(from CONSTRUCTION: resistance & vision part 8/8)
3 voices and 17 instruments
text from Hugo von Hofmannsthal’s libretto for Ariadne auf Naxos by Richard Strauss
commissioned by the City of Liverpool

storming  (2005-11) 3’
(from CONSTRUCTION: resistance & vision part 8/8)
ensemble (at least 10 instruments) and electronics (8-channel fixed media)
commissioned by the City of Liverpool
(download score v1.1)

Omaggio a Chirico  (2005-11) 6’
(from CONSTRUCTION: resistance & vision part 8/8)
improvisation for 3 voices, violin, viola, cello, contrabass, electronics (live + 8-channel fixed media)
commissioned by the City of Liverpool
(download score v1.1)

codex XII (2013) 10’ or more
improvisational structure for 5 or more players
fp 28 April 2013, Belgrade; Ensemble Studio6 with RB
(download score v1.2)
(listen)

codex XIII (2013) 30'
improvisational structure for large ensemble
fp 12 April 2013, The Hague; Sonology Electroacoustic Ensemble with RB and spatialisation by Lawrence Harvey and Yiannis Tsirikoglou

rift  (2011-14) 6’
(from world-line)
piccolo trumpet, percussion, (optional) electric lap steel guitar
commissioned by TRANSIT Leuven
(download score v1.1)

rasa  (2011-14) 4’
(from world-line)
flugelhorn, percussion, electric lap steel guitar
commissioned by TRANSIT Leuven
(download score v1.1)

urlicht (2013-14) 13’30"
3 percussionists with optional spatialisation
fp 26 July 2014, Melbourne; Speak Percussion
(download score v1.1)

codex XIV (2014) 15’
improvisational structure for 3 percussionists and electronics
fp 26 July 2014, Melbourne; Speak Percussion with RB
(download score v1.0)
(listen)

world-line (2012-14) 30'
piccolo trumpet/quartertone flugelhorn, percussion, electric lap steel guitar and electronics
comprising split and recombined versions of dust, rift, knot, lens and rasa
commissioned by the Art Committee of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
fp 26 October 2014, TRANSIT, Leuven; ELISION (Tristram Williams, Peter Neville, Daryl Buckley & RB)
(download score v1.1)
(download electronic materials  - Max patch and soundfiles)
(listen)

eiszeiten (2012-14) 10'
horn, trombone, tuba and electronics
fp 15 May 2015, Los Angeles; Trio Kobayashi (Allen Fogel, Matt Barbier, Luke Storm)
(download score v1.2)

codex XV (2015) 15’
improvisational structure for 3 instrumental groups (minimum 9 players) and conductor
fp 30 April 2015, York; Chimera Ensemble conducted by Desmond Clarke
(download score v1.2)

nachtfalter (2014-15) 6'00"
(from close-up)
alto recorder, harp, cello and electronic sounds
fp 13 March 2016, Belgrade; Karolina Bäter, Milana Zarić, Ivana Grahovac, RB
(download score v1.1)
(download fixed media part, stereo WAV 24bit 48kHz)

codex XVI (2015) 15’
improvisational structure for 2 equal instrumental groups (minimum 6 players)
fp 30 June 2015, New York; Gleb Kanasevich, Peter Evans, Christopher McIntyre, David Shively, Milana Zarić, RB
(download score v1.0)

codex XVII (2015) 15’
improvisational structure for 2 instrumental groups (minimum 6 players) and conductor
fp 11 July 2015, Flix (SIRGA Festival); Schreck Ensemble with RB
(download score v1.0)

wake (2014-15) 15’
for 3 instrumental trios (alto flute, violin, percussion; bass clarinet, trumpet, cello; bass guitar, piano, contrabass), electronic sounds and lighting
fp 16 December 2015, Den Haag; Ensemble Modelo62 conducted by Ezequiel Menalled
(download score v1.1)

