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Vocal work

Epiphanies

Epiphanies
Year of composition: 
1991
Year composition ended: 
1991
Text sources: 
Bertold Brecht, James Joyce, Antonio Machado, Marcel Proust, Edoardo Sanguineti, Claude Simon
Scored for: 
female voice and orchestra
Duration: 
30'
Annotations: 

Instrumentation: 4 3 4 3 – 4 4 4 1 – 6 perc, 2 hp, cel, 8 vln.A, 8 vln.B, 8 vln.C, 8 vla, 8 vc, 6 cb
Instrumentation details: 1st flute; 2nd flute; 3rd flute (+picc); 4th flute (+picc); 1st oboe; 2nd oboe; cor anglais; clarinet in Eb; 1st clarinet in Bb; 2nd clarinet in Bb; bass clarinet; 1st bassoon; 2nd bassoon; contrabassoon; 1st horn in F; 2nd horn in F; 3rd horn in F; 4th horn in F; 1st trumpet; 2nd trumpet; 3rd trumpet; 4th trumpet; 1st trombone; 2nd trombone; 3rd trombone; contrabass trombone; bass tuba (+t.tuba(Bb)); 1st percussion; 2nd percussion; 3rd percussion; marimba; glockenspiel; vibraphone (+xyl); 1st harp; 2nd harp; celesta (+e.org); violin A(8); violin B(8); violin C(8); viola(8); violoncello(8); contrabass(6)

Epifanie for female voice and orchestra (1959-1961/1965) was withdrawn by the composer.

First performance: 
22/04/1993, Philadelphia. Charlotte Hellekant, Philadelphia Orchestra, Luciano Berio
Publisher: 
Universal Edition

Cries of London

Cries of London
Year of composition: 
1974 - 1976
Year composition ended: 
1976
Language: 
English
Text sources: 
English street cries
Scored for: 
8 voices
Duration: 
12'
First performance: 
Preliminary version for 6 voices: Edinburgh, King's Singers. Revised version: 1977, La Rochelle. Swingle Singers
Publisher: 
Universal Edition
Edition number: 
16828
Program notes: 

Author's note: Italian

Author's note: English

Author's note: French

Coro

Coro
Year of composition: 
1975 - 1976
Year composition ended: 
1976
Text sources: 
Lyrics from different cultures; poems from 'Residencia en la tierra' by Pablo Neruda
Scored for: 
40 voices and instruments
Dedication: 

Talia Pecker Berio

Commissioned by: 
Westdeutscher Rundfunk, Köln
Duration: 
60'
Annotations: 

Choir: 10S, 10A, 10T, 10B
Instrumentation: 4 2 4 3 - 3 4 3 1 - perc(2), pno, e.org, alto sax, t.sax, 3 vln, 4 vla, 4 vc, 3 cb
Instrumentation details: 1st flute; 2nd flute; 3rd flute; 4th flute; oboe; cor anglais; clarinet in Eb; 1st clarinet in Bb; 2nd clarinet in Bb; bass clarinet in Bb; alto saxophone in Eb; tenor saxophone in Bb; 1st bassoon; 2nd bassoon; contrabassoon; 1st horn in F; 2nd horn in F; 3rd horn in F; 1st trumpet in C; 2nd trumpet in C; 3rd trumpet in C; 4th trumpet in C; 1st trombone; 2nd trombone; 3rd trombone; bass tuba (+t.tuba(Bb)); 1th percussion; 2nd percussion; piano; electric organ; 1st violin; 2nd violin; 3rd violin; 1st viola; 2nd viola; 3rd viola; 4th viola; 1st violoncello; 2nd violoncello; 3rd violoncello; 4th violoncello; 1st contrabass; 2nd contrabass; 3rd contrabass

First performance: 
24/10/1976, Donaueschingen. WDR Rundfunkchor Köln, WDR Rundfunkorchester Köln, Luciano Berio. Revised version: 16/10/1977, Graz. ORF Chor und SO, Leif Segerstam
Publisher: 
Universal Edition
Edition number: 
15044
Program notes: 

Author's note: Italian

Author's note: English

Author's note: French

El mar la mar

El mar la mar
Year of composition: 
1952
Year composition ended: 
1952
Year of revision: 
1969
Language: 
Spanish
Scored for: 
soprano, mezzo-soprano and 7 instruments
Duration: 
12'
Annotations: 

