Compositions by Robin Holloway

The commentaries by Robin Holloway, linked from this page, are are undergoing continuous development to include facsimile images and audio recordings (featuring Robin Holloway's voice and brief extracts from selected compositions. Most of the commentary pages are purely text-based at present.

About fifteen of the pages include facsimile images (beginning with the First Concerto for Orchestra, op. 8).

This website feature a number of audio guides in which Robin Holloway introduces his works with the help of illustrations from recordings.

The audio clips on this site are authorised under PRS LOEL licence no LE-0003528.

Juvenilia

1962

Garden Music, op. 1

for 9 players

1964

Concertino No 1, op. 2

for small orchestra

1964-5

Three Poems of William Empson, op. 3

for mezzo-soprano and ensemble

1965

Music for Eliot's `Sweeney Agonistes'

for 5 players and speakers in the play (3 or 4)

Missa Canonica, op. 4

(revised 2004) for SATB choir and organ

recording of Sanctus and Agnus Dei (Signum): Gonville and Caius College Choir Cambridge, Geoffrey Webber

1965-6

In Chymick Art, op. 5

cantata for soprano, baritone and 9 players (Edward Benlowes)

Concerto for organ and wind, op. 6

Four Housman Fragments, op. 7

for soprano and piano

1966-9

First Concerto for Orchestra, op. 8

1967

Melodrama, op. 9

on three poems by Sylvia Plath, for speaker, small male chorus and ensemble

Concertino No 2, op. 10

for small orchestra

1968

Divertimento No 1, op. 11

for amateur orchestra and piano

1968-9

Tender Only to One, op. 12

four poems by Stevie Smith for unaccompanied soprano

1970

Scenes from Schumann, op. 13

seven paraphrases for orchestra (revised 1986)

The Wind Shifts, op. 14

eight poems of Wallace Stevens for high voice and strings

1971

Banal Sojourn, op. 15

seven poems of Wallace Stevens for high voice and piano

Fantasy-Pieces on Schumann's Liederkreis, op. 16

for piano and 12 instruments (with tenor for the songs)

recording (Hyperion): Nash Ensemble, Martyn Brabbins (conductor) and Toby Spence (tenor)

1972

Evening with Angels, op. 17

for 16 players

Divertimento No 2, op. 18

for wind nonet

Georgian Songs, op. 19

a cycle of ten songs for baritone and piano

1972-3

Cantata on the Death of God, op. 20

for soloists, speaker, SATB chorus, organ and orchestra

Five Little Songs about Death, op. 21

settings of Stevie Smith for unaccompanied mezzo-soprano or contralto solo

1973

Five Madrigals, op. 22

for unaccompanied chorus

1973-4

Domination of Black, op. 23

symphonic poem for large orchestra

Diptych, op. 23a

Summer Rain and Night Hunt from Domination of Black

Summer Rain, op. 23b

Night Hunt, op. 23c

1974

Lights Out, op. 24

four poems of Edward Thomas for baritone and piano

In the Thirtieth Year, op. 25

song cycle on poems by J V Cunningham for tenor and piano

Author of Light, op. 26

four Jacobean songs for contralto and piano

The Leaves Cry, op. 27

cantata for soprano and piano on poems by Wallace Stevens and Christina Rossetti

1974-5

Sea-Surface Full of Clouds, op. 28

cantata for soprano, contralto, counter-tenor, and tenor soloists, small chorus and chamber orchestra, on Wallace Stevens' poem

recording (Chandos): Penelope Walmsley-Clark (soprano), Margaret Cable (mezzo-soprano), Martyn Hill (tenor), Charles Brett (counter-tenor), Richard Hickox Singers, City of London Sinfonia, conducted by Richard Hickox

1975

Hommage to Weill: Concertino No 3, op. 29

for 11 players

1976

Clarissa, op. 30

opera in two acts after Samuel Richardson's novel

Clarissa Symphony, op. 30a

for soprano, tenor and orchestra

Clarissa Sequence, op. 30b

for soprano and orchestra (1995)

Romanza for violin and orchestra, op. 31

recording (Chandos): Erich Gruenberg (violin), City of London Sinfonia, conducted by Richard Hickox

