List Of Quarter Tone Pieces

A selection of compositions using quarter tones:

A

*Thomas Adès
**''Asyla'' calls for an upright piano tuned a quarter-tone flat.

B

*Jan Bach
**Concert Variations for solo euphonium; "each variation is based on different performance techniques of the instrument, including quarter-tones"
* Clarence Barlow
**''Çoǧluotobüsişletmesi'' for four pianos. "in which four of the 12 pitches of the chromatic scale are tuned a quarter tone flat"
**''...until version 7 for guitar (1980).
*
**Concerto for Quarter Tone Piano and Quarter Tone Strings (1930)
* Béla Bartók
** String Quartet No. 6; the third movement ''Burletta'' contains quarter-tone tuning used for parodistic effect. Quarter tones are also used in Bartók's ballet ''The Miraculous Mandarin.''
** Sonata for Solo Violin; the fourth movement ''Presto'' contains quarter-tones, but they are not "structural features." This movement also calls for third-tones.
** Violin Concerto No. 2; the cadenza in the final movement requires the use of quarter-tones, but only as an effect.
* John Beckwith
**''Blurred Lines'' for violin and harpsichord (1997)
* Jack Behrens
**''Quarter-Tone Quartet'', Op. 20.
* Alban Berg
** Chamber Concerto, for violin, piano, and 13 winds.
* Luciano Berio
**''E vó'' (1972).
* Easley Blackwood Jr.
**'' Twelve Microtonal Etudes for Electronic Music Media'': "24 Notes: Moderato" (1980).
* Ernest Bloch
** Piano Quintet No. 1 (1923); the first movement features use of quarter-tones in the string parts.
* Pierre Boulez
**''Polyphonie X'' (1951).
**''Le Visage nuptial'' (1946).

C

* Jacob Collier
**''In the Bleak Midwinter'' for 10 Vocalists (2016)
* Julián Carrillo
**''Capricho'' for piano in quarter-tones (1959)
**''Capricho'' for solo viola in quarter-tones (1926)
**''Casi-sonatas 1–6'' for solo violin, viola or cello in quarter-tones (c.1960s)
**Concertino in quarter-, eighth- and sixteenth-tones for violin, cello and harp with orchestra (1926)
**Concerto for 1/4-tone and 1/8-tone cello and orchestra (1958)
**Concerto No. 1 for quarter-tone violin and orchestra (1963)
**Concerto No. 2 for quarter-tone violin and orchestra (1964)
**''Mass for Pope John XXIII'' for male chorus in quarter-tones (1920s)
**'' Preludio a Colón'' for vocalizing soprano, octavina (modified bass guitar, in 8th tones), flute, 16th-tone harp, violin, and guitar (1922)
**''Serenata'' for cello in quarter-tones with English horn, harp, and string quartet (1927)
**''70 estudios'' for solo violin in quarter-tones (c. 1927?)
**Sonata for solo guitar in quarter-tones (c.1924)
**Sonata (''Amanecer en Berlin 13'') for solo harp in quarter-tones (1931)
**''Sonata casi fantasia'' for violin, violoncello and guitar in quarter-, eighth- and sixteenth-tones (1925)
**String Quartet in quarter-tones (c.1924)
**Suite for solo guitar in quarter-tones (1960)
**''3 estudios en forma de sonatina'' for solo violin in quarter-tones (1927)
**Symphony No. 1 (''Colombia'') for orchestra in quarter-tones (c.1924)
**Symphony No. 2 (''Colombia'') for orchestra in quarter-tones (1926)
* Aaron Copland
**''Vitebsk'' (1928).
* John Corigliano
**''Chiaroscuro'' for two pianos tuned a quarter tone apart (1997)
* Mildred Couper
**''Xanadu'' for two pianos tuned a quarter tone apart (ca. 1930)
**''Dirge'' for two pianos tuned a quarter tone apart, published in ''New Music'' quarterly (January 1937)
**''Rumba'' for two pianos tuned a quarter tone apart (ca. 1937)

D

* John Diercks
**''Reminiscences'', 1971 for two pianos, one tuned a quarter-tone lower.

