David Lesser

Works

(*) indicates a work in progress or in need of revision. Sample copies and (in some cases) recordings may be obtained from the composer.

Title

Instrumentation

Duration

Year

Weiter Übersetzungen

concertante bass clarinet in B flat, horn in F, trumpet in B flat, trombone, percussion (1 player), vibraphone, piano, harp, violins 1+2, viola, violoncello + double bass (All soli)

15 mins

2023

Leise

solo piano

4 mins

2023

Stillness

five meditations for solo piano

6 mins

2021

The Cities Still Burn and the Ash Still Falls!

2 instrumental groups:

  1. Oboe, bass clarinet in B flat, piano, viola, double bass.
  2. Flute (piccolo), clarinet in B flat (clarinet in E flat), bassoon, horn in F, trumpet in C, 2 percussionists, marimba, harp, 3 violins 

14 mins

2021

Nachtskizze

soprano (+ hand percussion), flute, clarinet in A, violoncello and piano

(Texts: German – Rilke and Brecht)

10 mins

2021

Extrahieren einer Klage

flute and clarinet in A

9 mins

2021

Lignes noires dans un champ de neige

solo piano

5 mins

2021

Scena da Dante

flute, cor anglais, bass clarinet in B flat, soprano saxophone in B flat, trombone, 2 percussionists (4 tom-toms, 3 suspended cymbals, tenor drum, bass drum, 2 tam-tams, guiro, claves, tubular bells, 4 tuned gongs), violin, viola, violoncello and double bass soli

8 mins

2021

Abendland – Waste Land

string trio

4 mins

2021

…la neige attend la neige…

solo piano

8 mins

2021

Empty Monologues

string quartet

8 mins

2020

Frost

seven movements for flute, oboe, bass clarinet in B flat, horn in F, vibraphone, harp, celeste, violin and violoncello

6 mins

2020

Grau – wieder

flute, bass clarinet in B flat and violin

10 mins

2020

Coda – i

a landscape for bass clarinet in B flat, harp and violoncello

4 mins

2020

Coda – ii

two instrumental groups:

  1. 2 violas + double bass
  2. bass clarinet in B flat, violoncello and piano

8 mins

2020

Coda – iii

flute and piano

7 mins

2020

Madrigals: Cantilena

clarinet in B flat and horn in F

5 mins

2019

Madrigals: Pastorale

oboe and harpsichord

5 mins

2019

Madrigals: Ombra

soprano and clarinet in B flat (Text – Guarini in Italian)

10 mins

2019

Die Insel

high voice and piano  (Text: German – from Rilke – Neue Gedichte)

4 mins

2019

Murnau – A

flute, vibraphone and violoncello

 (Both works may be performed separately or together, in either

order, as Murnau A + B or Murnau B + A.)

4 mins

2019

Murnau – B

flute, vibraphone and violoncello

 (Both works may be performed separately or together, in either

order, as Murnau A + B or Murnau B + A.)

3 mins

2019

Űbersetzung – vierte Trakl-Musik

solo bass clarinet

4 mins

2018

Tristia A

soprano and piano (Text: Latin – from Ovid – Tristia)

5 mins

2018

Tristia B

expanded version for soprano and flute, bass clarinet in B flat (clarinet in B flat), piano and violoncello (Text: Latin – from Ovid – Tristia)

8 mins

2018

A Geometry of Stones

chamber orchestra:

flute (piccolo), oboe (cor anglais), clarinet in B flat, bass clarinet in B flat (contra-bass clarinet in B flat), bassoon (contra-bassoon), 2 horns in F, trumpet in C, timpani, harp, violins I (4), violins II (4), violas (3), violoncelli (2), double bass (1).

10 mins

2017

Erste Trakl-Musik

oboe d’amore in A, bass clarinet in B flat, horn in F, vibraphone, harp

10 mins

2016

Zweite Trakl-Musik

bass flute

11 mins

2016

After Virgil

solo bass recorder (Adapted from Virgil Settings,1995)

12 mins

2016

Dritte Trakl-Musik

voice (any range), pre-recorded sounds and electronics (Text: German +/or any other language/s – Georg Trakl – from Helian)

12 mins

2013-2016

Tre piccolo canti

trumpet in C

4 mins

2015

*“…und Farblos…”

9 musikalischen Objekten zum Einsetzen

  in eine Klanglandschaft for solo ‘cello and tape

25+ mins

variable

2015

“…et fait l’abîme fleurant…”

second version – a redaction for solo clarinet in B flat

8 mins

2015

Ruh und Schweigen

soprano and clarinet in A (Text: in German – Trakl – from Ruh und Schweigen) Eine fragmentarishce Redaktion des Gedichte von Trakl

6 mins

2015

“Grau…” (Aus den Gedichten von Paul Celan abgeleitet)

soprano voice, treble (alto) recorder and violin (Text in German)