1977

This is Just to Say, op. 32

song-cycle on poems by William Carlos Williams for tenor and piano

Nursery Rhymes, op. 33

for soprano and wind quintet

Nursery Rhymes: Divertimento No 3, op. 33a

for soprano and wind quintet

Conundrums: Divertimento No 4, op. 33b

for soprano and wind quintet (1979)

A Medley of Nursery Rhymes and Conundrums, op. 33c

rearrangement from op 33a and op 33b for mezzo-soprano and piano (1986)

The Rivers of Hell, op. 34

concertante for 7 players

The Blue Doom of Summer, op. 35/1

for high voice and harp, text taken from The Flower beneath the Foot by Ronald Firbank

Willow Cycle, op. 35/2

for tenor and harp on traditional lyrics and Raleigh's ballad of "Walsingham"

Hymn for Voices, op. 36

for unaccompanied SATB chorus

From High Windows, op. 37

song-cycle on poems by Philip Larkin for baritone and piano

The Consolation of Music, op. 38/1

setting poems by William Strode and Robert Herrick for unaccompanied SATB chorus

1978

He-She-Together, op. 38/2

for unaccompanied chorus

Killing Time

three songs for unaccompanied soprano solo (Auden, Stevie Smith, Raleigh)

1978-9

The Noon's Repose, op. 39

three songs for tenor and harp (Eliot, Stevens, Marvell)

1978-9

Second Concerto for Orchestra, op. 40

recording (NMC): BBC Symphony Orchestra, Oliver Knussen, Stefan Asbury

Serenade in C, op. 41

for octet

recording (Hyperion): Nash Ensemble, Martyn Brabbins

1979-80

First Idyll, op. 42

for small orchestra

Horn Concerto, op. 43

recording (NMC): Barry Tuckwell, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Mathias Bamert

Sonata, op. 43a

for horn and orchestra

Adagio and Rondo, op. 43b

for horn and orchestra (1979-80)

Aria, op. 44

for chamber ensemble

1980

Ode, op. 45

for four winds and strings

1980-1

Wherever We May Be, op. 46

song-cycle on poems by Robert Graves for soprano and piano

recording (Metier): Alison Smart and Katherine Durran

1981

Sonata for Violin solo, op. 47

Brand, op. 48

dramatic ballad after Ibsen for soloists, chorus, organ and orchestra

The Lovers' Well, op. 49

song-cycle on poems from The Pentecost Castle by Geoffrey Hill for bass-baritone and piano

1981-2

War Memorials, op. 50

for brass band

Men Marching, op. 50/1

for brass band

From Hills and Valleys, op. 50/2

for brass band

1981-94

Third Concerto for Orchestra, op. 80

recording (NMC): London Symphony Orchestra, Michael Tilson Thomas

1982

Women in War, op. 51

revue for 4 female soloists and piano

Suite for Saxophone

Serenata Notturna, op. 52

for 4 horns and small orchestra

Since I Believe

anthem (words by Robert Bridges) for unaccompanied chorus

recording (Avie): New College Choir, Oxford, Edward Higginbottom

1982-3

Showpiece: Concertino No 4, op. 53

for 14 players

Second Idyll, op. 54

for small orchestra

1983

Serenade in E Flat, op. 57

for wind quintet and string quintet

1983-4

Seascape and Harvest, op. 55

two pictures for orchestra

Viola Concerto, op. 56

for viola and small orchestra

1984

Moments of Vision, op. 58

cycle for speaker and 4 players

Romanza for oboe and string orchestra, op. 59

On Hope

cantata on a poem by Craushaw for soprano and mezzo-soprano soloists and string quartet