E

* John Eaton
**''Sonority Movement'', for flute and nine harps.
* Danny Elfman
**Soundtrack score for ''A Simple Plan'' features "very specific quarter tone detunings coming off the Emulator".
* Don Ellis
**''Electric Bath''
* George Enescu
**'' Œdipe'' (opera)
** Third Violin Sonata ("In Popular Romanian Style")

F

* Bjørn Fongaard
**''Galaxe'' alaxy(for three quarter-tone guitars), Opus 46.
* John Foulds
** Cello Sonata (1905, rev. 1927), passages in the second movement

G

* Sofia Gubaidulina
**''Quaternion'' for cello quartet, two of the cellos are tuned down a quarter tone
**''Music for Flute, Strings, and Percussion'', the strings are divided into two sections, one of which is tuned a quarter-tone lower than the other.

H

* Sampo Haapamäki
**''Velinikka'', concerto for quarter-tone accordion (2008)
**''Conception'', double concerto for quarter-tone guitar, quarter-tone accordion and orchestra (2012)
** Quarter-Tone Piano Concerto (2017)
* Georg Friedrich Haas
**''3 Hommages'', for piano player on two pianos tuned a quarter tone apart
***"Hommage à Steve Reich" (1982)
***"Hommage à György Ligeti" (1984)
***"Hommage à Josef Matthias Hauer" (1982)
* Alois Hába
**''Children's Play'' for unaccompanied youth chorus, Op.43 (1932)
**''Chor-Suite'' for unaccompanied chorus, Op. 13 (1922)
**''5 Choruses'' for unaccompanied youth chorus, Op. 42 (1932)
**''5 Mixed Choruses'', Op. 44 (1932)
**''Detské nálady'' (''Children's Moods''), 8-song cycle for mid-ranged voice and quartertone guitar, Op.51 (1943)
**Fantasy No. 1 for quartertone piano, Op. 17 (1923)
**Fantasy No. 2 for quartertone piano, Op. 19 (1924)
**Fantasy No. 3 for quartertone piano, Op. 20 (1924)
**Fantasy No. 4 for quartertone piano, Op. 25 (1925)
**Fantasy No. 5 for quartertone piano, Op. 26 (1925)
**Fantasy No. 6 for quartertone piano, Op. 27 (1926)
**Fantasy No. 7 for quartertone piano, Op. 28 (1926)
**Fantasy No. 8 for quartertone piano, Op. 29 (1926)
**Fantasy No. 9 for quartertone piano, Op. 30 (1926)
**Fantasy No. 10 for quartertone piano, Op. 31 (1926)
**Fantasy No. 11 for quartertone piano, Op. 89 (1959)
**Fantasy for unaccompanied violin, Op. 9a (1921)
**Fantasy for unaccompanied violoncello, Op. 18 (1924)
**Fantasy for violin and quartertone piano, Op. 21 (1925)
**Fantasy for viola and quartertone piano, Op. 32 (1926)
**Fantasy for violoncello and quartertone piano, Op. 33 (1927)
**''Já'' (''I'') for unaccompanied men's chorus, Op. 36 (1928)
**'' Matka'' (''The Mother''), quartertone opera in 10 scenes, Op. 35 (1927–29)
**''Poesie zivota'' (''Poetry of Life''), 12-song cycle for soprano and quartertone guitar, Op. 53 (1943)
**''Pracující den'' (''The working day'') for unaccompanied male voices, Op. 45 (1932)
**Solo for violin Op. 93 (1961–62)
**Sonata for quartertone piano, Op. 62 (1946–47)
**String Quartet No. 2 ("In quarter-tone system"), Op. 7 (1920)
**String Quartet 3 ("In quarter-tone system"), Op. 12 (1922)
**String Quartet 4 ("In quarter-tone system"), Op. 14 (1922)
**String Quartet 6 ("In quarter-tone system"), Op. 70 (1950)
**String Quartet No. 12 ("In quarter-tone system"), Op. 90 (1959–60)
**String Quartet 14 ("In quarter-tone system"), Op. 94 (1963)
**Suite No. 1 for quartertone piano, Op. 10 (1922, revised in 1932 as Op. 11a)
**Suite No. 2 for quartertone piano, Op. 11 (1922, revised in 1932 as Op. 11b)
**Suite No. 3 for quartertone piano, Op. 16 (1923)
**Suite No. 4 for quartertone piano, Op. 22 (1924)
**Suite No. 5 for quartertone piano, Op. 23 (1925)
**Suite No. 6 for quartertone piano, Op. 88 (1957–59)
**Suite for clarinet and quartertone piano, Op. 24 (1925)
**1st Suite for quartertone guitar, Op. 54 (1943)
**2nd Suite for quartertone guitar, Op. 63 (1947)
**Suite for clarinet (unaccompanied), Op. 55 (1943)
**Suite for quartertone trumpet and trombone, Op. 56 (1944)
**Suite in quartertones for 4 trombones, Op. 72 (1950)
* Fromental Halévy
**''Prométhée enchaîné'' (1849)
* Jonathan Harvey
**''Valley of Aosta'' for chamber ensemble of 13 players and electronics (1988)
* Lejaren Hiller
**String Quartet No. 5 (1962).
* Alan Hovhaness
**''O Lord, Bless Thy Mountains'', Op. 276, for two pianos tuned a quarter tone apart (1974)

