Chronological List of Works
Except
for generic titles, which are rendered in English, titles are provided in the
original language with English translations in brackets where appropriate. Instrumentation
is mostly given in English. Although consistency was aimed for, the nature of Kagel’s work and his titles make it difficult to establish
clear distinctions between original titles, generic titles and subtitles.
Pieces which form part of larger cycles or collections are not italicized but
presented in single quotation marks. Again, the question of what constitutes an
independent work is not always simple in Kagel’s
case. In a departure from Kagel’s own practice and
most catalogues of his works (except that in Klüppelholz
2003a), only the finishing dates of compositions (defined as the completion of
the fair copy, or other primary medium in case of radio plays, films and works
for mixed media) are provided. The reason is that it
is mostly impossible to independently corroborate the beginning of the
compositional process; nor is there consensus on how this could be defined.
Until and including An Tasten (1977), Kagel’s
works were mostly published by Universal Edition, Vienna. Since Quatre degrés (1977)
they have been exclusively published by Edition Peters, Frankfurt (Main), who
had previously published Sur scène, Sonant (1960/…), Antithese, Heterophonie and Improvisation ajoutée.
Some earlier works are also being reissued by Peters.
1950
-
Palimpsestos for mixed choir a capella
1952
-
Two
Pieces for Orchestra
-
Variations
for mixed quartet (fl, cl, vln,
vc)
1953
-
Sextet
(fl, cl, bcl, vln, vla, vc);
revised 1957 as String Sextet (2 vln, 2vla, 2 vc)
1954
- Música para la torre (‘Music for the
Tower’); in four parts: 1) For Orchestra [the Two Pieces from 1952], 2) Study
for Percussion, 3) Ostinato for Chamber Ensemble, 4) ensayo de música concreta (Essay in musique concrète)
- Muertos de
Buenos Aires,
music for the film of the same title by Alejandro Sanderman
- Cinco cantos
de Génesis for voice and piano
- Four Pieces for piano
1955
-
Drei Klangstudien (‘Three Studies in
Sound’)
1956
-
De ruina mundis: Cantata for voice
and instruments
-
Aforismos de Apollinaire for clarinet and piano
-
Prelude
No. 1 for bandoneon
1958
-
Anagrama for vocal soloists,
speaking choir and chamber ensemble
1959
-
Transición II for piano, percussion and two tape recorders
1960
-
Transición I for electronic sounds
-
Sur scène: Chamber music
theatre piece
-
Sonant (1960/...) for guitar, double bass,
harp, and skin instruments
-
Pandorasbox (Bandoneonpiece) for bandoneon
- Journal de théâtre: Collection of
situations for instruments, actors and props; later to comprise ‘Pas de cinq’ (1965), ‘Camera oscura’
(1965), ‘Die Himmelsmechanik’ (1965), ‘Variaktionen’ (1967) and ‘Kommentar
und Extempore’ (1967)
-
Le Bruit: Invection pour toute sorte de sources
sonores et expressions injurieuses (unpublished, unperformed)
1961
- Mimetics (Metapiece) for piano; a) for solo piano, b) interrupted
by other compositions, c) as Metapiece (Mimetics), simultaneous with other compositions by
Kagel or other composers
-
Heterophonie for orchestra
1962
-
Improvisation ajoutée for organ; rev. 1968
-
Antithese; a) Music for electronic and public sounds; b) Play for one actor
with electronic and public sounds
1964
- Phonophonie: Four melodramas for two voices and other sound sources;