Instrumentation: fl, 2 cl, hp, chromatic acc, vc, cb
Instrumentation details: flute (+picc); 1st clarinet in Bb; 2nd clarinet in Bb (+bass cl(Bb)); chromatic accordion; harp; violoncello; contrabass

First performance: 
Première original version: 1953, Milan. Première revised version: 1969, Royan. Cathy Berberian, Reri Grist, Juilliard Ensemble, Luciano Berio
Publisher: 
Universal Edition
Edition number: 
13752

E vó

E vó
Sicilian Lullaby from "Opera"
Year of composition: 
1972
Year composition ended: 
1972
Language: 
Italian
Scored for: 
soprano and instruments
Duration: 
4'
Annotations: 

Instrumentation: 1 1 3 0 – 0 1 1 0 – perc, pno, e.org, 1 vln, 1 vla, 1 vc, 1 cb
Instrumentation details: flute; oboe; 1st clarinet in Bb; 2nd clarinet in Bb; 3rd clarinet in Bb; trumpet in C; trombone; percussion; piano; electric organ; 1 violin; 1 viola; 1 violoncello; 1 contrabass

First performance: 
10/09/1972, Arco. Alide Maria Salvetta, London Sinfonietta, Luciano Berio
Publisher: 
Universal Edition
Edition number: 
31494

E si fussi pisci

E si fussi pisci
Sicilian love song
Year of composition: 
2002
Year composition ended: 
2002
Language: 
Italian (Sicilian)
Text sources: 
Lyrics of sicilian popular songs
Scored for: 
mixed choir a cappella
Dedication: 

Umberto Eco

Duration: 
2'
Annotations: 

Choir: SATB

First performance: 
05/10/2002, Siena (Umberto Eco honorary doctor ceremony). Coro dell'Ateno, dir. Fabio Lombardo
Publisher: 
Universal Edition
Edition number: 
32803

Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda

Claudio Monteverdi – Luciano Berio
Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda
Monteverdi – Berio
Year of composition: 
1966
Year composition ended: 
1966
Language: 
Italian
Scored for: 
soprano, tenor, baritone, harpsichord and strings
Cast: 

Clorinda (S), Tancredi (Bar), Testo (T)

Duration: 
25'
Annotations: 

Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda by Claudio Monteverdi (1624) arranged for soprano, tenor, baritone, harpsichord and strings.

Instrumentation: hpsd, 3 vla, vc, cb (the strings can also be doubled, trebled, etc.).

First performance: 
1966, New York. Titus, Mandac, Luciano Berio
Publisher: 
Universal Edition
Edition number: 
13727
Program notes: 

Author's note: Italian

Author's note: English

Circles

Circles
Year of composition: 
1960
Year composition ended: 
1960
Language: 
English
Text sources: 
Three poems by E. E. Cummings ("Poems 1923-1954")
Scored for: 
female voice, harp and 2 percussion players
Commissioned by: 
Paul Fromm
Duration: 
20'
First performance: 
01/08/1960, Tanglewood. Cathy Berberian and members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Publisher: 
Universal Edition
Program notes: 

Author's note: Italian

Author's note: English

Author's note: English (1st performance)

Author's note: French

Sequenza III

Sequenza III
Year of composition: 
1965
Year composition ended: 
1965
Text: 

Markus Kutter

Language: 
English
Scored for: 
female voice
Dedication: 

Written for Cathy Berberian

Duration: 
8'
First performance: 
1966, Bremen. Cathy Berberian
Publisher: 
Universal Edition
Edition number: 
13723
Program notes: 

Author's note: Italian

Author's note: English

Author's note: French

Canticum novissimi testamenti

Canticum novissimi testamenti
Ballata
Year of composition: 
1989 - 1991
Year composition ended: 
1991
Language: 
Italian
Text sources: 
"Novissimum Testamentum" by Edoardo Sanguineti
Scored for: 
4 clarinets, saxophone quartet and 8 voices
Duration: 
18'
Annotations: 

Voices: 2S, 2A, 2T, 2B
Instrumentation: cl(Eb), 2 cl(Bb), bass cl(Bb), sop.sax, alto sax, t.sax, bar.sax

First performance: 
18/12/1989, Paris. Raschèr Saxophone Quartet, London Voices, Ensemble Intercontemporain, dir. Pierre Boulez
Publisher: 
Universal Edition
Edition number: 
31269
Program notes: 

Author's note: Italian

Author's note: French