I

* Charles Ives
**Three Quarter-Tone Pieces, for two pianos, one tuned a quarter-tone sharp, S. 128 (K. 3C3) (1923–24)
**'' Symphony No. 4'' (1910–1924)

K

* Jeronimas Kačinskas
**String Quartet No. 2 (1931) (lost? withdrawn?)
**Trio for trumpet, viola, and harmonium (1933)
* Gideon Klein
**Duo for violin and viola in the Quartertone System (1940)

L

* Michael A. Levine
**'' Divination by Mirrors for Saw and Strings''. Strings are divided into two groups of 13 tuned 1/4 step apart. Each group plays only in its own pitch "universe". The featured bowed saw freely moves from standard tuning to pitches a 1/4 step away. Premiered at Merkin Concert Hall, New York City, 1998 by the New York Virtuosi and Dale Stuckenbruck saw soloist.
* György Ligeti
**''Clocks and Clouds'' for 12-voiced women's choir and orchestra.
**Quartet No. 2 for strings.
**'' Ramifications'' for 12 solo strings (1968–69), divided into two groups tuned a quarter-tone apart.
* Arthur Lourié
**''Prelude'' for piano "with higher chromatism", Op.12 No.2 (1912).
* Alain Louvier
**''Anneaux de Lumière'' (1983) for two pianos, one tuned a quarter-tone apart (1 player)

M

*
**''Street Cries (11.10.83)'' for solo Bb clarinet features extensive use of quarter tones in all three movements.
* Henry Mancini
**Soundtrack score for ''Wait Until Dark'' (1967) features extensive use of quarter-tones including two pianos tuned a quarter-tone apart
**''The Night Visitor''
* Steve Mackey
**''Indigenous Instruments''
**''On All Fours''
* Andrew March
**''Aeolian Rustling'' (2001) for alto flute (Boehm system) and harp, with Kingma System alto flute ossia.
**''XXIX—in Perpetuum'' (2001) for solo Kingma System quarter-tone alto flute.
**''Water Lilies'' (2001) for solo alto flute and harp, with Kingma System quarter-tone alto flute ossia.
**''Memoriam'' (2002) for Kingma System quarter-tone alto flute, vibraphone, marimba, harp and strings.
* Rytis Mažulis
**''Quartertone Canon'' for two piano tuned a quarter-tone apart (2010)
**''Sans Pause'' for string quartet (2001)
* Olivier Messiaen
**''Deux monodies en quarts de ton'' (1938).

N

* Per Nørgård
**String Quartet No. 5 'Inscape' (1969)

O

* Frank J. Oteri
**''Circles Mostly in Wood'', a quarter-tone wind quintet in five movements (2002)
**''Fair and Balanced'', a quarter-tone saxophone quartet in four short movements (2004)

P

* Krzysztof Penderecki
**''Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima'', for string orchestra, frequently makes use of quarter tones.

R

* Karel Reiner
**Fantasy for quarter-tone piano (1935-36)
**Five songs for voice with violin accompaniment in quarter-tones to texts by Karel Hynek Mácha (1936, performed at the 1938 ISCM Festival in Paris)
**3 Duos for 2 quarter-tone clarinets (1972)
**Suite for quarter-tone piano (1935-36)
* Milan Ristić
**Duo for violin and violoncello, Op. 11 (1938)
**Septet for clarinet, 2 trombones, string trio, and doublebass, Op. 9 (1938)
**Suite for unaccompanied violin, Op. 6 (1938)
**Suite for ten strings, Op. 10 (1938)
**Suite for four trombones, Op. 8 (1938, scheduled for performance during the 1939 ISCM Festival in Warsaw but the performance could not take place)

S

* Ezra Sims
** String Quartet No. 3 (1962)
* Richard Stein
**''Zwei Konzertstücke'', Op. 26, 1906.
* Karlheinz Stockhausen
**''Pietà'', for soprano, quarter-tone flugelhorn, and electronic music, from the opera '' Dienstag aus Licht''
**''Schlagquartett'', for piano and 3 x 2 timpani (1952)
* Billy Strange
**''These Boots Are Made for Walkin''', 1966 popular song, sung by Nancy Sinatra, with a prominent quarter tone double bass riff.