rev. 1965; radiophonic version 1965
- Die Frauen (‘The Women’): Theatrical piece for ladies
for voices and instruments (unpublished, unperformed)
-
Prima vista for slide pictures
and indeterminate number of sound sources
-
Diaphonie Nos 1–3 for choir and/or orchestra and slide
projectors
-
Match for three players
-
Composition und
Decomposition:
A reading piece
1965
- Tremens; a) Scenic montage of a test for two actors,
electric instruments, percussion, tapes and slide projection; b) Variaktionen über Tremens:
Scenic montage of a test for two actors, tapes and slide projection; c) Musik aus Tremens
[instrumental version with tapes ad lib]
- ‘Pas de cinq’: Walking scene for five actors; part of Journal de théâtre
(1960)
- ‘Die Himmelsmechanik’ (‘The Mechanism of the Sky’): Composition
with stage décors; part of Journal de théâtre (1960)
- ‘Camera oscura’: Chromatic play for light sources and actors; part
of Journal de théâtre
(1960)
- Mirum for tuba
1966
- Music for renaissance
instruments for 23 players; alt. Chamber Music for Renaissance Instruments for
2–22 players
1967
- String Quartet I/II
- ‘Kommentar
und Extempore’ (‘Commentary and Extempore’): Monologues with gestures; part of Journal de théâtre
(1960)
- ‘Variaktionen’
(‘Vari-actions’) for singers and actors; part of Journal de théâtre
(1960)
- Fantasy for organ
with obbligati
- Montage for various sound sources [combination of
several of Kagel’s instrumental compositions]; Montage à titre de spectacle [version
with theatrical works]
1968
-
Hallelujah for voices
-
Der Schall (‘Sound’) for five
players
-
Privat for lonely listener
-
Ornithologica multiplicata for exotic and
indigenous birds
1969
- Synchronstudie (‘Study in Synchronicity’) for singer, Foley artists and
film projection
-
Unter Strom (‘Under Current’) for three players
- (Hörspiel) Ein
Aufnahmezustand (1. Dosis) (‘(Radio Play) A
State of Recording (first dose)’)
1970
-
Ludwig van: Homage by
Beethoven
- Acustica: Music for
experimental sound producers, loudspeakers and two to five players
-
Klangwehr (‘Sound Defence’) for marching music corps
-
Tactil for three
-
Atem (‘Breath’) for one wind player
-
Staatstheater: Scenic composition;
constituents:
-
‘Répertoire’: Theatrical concert piece
-
‘Einspielungen’ (‘Recordings’): Music for loudspeakers
-
‘Ensemble’
for 16 voices
-
‘Debüt’ for 60 voices
-
‘Saison’
(‘Season’): Singspiel in 65 scenes
-
‘Spielplan’ (‘Programme’): Instrumental music in action
-
‘Kontra ® Danse’:
Ballet for non-dancers
-
‘Freifahrt’ (‘Free Ride’): Gliding chamber music
-
‘Parkett’ (‘Stalls’): Concert mass scenes
1971
- (Hörspiel) Ein
Aufnahmezustand (2. und 3. Dosis)
-
Probe (‘Rehearsal’) for an
improvised collective; radiophonic version 1972
-
Morceau de concours for one or two
trumpeters; rev. 1992
-
Guten Morgen! (‘Good morning!’):
radio play consisting of advertisements
1972
-
Programm: conversations with
chamber music; sections:
-
‘Abend’ (‘Evening’) for vocal double quartet, trombone
quintet, electric organ and piano
-
‘Aus
Zungen Stimmen’ (‘From
Tongues Voices’) for accordion quintet
-
‘Charakterstück’ (‘Character Piece’) for zither quartet
-
‘Gegenstimmen’ (‘Countervoices’)
for mixed choir and obligatory harpsichord
-
‘General
Baβ’ for continuing instrumental sounds
-
‘Die
Mutation’ (‘The Mutation’) for men’s (and/or boys’) voices and obligatory piano
-
‘Musi’ for plucking orchestra
-