Souvenirs de Monsalvat, op. 60a

for piano: four hands

Wagner Nights, op. 60b

waltz-sequence on favourite motifs from Parsifal

Since I Believe

anthem for a cappella choir

1984-5

Ballad, op. 61

for harp and small orchestra

Bassoon Concerto, op. 63

for bassoon and small orchestra

1985

First Partita, op. 62/1

for solo horn

Second Partita, op. 62/2

for solo horn

Concertino No 4-and-a-half

signature tune for BBC Young Musician of the Year for ensemble

1986

Serenade in G, op. 64

for string septet

Serenade in G, op. 64a

for string orchestra

Serenade in G, op. 64b

for string sextet

Organ Fantasy, op. 65

recording (Dutton): David Goode

Inquietus, op. 66

for small orchestra

1987

Brass Quintet: Divertimento No 5, op. 67

for 2 trumpets, horn, trombone, and tuba

recording (Saydisc): Fine Arts Brass Ensemble

1988

Double Concerto, op. 68

for clarinet, saxophone and two chamber orchestras

1990

The Spacious Firmament, op. 69

for chorus and orchestra

Violin Concerto, op. 70

recording (NMC): Ernst Kovacic, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Mathias Bamert

Entrance: Carousing: Embarkation, op. 71

for symphonic band

Hymn to the Senses, op. 72

for large chorus, on poems by John Fuller

Serenade for Strings in E, op. 73

1991

Summer Music: Concertino No 5, op. 74

for oboe, clarinet and string quartet

Lord, what is man?, op. 77

motet for SATB chorus

recording (Hyperion): St Paul's Cathedral Choir, John Scott (conductor), Andrew Lucas (organ)

1991-5

Boys and Girls Come Out to Play, op. 75

opera buffa in two acts

Overture on a Nursery Rhyme, op. 75a

for chamber orchestra

1992

Love will find out the way

for soprano and chamber ensemble

1992-7

Gilded Goldbergs, op. 86

freely re-composed after J.S.Bach for two pianos

recording (Hyperion): The Micallef-Inanga Piano Duo

1993

Winter Music: Concertino No 6, op. 76

for oboe, clarinet, trumpet, piano, violin and cello

Third Idyll: Frost at Midnight, op. 78

for chamber orchestra

A Singing Telegram for Amelia Freedman

for string sextet with optional double bass

Berceuse with Burlesque

piano quartet: for the 50th birthday of David Matthews

Bourée Fantasque

orchestration of Chabrier's piano original

1993-2001

Missa Caiensis, op. 93

for SATB chorus and organ

recording (Dutton): Caius and Clare College Choirs, Cambridge, Geoffrey Webber (conductor), Timothy Kennedy (organ)

1994

Trio for clarinet, viola and piano, op. 79

The Blackbird and the Snail, op. 81

a character-study for speaker and piano after a story by Walter de la Mare

1996

Clarinet Concerto, op. 82

the Canterbury Concerto for clarinet and orchestra

Double Bass Concerto, op. 83

for double bass and small orchestra

Sonata for Solo Double Bass, op. 83a

built on materials from the concerto in 1999

Song of Defiance

for soprano, piano and string quartet on a poem by Housman

1984-97

Peer Gynt, op. 84

multi-media (soloists, chorus, orchestra, actors, mimes, dance, film) World-Theatre on Ibsen's drama

Panorama, op. 84a

Ocean Voyage, op. 84b

1997

Scenes from Antwerp, op. 85

for orchestra

Thema in A-flat

by Richard Wagner, extended and cadenced by Robin Holloway

1998

Cortège Burlesque

orchestration of Chabrier's piano-duet original

1998-9

Symphony, op. 88

for orchestra

1999

Sonata for Solo Double Bass, op. 83a

Sonata for Viola Solo, op. 87

Sonata for two trumpets - Melody with Echo

for two trumpets

Woefully Arrayed, op. 89a

motet for chorus and organ

recording (Dutton): Caius and Clare College Choirs, Cambridge, Tim Brown (conductor), Nicholas Rimmer (organ)

Felicity, op. 89b

motet for chorus and organ on poems by Thomas Traherne

The Food of Love

part song for SATB (a cappella) enclosing a song for tenor solo, on words by Shelley

Five Haydn Miniatures

based on on flute-clock originals for small ensemble

2000

Ballade, op. 90 i
Nocturne, op. 90 ii

for solo piano

recording (Uhr): Richard Uttley

2001

Sonata for Solo Cello, op. 91

Serenade in B Flat, op. 92

for wind octet

Sonata for Solo Trumpet, op. 94a

recording (BIS): Hakan Hardenberger

op. 94b

arrangement of op 94a for two trumpets

2002

Canzona and Toccata, op. 94c

for trumpet and organ

recording (Deux-Elles): Deborah Calland (trumpet), William Whitehead (organ)