11 mins

2014

Mit Asche schattigen

two movements for chamber ensembles: 

  1. alto flute in G, celeste, double bass 
  2. flute, clarinet in A, vibraphone, harp, piano and double bass

(6 players in total)

17 mins

2013-2015

L’ombre de l’eventail

soprano, clarinet in B flat, trumpet in C, percussion (1 player), piano, violin + violoncello (Text in French – Paul Claudel)

1 min

2013

Five Interludes for R.U.R.

tape

Written and realised in collaboration with Hassina Sahkri and Clare Lesser. Commissioned by the American University of Sharjah, UAE

25 mins

2013

*Die Entstellungen des Geistes

two chamber orchestras (28 players in total):

  1. flute, oboe, clarinet in B flat, bassoon, horn in F, trumpet in B flat, trombone, percussion (1 player), harp, violin I, violin II, viola, violoncello and double bass (14 players)
  2. flute, cor anglais, bass clarinet in B flat, bassoon, horn in F, trumpet in B flat, trombone, percussion (1 player), harp, violin I, violin II, viola, violoncello and double bass. (14 players.)

16 mins

2013

Shards

alto flute in G (bass flute in C + piccolo), bass clarinet in B flat, horn in F, cimbalom, harp, violin I, violin II, viola + violoncello

40 mins

2012

Scar (Ein Andachtsbild)

horn in F, cimbalom, percussion (1 player), double bass

15 mins

2008-2012

Hirten und weiβe Sterne

2 amplified bass recorder head joints + speaking

(Text in German – Georg Trakl)

16 mins

2012

Una traccia lontana

solo voice (any range)

6 mins

2012

Le Vestige II

any orchestral wind or brass instrument

11 mins

2012

*Con sangue I

bass saxophone in B flat and vibraphone

7 mins

2011

Losing You

alto flute in G, oboe d’amore in A and double bass

16 mins

2010

Interrogating Darkness

treble (alto) recorder (or clarinet in B flat), violin, ‘cello and tape

35+ mins

variable

2010

Manifest

mezzo soprano, bass clarinet in B flat and horn in F

(Text in German – extracts from Das kommunistische Manifest,

K. Marx and F. Engels)

10+ mins

variable

2010

Kerzen

five small pieces for viola and piano

8 mins

2008-2010

Altri lagrima lontanza

obbligato flute, piccolo, bass clarinet in B flat, piano, accordion, violin + ‘cello

6 mins

2009

Two Inscriptions

clarinet in B flat and piano

3 mins

2008

La Trépigneuse

solo piano

variable

2008

Geschrieben an der Wand

treble (alto) recorder, oboe, bassoon, percussion (1 player), guitar and ‘cello

variable

2008

Regenlieder

clarinet in A and viola

12 mins

2008

Andachtsbild I

bass clarinet in B flat, tenor trombone, percussion (1 player), harp, piano, viola and double bass

5 mins

2004

*Andachtsbild II

2 flutes (1 + 2 doubling piccolos), clarinet in E flat, clarinet in B flat, alto trombone, tenor trombone, bass trombone, percussion (1 player), harp, piano, viola and double bass

5 mins

2004

*Andachtsbild III

solo piano

5 mins

2004

Les Noirs

solo piano

4 mins

2003

Advent

piccolo and flugelhorn in B flat

3 mins

2003

Briefe an...

amplified bass recorder (+ separate amplified bass recorder head joint and body) and live electronics (variable reverb and delay)

17 mins

2003

Shroud Tracing

three treble (alto) recorders (doubling stones)

14 mins

2002

“...et fait l’abîme fleurant...”

soprano (+ 3 suspended antique cymbals), clarinet in B flat, button accordion and double bass

(Text: Arthur Rimbaud - Mystique from Les Illuminations in French)

16 mins

2002

Concerning the Ibis

soprano (+ finger cymbals), clarinet in E flat and button accordion

(Text: extracts from Ovid - The Ibis in Latin)

6 mins

2002

Ferne Tränen I

cycle for mezzo soprano and small chamber ensemble

(may be performed as three separate works):

trombone, piano, button accordion and violin

(Text in German - Andreas Gryphius - Tränen des Vaterlands)

7 mins

2001

Ferne Tränen II

cycle for mezzo soprano and small chamber ensemble

(may be performed as three separate works):

trombone, piano, button accordion and violin

(Text in German - Andreas Gryphius - Tränen des Vaterlands)

5 mins

2001

Ferne Tränen III

cycle for mezzo soprano and small chamber ensemble

(may be performed as three separate works):

trombone, piano, button accordion and violin

(Text in German - Andreas Gryphius - Tränen des Vaterlands)

6 mins

2001

“...für einen Augenblick die Tanzfigur...”