‘Recitativarie’ for singing harpsichordist
-
‘Siegfriedp’’ for violoncello
-
‘Unguis
incarnatus est’
for piano and...[bass instrument]
-
‘Vom Hörensagen’ (‘Hearsay’) for
women’s (and/or girls’) choir and obligatory harmonium
-
Exotica for extra-European
instruments
-
Con Voce for three mute
players
-
Variationen ohne Fuge (‘Variations without
Fugue’) for large orchestra on Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel for
piano Op. 24 by Johannes Brahms (1861/62)
1973
-
1898 for children’s
voices and instruments; rev. 1996
-
Zwei-Mann-Orchester
(‘Two-Man-Orchestra’) for two one-man-orchestras
1975
-
Soundtrack: A filmic radio play
- Mare nostrum: Discovery, pacification and conversion of
the Mediterranean region by a tribe from Amazonia [music theatre]
- Kantrimiusik: Pastoral for voices
and instruments
1976
-
Bestiarium: Acoustic fables on
two stages
- Zählen und Erzählen (‘Counting and Recounting’) for non-grownups
[music theatre by children]
-
Die Umkehrung Amerikas (‘The Reversal of
America’): Epic radio play
-
MM 51: A piece of film
music for piano
1977
-
An Tasten (‘On Keys’): Piano etude
- Quatre degrés (‘Four Stages’); sections:
-
‘Dressur’ (‘Dressage’): Percussion trio for wooden
instruments
-
‘Présentation’ for two
-
‘Déménagement’ (‘Removal’): Silent play for stage workers
-
‘Variété’: Concert show for artistes and musicians
1978
-
Tango alemán for voice, violin, bandoneon,
and piano
-
Ex-Position; constituents:
- ‘Die Rhythmusmaschinen’ (‘The Rhythm Machines'): Action for
gymnasts, drum machines, and percussionists
-
‘Chorbuch’ (‘Choir Book’) for vocal ensemble and keyboard
instruments
-
‘Zehn Märsche, um den
Sieg zu verfehlen’ (‘Ten Marches to Miss the Victory’) for winds and percussion;
from Der Tribun (1979)
- Die Erschöpfung der Welt: Theatrical illusion in one act
1979
- Blue’s Blue: An ethnomusicological
reconstruction for four players
- Klangwölfe (‘Sound Wolves’) for violin and piano
- Der Tribun (‘The Tribune’): Radio play for a political orator,
marching sounds and loudspeakers
- Vox
Humana? Cantata
for solo loudspeaker, women’s voices and orchestra
- Aus Deutschland: lieder opera
1981
- Mitternachtsstük for voices and
instruments on fragments from the diaries of Robert Schumann (1828); fourth
movement added in 1986
- Finale with chamber ensemble
1982
- Rrrrrrr...
-
a)
A radio fantasy (with 41 pieces):
- 11 pieces for winds,
double basses and percussion: ‘Raccontando’, ‘Rauschpfeifen’, ‘Rejdovák’,
‘Register’, ‘Réjouissance’, ‘Reprisen’,
‘Reveille/Retraite’, ‘Rhapsodie’,
‘Rheinländer’, ‘Ritornell
1’, ‘Ritornell 2’
- Seven pieces for
mixed choir (piano ad lib): ‘Rrrrrrr...’, ‘Requiem’,
‘Resurrexit dominus’, ‘Rêverie’, ‘Rex tremendae’,
‘Romance’, ‘Ring Shouts’
- Eight pieces for
organ: ‘Râga’, ‘Rauschpfeifen’,
‘Repercussa’, ‘Ragtime-Waltz’, ‘Rondeña’,
‘Ripieno’, ‘Rosalie’, ‘Rossignols
enrhumés
- Six pieces for two
percussionists: ‘Railroad Drama’, ‘Ranz des vaches’, ‘Rigaudon’, ‘Rim Shots
& Co.’, ‘Ruf’, ‘Rutscher’
- Four pieces for solo
voice with piano accompaniment: ‘Railroad Song’, ‘Rappresentatione
sacra’, ‘Revolution Speech’, ‘Rural Blue’
- Five pieces for jazz
ensemble: ‘Rackett’, ‘Rrrrrrre-bop’,
‘Reeds’, ‘Rhythm-Bone & Brush’, ‘Riff’
-
b)
Radio play on ‘A radio fantasy’ for one speaker (1982)
- Fürst Igor, Strawinsky (‘Prince Igor, Stravinsky’) for bass voice
and instruments
- Fragen: Hörspot (‘Questions: Listening Slot’)