Christmas Sequence, op. 95

for chorus and organ

recording (EMI): (of extracted separate carol) King's College Choir, Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury (conductor) Ashley Grote (organ)

En Blanc et Noir

orchestration of Debussy's 2-piano original

Praeludium

for orchestra

2003

Spring Music, op. 96

for six players

String Quartet No 1, op. 97

Menuet sur le nom d'Haydn

instrumentation plus doubles on Ravel's original piano piece

Music for Racine's Phèdre

1999-2004

Wedding Suite, op. 98
1: March (1999)
2: Offertorium (2003)
3: Minuet and Trio (2004)
4: Sortie (2004)

for organ

recording of Wedding March (Dutton): David Goode

2004

Serenade in D Flat, op. 99

for oboe, clarinet, viola and harp

String Quartet No. 2, op. 100

2005

Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis

(The Winchester Service) SATB and organ

2006

A Page from a Humument

for soprano and ensemble

2004-5

Fourth Concerto for Orchestra, op. 101

Fourth Idyll, op. 102

for small orchestra

2006-7

Six Quartettini, op. 103 i-vi

for string quartet

op. 103 i

op. 103 ii

op. 103 iii

op. 103 iv

op. 103 v

op. 103 vi

Sonatina for Solo Violin, op. 103 vii

String Quartet No. 3, op. 104

Five Temperaments, op. 105

for wind quintet

What Can It Be?, op. 106

a round of of riddles for 6-part vocal consort

Suite for harp, op. 107

2007-8

Three Songs for Mezzo-Soprano and Piano

to poems by Edmund Waller

2008

Three Psalms, op. 108

Psalm 39, Psalm 121 & Psalm 113 for choir SATB and organ

Suite en Saga

for solo violin

Brahms Orchestration

orchestration of Brahms' Sonata for Two Pianos, op. 34b

2009

Fifth Concerto for Orchestra, op. 109

Hommage to Haydn

a framing hommage for Haydn's last, unfinished String Quartet op. 103, marking the conclusion of the Haydn Quartet project, for the centenary of his birth.

2009-10

Partita, op 110a

for piano solo, on the additional canons by J S Bach using the opening notes of his Goldberg Variations, BWV 1087

Partitina, op. 110b

for piano solo - a shortened version of the Partita, omitting the canons and adding new material in their place

2010

Reliquary, op 111

Scenes from the life of Mary Queen of Scots, enclosing an instrumentation of Robert Schumann's Gedichte der Königen Maria Stuart (1852); for mezzo-soprano and small orchestra, op. 111

Portae Eternales - Eternal Gates

motet to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the birth of John Caius, for choir and organ

Gold on Bronze, op. 112

fantazia upon the ancient melody St Patrick's Breastplate for school or amateur orchestra

Andante and Variations

Schumann's Andante and Variations, op.46, transcribed and amplified from the original for 2 pianos, 2 celli and horn, in hommage to the bicentenary of his birth

2010-11

Trio, op. 113

for horn, cello and piano (recorded by NMC in September 2014 - further details here soon)

Wesendonck-Lieder, op, 114

version for string orchestra of Wagner's Wesendonck-Lieder, with new prologue, epilogue and interludes

2011

6 Canons for Pedal-Piano

Schumann's 6 Canons for Pedal Piano (op. 56) as arranged for two pianos by Debussy, scored for small orchestra

Trio, op. 115

for oboe, violin and piano

String Quartet no. 4, op. 116

Lebensstürme

orchestration of Schubert's piano duet Lebensstürme

Responses for Evensong

choir

Voluntary

for organ solo

2012

In China, op 117

Scherzino

for organ: fifth in a series of dedicated voluntaries for friends' weddings (for others, see Wedding Suite, op.98)

Scherzo alla ciaconna, op 90 iii

for piano: third in an ongoing series of extended piano pieces beginning with the Ballade (2000) and Nocturne (2001)