šuma (2013-16) 16’
for recorder(s), trumpet(s), harp, accordion, cello and electronics (containing instar, calyx, cyme, spore, tegmen, epiphyte)

close-up (2013-16) 66’
for recorder(s), trumpet(s), harp, accordion, cello and electronics (comprising tendril, codex Ia, pauk, codex XIIa, nachtfalter, šuma)
fp 28 November 2016, Belgrade; Ensemble Studio6 with RB
(download score v1.2)

codex XVIII (2016) 15’
improvisational structure for 10 or more players
fp 9 September 2016, Melbourne; ELISION
(download score v1.0)

codex XIX (2017) 30'
improvisational structure for 10 or more players
fp 8 August 2017, Melbourne; ELISION with RB
(download score v1.1)

tkiva (2016-17) 20'
clarinet in A/bass clarinet, trombone/alto trombone, cello, piano, electronic sounds
Commissioned by gnarwhallaby
fp 18 November 2017, Los Angeles; gnarwhallaby
(download score v1.0)

venus (2018) 6'
percussion, harp, contrabass
commissioned by ELISION
(download score v1.0)

codex XX (2018) 18'
8 improvising musicians
fp 14 May 2018, Cologne; ELISION & Musikfabrik

codex XXI (2019) 12'
5 improvising performers with electronics
fp 14 February 2019, Belgrade; Ensemble Studio6

codex XXII (2019) 8'
for 3 or more players
fp 28 October 2019, Cardiff; Angharad Davies, Rhodri Davies, Tim Parkinson

3 chansons (2021) 10'
realisations of songs by Guillaume Dufay, Guillaume de Machaut and Gilles Binchois
10 instruments (flute, oboe, clarinet (Bb & Eb), bassoon, horn, harp, 2 violins, viola, cello)
fp 12 November 2021, Belgrade; Ensemble Studio6
(download score v1.2)

imprints (2022) 6'
6 instruments (tenor saxophone solo as phaistos, percussion solo as vinča, piano solo as linear-A, with electric lap steel guitar, violin and cello
fp 13 May 2022, Melbourne; ELISION

after (2022) 15'
improvisations for cello, electronic sounds and 3 or more instruments
fp 13 May 2022, Melbourne; ELISION
(download score v1.0)

until you are that ghost (natural causes XIII) (2022) 8'
soprano, flute and clarinet
text by Simon Howard
commissioned by Fonema Consort
fp: 6 August 2022, São Paulo; Fonema Consort
(download score v1.1)

all night invisibility flickers on & off visibly (natural causes VI) (2023) 24'
8 performers with electronics
commissioned by Diaphonique

the fallen angels’ wounds (natural causes XII) (2023) 32'
sounds and actions for improvising ensemble
text by Simon Howard
commissioned by Diaphonique

natural causes act 2 (2023) 56'
ensemble with electronics (comprising heard shadows & watched voices, all night invisibility..., the fallen angels' wounds and first light)
texts by Simon Howard
commissioned by Diaphonique
fp: 11 March 2023, Enghien-les-bains; soundinitiative

codex XXIV (2023) 15'
vocal/instrumental ensemble (at least 9 performers) and conductor
text by Simon Howard
fp: 20 April 2023, St Paul, Minnesota; Fonema Consort, Zeitgeist & Milana Zarić, conducted by RB
(download score v1.1)

codex XXV - seasonal words (2023) 17'
vocal/instrumental ensemble (at least 9 performers)
texts (haiku) selected and translated by Harry Gilonis
fp: 20 April 2023, St Paul, Minnesota; Fonema Consort, Zeitgeist, Milana Zarić & RB
(download score)

tomorrow (2022-23) 20'
solo flute & ensemble (flugelhorn, trombone, percussion, piano, harp, cello, contrabass)
fp: 5 July 2024, Melbourne; Paula Rae & ELISION conducted by Aaron Cassidy

distant music ominously nearing (natural causes III) (2023-24) 16'
basset horn/contrabass clarinet, horn, percussion, piano
commissioned by Philharmonie Essen for NOW! 2024
fp: 9 November 2024, Essen; Musikfabrik