- Szenario for strings and tape
1983
- Intermezzo for voices
and chamber ensemble
- La trahison orale
(‘Oral
treason’): A musical epic on the devil; radiophonic
version 1987
- Two Ballads by
Guillaume de Machaut; instrumental realization by
Mauricio Kagel
1984
- Der Eid des Hippokrates (‘Hippocrates’
Oath’) for piano three-hands
- ...nach einer
Lektüre von Orwell (‘...upon Reading Orwell’): Radio play
in Germanic meta-language
1985
- Pan for piccolo and string quartet
- Saint Bach’s Passion for solo voices, choirs and large
orchestra
- Cäcilia: Ausgeplündert,
ein Besuch bei der Heiligen (‘Cecilia: looted, Visit at the Saint’);
Radio play
- Trio in Three
Movements for violin, violoncello and piano
- Mio caro Luciano: Tape collage
1986
- Aus dem Nachlaβ (‘From the Estate’):
Pieces for viola, violoncello, and double bass
- Ein Brief (‘A Letter’): Concert
scene for mezzo and orchestra
- Old/New: Study for solo trumpet
1987
- Ce-A-Ge-E for piano and harmonizer
- For Us: ‘Happy Birthday to You’; a) for four
violoncellos; b) arranged for picc (doubling alto
fl), cl, vla, db, mandoline, gt, hp, perc (1990)
- Third String Quartet
in four movements
- Tantz-Schul: Ballet d’action; also version as Suite for Orchestra
1988
- Quodlibet for female voice and orchestra on French chanson lyrics
from the fifteenth century
1989
- Music for keyboard
instruments and orchestra
- Phantasiestück; a) for flute and
piano; b) for flute and piano with accompaniment
-
‘Osten’ (‘East’); from Die Stücke der Windrose for salon
orchestra
-
‘Süden’ (‘South’); from Die Stücke der Windrose for salon
orchestra
- Fragende Ode (‘Questioning Ode’) for double choir, brass and
percussion
- Zwei Akte; a) Grand Duo for saxophone and harp; b) for two actors,
saxophone and harp
- Les idées fixes: Rondo for orchestra
1990
- Liturgien for solo voices,
double choir, and large orchestra
-
‘Nordosten’
(‘North-east’); from: Die Stücke der
Windrose for salon orchestra
- Opus 1.991: Concert piece for orchestra
1991
- “...den 24. xii. 1931”: Garbled news for baritone and
instruments
-
‘Nordwesten’
(‘North-west’); from: Die Stücke der
Windrose for salon orchestra
-
‘Südosten’ (‘South-east’); from: Die
Stücke der Windrose for salon orchestra
1992
- Konzertstück for tympani and
orchestra
- Etude No. 1 for large
orchestra
1993
- Passé composé: KlavieRhapsodie
(‘piano rhapsody’)
- Episoden, Figuren: Solo for accordion
- Fanfanfaren for four trumpets
- Melodien for carillon
- Fourth string quartet
in three movements
-
‘Südwesten’
(‘South-west’); from: Die Stücke der
Windrose for salon orchestra
1994
- Nah und Fern (‘Near and Far’): Acoustic listening piece
for bells and trumpets with background
-
‘Westen’ (‘West’); from:
Die Stücke der Windrose for salon
orchestra
-
‘Norden’ (‘North’);
from: Die Stücke der Windrose for
salon orchestra
-
Interview avec D. pour Monsieur Croche et orchestre; texts by Claude
Debussy
1995
- Serenade for three
players
- Schattenklänge (‘Shadow Sounds’):
Three pieces for bass clarinet
- L’art bruit: Solo for two
-
À deux mains: Impromptu for piano
1996
- Etudes Nos 2–3 for large orchestra
- Orchestrion-Straat for chamber ensemble
- Auftakte, sechshändig (‘Upbeats,
six-hands’) for piano and two percussionists; version for two pianos and two
percussionists: Auftakte, achthändig (2003)
- Eine Brise (‘A Breeze’): Fleeting action for 111 cyclists.
