List of compositions by Ferruccio Busoni

Catalog of original compositions

Note: This list is not yet complete. The "Details" column needs additional work.

BV catalog numbers are from Roberge. Titles and opus numbers are listed as in Beaumont, except as noted. Titles are in the original language, except for instrumentation and generic terms, such as "string quartet." For example, Beaumont partially translates "Berceuse pour le piano," to "Berceuse, for piano." Additional title information provided by Roberge, for example, a key signature not found in the original title, is sometimes added in parentheses. For works with text, the first line is typically given, followed by the name of the poet in parentheses. Translations, when provided, are in brackets. Dates of composition and durations are from Beaumont, unless otherwise indicated. Dedications are from Roberge.

Busoni Archive: Most of Busoni's unpublished early manuscripts, as well as those of later works, have been preserved in the Busoni-Nachlaß [Busoni-Archive]. The collection consists of 366 cataloged items, many of which were lost during the Second World War, and after the war were divided between Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Musikabteilung, in West Berlin and the Deutsche Staatsbibliothek, Musikabteilung, in East Berlin. Kindermann lists the locations and manuscript numbers of each work, for those manuscripts which were available until the year he published his catalog (1980). Some of the lost items reappeared later; most are now at the Jagiellonian University in Cracow. After the fall of the Berlin wall, the two libraries were reunited as the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin. Sitsky (pp. 363–383) has an appendix listing manuscripts (with numbers, locations, titles and/or a short description), including those lost, which may yet reappear, as well as those not part of the Busoni-Archive, which are either not numbered or are numbered with a different system. The Busoni-Archive manuscript numbers provided by Sitsky are prefixed with the letters "SB", a procedure which has been adopted here as well.

Abbreviations: acc., according to; arr., arrangement; SB, Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin; B&H, Breitkopf & Härtel, Leipzig (unless otherwise indicated); cat., catalog; ded., dedicated to; dur., duration; frag, fragment; fp, first performance; (score), link to score at the International Music Score Library Project; instr., instrumentation; MS, manuscript; pub., published; rev., revised; unpub., unpublished.

BV 1 to 100

Go to: BV 101 | BV 201 | Appendix

BV 101 to 200

Go to: BV 1 | BV 201 | Appendix

BV 201 to 303

Go to: BV 1 | BV 101 | Appendix

Note: This section is not yet complete. The "Details" column needs additional work.

Appendix

Go to: BV 1 | BV 101 | BV 201

This section lists additional original works not assigned numbers in the Kindermann catalog. They are listed in the order given in Roberge (pp. 45–46) with one additional item (no. 9).

Catalog details

^ BV 42: String quartet no. 2 (in F minor)

Comprises: 4 movements 1) Allegro Agitato 2) Andante Sostenuto 3) Scherzo - Trio 4) Allegro Vivace MS: SB53 (4 pages score) Title: 2º Quartetto composto da Ferruccio Benvenuto Busoni Ded: Al mio amatissimo padre [Ferdinando Busoni]. Date: Scritto il 28 Aprile 1876 (at the end of the 1st movement). Pub: unpublished Ref: Kindermann, pp. 43-44; Roberge, p. 11; Beaumont, p. 357.

^ BV 45: Il Dolore: Romanza senza parole [Sorrow: Romance without words] (in A minor), for piano

Tempo: Andante MS: SB40 (6 pages score) Ded: Alla Memoria dell' Illustrissimo Signor Barone Hermann de Todesco. Date: Composta il 21 Giugno 1876 all'età di anni 10 in Gmunden. MS: SB N. Mus. ms. 120 (copy of SB40) Title: Der Schmerz. Lied ohne Worte für Klavier allein, componirt von dem 10jährigen Ferruccio Benvenuto Busoni. Ded: Zur Erinnerung an den Herrn Baron Hermann von Todesco. Date: Scritta il 21 Giugno 1876 all'età di anni 10. Ref: Kindermann, pp. 45-46; Roberge, p. 11; Beaumont, p. 357; Sitsky, pp. 13, 364, 380.

^ BV 48: Gavottina (in F major) Op. 3 no. 3, for piano

MS: SB55 (2 pages); SB56 "Gavotta" is identical to SB55. Date: Scritta l'11 Novembre 1876 all'età di anni 10 e mezzo a Vienna. Note: This piece was probably intended for BV 71 (Beaumont). Ref: Kindermann, p. 47; Beaumont, p. 358; Sitsky, p. 364.