Birthday Tributes

80 Notes for Hugh Wood's 80th (2012)

80 Bars for Sandy Goehr's 80th (2012)

60 phrases for Olly Knussen's 60th (2012)

70-note Melody for David Matthews' 70th (2013)

Suite in Baroque Style

for piano: completion of an unfinished project by Mozart, incorporating also several other of his isolated keyboard movements

C'est l'extase, op. 118

for soprano and orchestra: ten settings of Verlaine by Debussy, newly grouped, linked, scored, with a newly composed Epilogue - Envoi / Envol - for orchestra alone, to conclude

How Long, O Lord?

anthem: a setting of Jeremy Taylor for choir and organ

2013

Wedding Pieces

Two Rivers Meet (organ) for Will Gormley

Acrostic-Cipher Piece (piano)

Sarabande-Scherzo-Song for Henry Parkes

2013

Two Rivers Meet

(organ) for the wedding of Will Gormley & Rosie Francis

Acrostic-Cipher Piece

(piano) for Cheryl Frances-Hoad

Sarabande-Scherzo-Song

(piano) for Henry Parkes

On a Drop of Dew, op. 119

anthem for St Cecilia's Day and the Britten Centenary - choir & organ

Silvered Schubert, op. 120

elaboration of Schubert's Fantasie in C (violin & piano) for two pianos

Europa & the Bull,
op. 121

scena / concertante for tuba & orchestra

Precious Stones, op. 122

5 miniature partsongs to poems of Walter de la Mare

2014

Autumn Music, op. 123

completing set of 4 Seasons -- each a concertante-piece for 6 players, different in each case, all dedicated to fellow-composers "pictured within"- this one is Ryan Wigglesworth (see also opp. 74, 76 & 96

The Day's Deep Midnight, op. 124a

partita for guitar

The Day's Deep Midnight, op. 124b

piano version (different enough to stand in its own right)

String Quartet No. 5, op. 125

written for the 70th birthday of Amira Goehr; at its heart, another portrait-piece, evoking a dear friend in all her complex & contradictory variety of moods; in a wider context of the classical 4-movement string quartet

Introit for the Transfiguration

Sine Nomine

for piano solo

32 bars of Tango

for piano solo

2015

Thou Art There

anthem on verses from Psalms 8, 103 & 109

For Ever Singing As They Shine, op.126

concertante for organ & orchestra.

String trio

Intermezzo/Capriccio

for solo piano

2016

Serenade in A, for piano, op. 127

a wedding gift for friends on the occasion of their marriage: a double-portrait ...

Smaller piano pieces

... In the same spirit, several other smaller piano pieces from these years--- birthday & wedding presents/portrayals for/of friends: Sebastian Wybrew; Silvina Milstein; Laura Keynes; Judith Weir.

Retreats & Advances

song cycle on poems by John Tessimond for baritone & piano

Corale-prelude on 'Alle Menschen müssen sterben'

for organ

Epithalamion

for piano solo

Epithalamium for Seb

for piano solo

2017

..in the dusky valley of man...

cycle for declamation for bass voice on texts from Paul Klee's notebooks

Grande Marche Hungroise

for piano-duet

Zodiac-Song

for soprano, contralto, tenor, baritone & piano, on a text by John Ruskin

esquisse ornée

for piano---hommage, on motifs from his d'un cahier d'esquisses, to Debussy for the centenary of his death in 2018

2017-8

6 Terzettini for string trio, op 128

also portrait/tributes: including Sandy Goehr, Hugh Wood,Gordon Crosse @ 80, & Colin Matthews @ 70. Five are done at the time of writing (January 2018); the sixth is as yet unwritten

Piano trio, op. 129

...full of new wine... (Acts 2:13)

Whitsunday toccata for organ

2018

A Musical Offering, op.130 (title not yet clear)

fantasy-hommage on JSB for GM: two pianos.

Sine nomine

study on two interlinked Schumann songs in memory of Graeme Mitchison: piano duet

Quick March

for a wedding: organ

Phaeton’s Journey: Son of the Sun, op. 131

concertante for trumpet & orchestra

Serenade in F-sharp op. 132

for 12 instruments (begun 2016; completed August 2018)