Musically enriched sport event in the open
1997
- Ragtime à trois for violin,
violoncello and piano
- Playback Play: News from the music fair; radio play
-
Orgelmusik zu vier Händen (‘Organ Music for four
hands’)
1998
- Duodramen for voices and orchestra
- Impromptu No. 2 for
piano
1999
- Semikolon: Action with bass
drum
- Schwarzes Madrigal (‘Black Madrigal’) for voices and
instruments
- Entführung im Konzertsaal (‘Abduction in the
Concert Hall’): Musical report of an incident
2000
- Burleske for baritone
saxophone and choir
2001
- Quirinus’ Liebeskuss for vocal ensemble
and instruments
- Broken Chords for large orchestra
- Second Trio in One
Movement for violin, violoncello and piano
- Double Sextet for
ensemble
2002
- Das Konzert for solo flute, harp,
percussion and strings
- Der Turm zu Babel (‘The Tower of
Babel’): Melodies for solo voice
2003
- Andere Gesänge (‘Other Chants’): Intermezzi for soprano et pour l’orchestre
2004
- Magic Flutes: Perpetual Canon Interrupted for 12
- Vorzeitiger Schluβverkauf: Unvollendete Memoiren eines Toningenieurs (‘Premature Sale: Unfinished Memoirs of a
Sound Engineer’); radio play
- Motettes, for eight celli
2005
- Fremde Töne und Widerhall (‘Foreign Notes and
Echo’) for orchestra
- Capriccio for two
pianos
-
Five Vocalises, for a Countertenor
2006
- Les Inventions d’Adolphe Sax for saxophone
quartet and chamber choir
- Divertimento? Farce for ensemble
- Fifth String Quartet,
in two movements
2007
- Verborgene Reime (‘Hidden Rhymes’),
for Choir and percussion
- Third Trio, in two
movements for violin, cello and piano
–Quasi niente for closed mouths
–Erratische Blöcke (‘Erratic Blocks’),
radio piece from acoustic images
2008
–In der Matratzengruft (‘In the Mattress
Crypt‘), attempt at a description on words by Heinrich Heine, for solo tenor
and ensemble (unfinished)
Films (in chronological order)
Acronyms refer to
the television station which has produced – and usually broadcast – the film
concerned (NDR – Norddeutscher Rundfunk; WDR – Westdeutscher Rundfunk; SWF –
Südwestfunk; DRS – Deutschsprachiger Rundfunk der Schweiz; ZDF – Zweites
Deutsches Fernsehen).
- Antithese; NDR (1965)
- Match; WDR (1966)
- Solo; NDR (1967)
- Duo; NDR (1968)
- Hallelujah; WDR (1969)
- Ludwig van; WDR (1970)
- Tactil; WDR (1971)
- Zwei-Mann-Orchester; WDR (1973)
-
Unter Strom; Radio Svizzera Italiano (1975)
- Kantrimiusik; SWF (1976)
- Phonophonie; Swiss Television
DRS (1979)
- Blue’s Blue; Swiss Television DRS (1981)
- MM 51; Swiss Television DRS (1983)
- Szenario: Un chien andalou
(Buñuel/Dalí); Swiss Television
DRS (1982)
- Er: Television play on A Radio Fantasy; WDR (1984)
- Dressur; Swiss Television
DRS (1985)
- Mitternachtsstük; Swiss Television
DRS (1987)
- Répertoire; ZDF (1989)
- Bestiarium; WDR (2000)
Last update 7 April 2009