^ BV 51 Ouverture (in E major), for (large) orchestra (unfinished)

Tempi: Moderato - Allegro MS: SB58 (title page, 25 pages score) (fragment) Title: Ouverture per Grande Orchestra composta da Ferr. Weiß-Busoni Date: Composta nell'anno 1876 in Vienna. Instrumentation: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons; 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, bass trombone; tympani, tubular bells, harp; strings Pub: unpublished Arrangement: piano duet, see BV 128 Ref: Kindermann, pp. 48-49; Roberge, p. 12; Beaumont, p. 357.

^ BV 57: Sonata (No. 4 in F minor)? (unfinished)

Alternative titles: 1) Zwei Kompositionen in d-Moll und f-Moll für Pianoforte (Kindermann) 2) Two Pieces in D minor and F minor for Piano (fragments) (Roberge) 3) 2 pieces Op. 6, for piano (Beaumont) 4) Sonata fragment Op. 6 (Sitsky) MS: SB78 Comprises: 1) Titlepage: "Op. 6" 2) Piece in D minor (3 pages, fragment) 3) Piece in F minor (5 pages, fragment) Notes: 1) On the last page of (3) is written: "Sonata 4ª" 2) On the first page of (3) are listed: This list probably refers to an intended set of sonatas which was never completed. (Kindermann, Sitsky) Ref: Kindermann, pp. 51-52; Sitsky, pp. 23-24; Roberge, p. 12; Beaumont, p. 358.

^ BV 58: Sonata No. 1 in C major Op. 7, for piano

MS: ' SB64 (Title page; 1 blank page; no.1: 3 pages; 2 blank pages; nos. 2-4: 6 pages; 2 blank pages) Comprises: 1) Allegro con brio 2) Andante mosso 3) (Menuet) - Trio 4) (no tempo marking; 2/4) Title: Sonata No. 1 in Do magg: Op. 7 Composta da Ferruccio Benvenuto Busoni Date: il 20 Maggio 1877 all' età di anni undici e 2 mesi in tempo sua malattia Note: This sonata was probably intended to be part of a set of at least 9 sonatas, never completed (see BV 57). Ref: Kindermann, pp. 52-53; Sitsky, pp. 23-24; Roberge, p. 12; Beaumont, p. 358.

^ BV 61: Sonata No. 2 in D major Op. 8, for piano

MS: SB67 (Title page; 21 pages score; 1 blank page) Comprises: 1) Allegro con fuoco 2) Andante con Variazione: Andante con moto quasi Andantino 3) Andante - Allegro Vivace Title: Sonata No. 2 in Re magg: Composta per il pianoforte. Op. 8 da Ferruccio Benvenuto Busoni Date: il 5 Luglio 1877 in Gmunden all' età di anni 11. Note: 1) This sonata was probably intended to be part of a set of at least 9 sonatas, never completed (see BV 57). 2) BV 62 may originally have been intended to be part of this sonata (Beaumont). Ref: Kindermann, pp. 54-55; Sitsky, pp. 23-24; Roberge, p. 12; Beaumont, p. 358.

^ BV 62: Scherzo (in F-sharp minor), for piano

Tempo: Presto MS: G. Ricordi, Milan Title: Scherzo, tratto dalla Sonata Op. 8 in Mi magg: composto da Ferruccio Benv. Busoni [Scherzo from the Sonata Op. 8 in E major, composed by Ferruccio Benvenuto Busoni] Ded: All'Illustre Critico Sigr. Filippo Dr. Filippi. Date: Gmunden, (Austr. Sup.) Luglio 1877 Pub: F. Lucca, Milan, 1882, plate. no. Z 35468 Z, (5 pages) Title: Scherzo per pianoforte tratto dalla Sonata Op. 8 in Mi Maggiore Ded: All'Illustre Critico Cavaliere Filippo Dott^r. Filippi. Notes: Ref: Kindermann, pp. 55-56; Sitsky, p. 41; Beaumont, p. 358.

^ BV 64: Preludio (in E minor), for piano

Tempo: Andante sostenuto MS: SB68 (1 page) Title: Preludio Date: Gmunden den 4 September 1877 (at the end of the composition). Text: "Du bist wie eine Blume" (Heinrich Heine) ["You are like a flower"] Note: The text by Heine appears in the piano part rather than the title. Ref: Kindermann, p. 57; Roberge, p. 13; Beaumont, p. 358; Sitsky, p. 365.