solo tenor recorder

6 mins

2001

Je sais les cieux crevant en éclairs

solo piano

5 mins

2001

Discourses Inscribed in Air

three recorder players S(A), A(T), T(B)

10 mins

2000

Les Branches

soprano and chamber ensemble: clarinet in B flat (bass clarinet in B flat), trumpet in C, percussion, piano, violin and violoncello

(Text in French - Arthur Rimbaud from Le Bateau ivre)

5 mins

2000

Three Ancient Names

soprano, clarinet in B flat and violoncello

(Text - three names from the Hecale of Callimachus of Cyrene)

4 mins

2000

Mobile

solo trumpet in B flat

variable

2000

Soleil Noir

soprano and chamber ensemble: bass clarinet in B flat (contrabass clarinet in B flat), percussion, piano, piano accordion and violoncello

(Text in French - Gerard de Nerval)

17 mins

2000

There is no rose

anthem for SATB a capella

8 mins

1999

Avernus

soprano and piano

8 mins

1999

Sorge

two studies for string trio (violin, viola + ‘cello)

6 mins

1998

Elegies III

flute (alto flute in G + stones), clarinet in A (stones), bass clarinet in B flat, piano, percussion [1 player]: (3 suspended cymbals, 2 triangles, marque tree, glass chimes, medium tam-tam, vibraphone, tubular bells + claves), violin, viola + ‘cello

20 mins

1998

Call

solo horn in F

3 mins

1998

Rain and Stone

(In Memoriam - Ted Hughes 1930 - 1998)

bass flute, percussion [1 player]: (marque tree, medium suspended cymbal, crotale (b’), low tam-tam), harp + viola

7 mins

1998

Feuilles

solo piano

4 mins

1998

Beginning

solo ‘cello

3 mins

1998

Beginning

version for solo viola

3 mins

1998

*artemisia...lake waves...Artemis

ritual for two sopranos and vibraphone (text by Ezra Pound)

10 mins

1997

Anthem for an Anniversary

SATB + organ (text by Kathleen Norcross)

6 mins

1997

O ignis spiritus

trope for solo female voice (text adapted by Clare Lesser from Hildegard of Bingen - Latin, German + English text)

20 mins

1997

Deus miserere - Si ascendero

solo treble recorder

8 mins

1997

Remembrances of Nothing

solo flute and alto flute or tape (1 player + pre-recorded tape, or 2 players)

15 mins

1996

Elegies I

solo harpsichord

8 mins

1996

*Elegies II

string quartet

20 mins

1996

Charlie’s Farewell

solo clarinet in B flat

6 mins

1995

Schattenbilder

solo piano

5 mins

1995

Virgil Settings

(text - Virgil in Latin) solo female voice

15 mins

1995

Zwei Gedichte

(text - Nikolaus Lenau in German) high voice and piano

10 mins

1995

Liber Hymnorum II

solo ‘cello

20 mins

1994

Tränen...

(text - Andreas Gryphius in German) - high soprano, treble recorder, harpsichord and percussion

25 mins

1994

Snare

flute and piano

25 mins

1994

Gestures of Loss

large recorder group

10 mins

1994

Hymns and Fragments

(text - anon. Anglo-Saxon trans. David Lesser) soprano and ‘cello

16 mins

1993

*Element 1

large orchestra

15 mins

1993

Liber Hymnorum I

solo ‘cello (adapted from Hymns and Fragments)

8 mins

1993

Orkney Aphorisms

obbligato clarinet in A, flute, violin, viola and ‘cello

6 mins

1993

Haiku

(texts by Basho, trans. L. Stryk) - soprano, obbligato oboe, flute (alto flute), clarinet (bass clarinet), marimba, harp, violin, viola and ‘cello

20 mins

1992

Eight Haiku

soprano and oboe (adapted from Haiku)

10 mins

1992

Five Fantasias from ‘Haiku’

chamber ensemble (adapted from Haiku)

10 mins

1992

Nachtstücke

solo piano

8 mins

1991

Spells and Incantations

oboe and piano

10 mins

1991

Darkening Images

orchestra

10 mins

1990

Pages Condamnés

treble recorder and piano

15 mins

1989

Words in the Dark

solo treble recorder

10 mins

1988

Gloria tibi trinitas

large recorder group

8 mins

1988

*Kyrie

soprano and ‘cello

6 mins

1988

Ghosts

solo ‘cello

15 mins

1988

The Dawn of Dreams

solo viola

12 mins

1987

*Dreams of the Lost Land

solo violin, chamber ensemble and tape

15 mins

1986

Wavedark

recorder orchestra

8 mins

1985

Scape

solo 'cello

17 mins

1985

Te lucis ante terminum

bass recorder and piano

10 mins

1984

Three Pieces

oboe and piano

6 mins

1984

Passion Tropes

solo oboe

12 mins

1984