T

* Tōru Takemitsu
**''Bryce'' (1976).
* James Tenney
**''Bridge'' for two pianos tuned a quarter-tone apart (1984)
* Jukka Tiensuu
**''Kymmari'' for Decacorde (2016)
**''Anomal Dances'' Concerto for quarter-tone accordion and orchestra (2015)
**''Kuuhiomo'' a proludi in quarter tones for any ensemble of melody instruments (2015)
**''Arsenic and Old Lace'' for micro-tonally tuned harpsichord, string quartet (1990)
**''Narcissus'' for oboe and tape (1979)
* Tui St. George Tucker
**''Amoroso'' for solo clarinet
**''Indian Summer'' for 2 baritones with 2 flutes, clarinet, bassoon, trombone, viola, and percussion
**''Little Pieces'' for quarter-tone piano
**''My Melancholy Baby Fantasy'' for one player performing on two pianos at a right angle tuned a quarter-tone apart
**''Quartertone Carol'' for recorder trio
**''Quartertone Recorder Duets''
**''Quartertone Lullubies'' 1–3 for recorder trio
**''Romanza'' for solo recorder.
**''Sarabande: Dance for Miriam Cooper'', for microtonal harpsichord (1986)
**Sonata No. 1 for Solo Recorder ("The Bullfinch")..
, "An arrow head pointing down over a note lowers it approximately a quarter step".

W

* Ivan Wyschnegradsky
**''Ainsi Parlait Zarathoustra'', for four pianos two of which are tuned a quarter-tone sharp, Op. 17 (1929–1930, revised 1936)
**''2 Chants sur Nietzsche'', for baritone & 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 9 (1923)
**''Chant douloureux et étude'', for violin and piano, Op. 6 (1918)
**''Composition'', for string quartet, Op. 43 (1960)
**''Cosmos'', for 4 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 28 (1939–1940)
**''Dialogue'', for two pianos tuned a quarter-tone apart, eight hands, W.o.O. (1959)
**''Dithyrambe'', for two pianos tuned a quarter-tone apart, Op. 12 (1923–1924)
**''Études sur les mouvements rotatoires'', for two pianos tuned a quarter-tone apart, eight hands, Op. 45a.; for chamber orchestra, Op. 45c (1961)
**''Études sur les densités et les volumes'', for two pianos tuned a quarter-tone apart, Op. 39b (1956)
**''Fragment symphonique No. 1'', for four pianos two of which are tuned a quarter-tone sharp, Op. 23a; for orchestra, Op. 23c (1934, orch. vers. 1967)
**''Fragment symphonique No. 2'', for four pianos two of which are tuned a quarter-tone sharp, timpani & percussions, Op. 24 (1937)
**''Fragment symphonique No. 3'', for four pianos two of which are tuned a quarter-tone sharp & ad. lib. percussions, Op. 31 (1946)
**''Prélude et Fugue'', Op. 21, for two pianos tuned a quarter-tone apart (1932)
**''Préludes dans tous les tons de l'échelle chromatique diatonisée à 13 sons'', Op. 22, for two pianos tuned a quarter-tone apart (1934, revised 1960)
**String Quartet No. 1, Op. 13 (1923–1924)
**String Quartet No. 2, Op. 18 (1930–1931)
**String Trio, Op. 53 (1979, unfinished, completed by Claude Ballif)
**''Variations sans thème et conclusion'' (five), for orchestra, Op. 33 (1951–52)

Y

*Eugène Ysaÿe
**''Six Sonatas'' for Solo Violin, Op. 27 (1924), Nos. 3 and 5

See also

* List of compositions in just intonation

Notes

References

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Further reading

* Gann, Kyle. 6 July 1999.
Sound Bytes of Truth
, ''The Village Voice''.

{{Portal bar, Classical music

Quarter tone pieces