^ BV 65: Sonata No. 3 in E major Op. 9, for piano (unfinished)

MS: SB69 Title: Sonata No. 3 in Mi magg: Op. 9 Comprises: 1) (no tempo marking; E major; 4/4; 8 pages) 2) one intervening title page: Sonata Nº 3 Mi maggiore 3) Finale (E major; 6/8; sketch, 6 pages) Date: Composta il 14 September 1877 (at the end of the composition). Notes: 1) BV 62 was probably originally to be part of this sonata (Sitsky). 2) This sonata was probably intended to be part of a set of at least 9 sonatas, never completed (see BV 57). Ref: Kindermann, pp. 57-58; Roberge, p. 13; Beaumont, p. 358; Sitsky, pp. 41, 365.

^ BV 67: "Ave Maria," (Antiphon) Op. 1, for voice and piano

MS: unknown Comp: 1 October 1977 (set Note 1) Pub: Vienna: C. A. Spina and Hamburg: August Cranz, n.d. [1878 (Dent)], plate no. C.24586, (5 pages) Title: Ave Maria per Canto accompagnamento dir Pianoforte, Op. 1 Ded: Omaggio al celebre Tenore Cav. Angelo Masini Notes: 1) Date of composition for this work is written on the first page of ms SB360 (BV 50): "Ave Maria 1/10/77" 2) According to Busoni's handwritten catalog of works (ca. 1881) the piece was composed in 1877 in Gmunden. Ref: Kindermann, pp. 58-59; Dent, p. 345; Roberge, p. 13; Beaumont, p. 358.

^ BV 71: Cinq Pièces [Five Pieces] Op. 3, for piano

Comprises: 1) Preludio: Andante 2) Minuetto - Trio 3) Gavotta - Trio 4) Etude: Allegretto con moto 5) Gigue: Allegro Comp: 1877 MS: unknown Pub: Leipzig: August Cranz, n.d. [1877 (Dent)], plate nos. C.24541 to C.24545, (3, 5, 5, 5, and 7 pages) First performance: Vienna and Baden, 1878; Ferruccio Busoni, piano Notes: 1) According to Busoni's handwritten catalog of works (ca. 1881) this piece was composed in 1877 in Vienna. 2) This is Busoni's first published work. Ref: Dent, p. 340; Kindermann, pp. 61-63; Roberge, p. 13; Beaumont, p. 358; Sitsky, pp. 40-41.

^ BV 72: Andante con moto (in E minor) Op. 10, for clarinet and piano

Alternative titles: 1) Komposition in e-Moll für Klarinette und Pianoforte (Kindermann) 2) Suite in E minor for Clarinet and Piano (Roberge) 3) Suite Op. 10, for clarinet and piano (Beaumont) Comprises: Andante con moto (in E minor) (4/4, 80 bars) (one movement only) MS: SB79 Page inventory: Full score: Title page; 3 pages score (clarinet in C; piano); 1 blank page; 2 pages score Clarinet part in C: both sides of a single sheet Title: Klarinetten-Suite, Op. 10 Date: 1877. Pub: Munich: G. Henle Verlag, 1992; cat. no. HN 467; ed. by Georg Meerwein Ref: Meerwein, Full score: pp. vi-vii (Preface), 53 (Comments); Kindermann, p. 63; Beaumont, p. 359; Roberge, p. 13; Sitsky, p. 365.

^ BV 203: Six études Op. 16, for piano

Comprises: Etüde 1. Allegro deciso Etüde 2. Allegro moderato Etüde 3. Moderato Etüde 4. Allegro vivace e con fuoco Etüde 5. (Fuga.) Allegro giusto Etüde 6. Scherzo. Vivacissimo, energico, feroce Comp: 1883 (B.) Manuscript: Unknown Publications: 1) Vienna: Albert J. Gutmann, n.d. [1883 (D.)], cat. no. A.J.G. 614, plate no. 8285, (29 pages) 2) No. 5 only: Vienna: Albert J. Gutmann, Copyright 1884 by G. Schirmer, New York, cat. no. 530, (8 pages) 3) Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, Copyright 1886 by G. Schirmer, New York, cat. no. EB 5079, plate no. 28468 (29 pages) 4) No. 5 only: [Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel], Copyright 1886 by G. Schirmer, New York, plate no. A.J.G. 530, (8 pages) 5) Reprint: Wiesbaden-Leipzig-Paris: Breitkopf & Härtel, n.d. [1950? or later], cat. no. 5079, plate no. 28468, (29 pages) 6) Nos. 2-4: Moscow: Muzyka, 1969, ed. Grigorii Kogan (R.) Dedication: Johannes Brahms First performances: 1) Graz, 21 October 1883; (no. 5 only); Ferruccio Busoni, piano. (R.) 2) Vienna, 1884; (only 2 of the 6); Ferruccio Busoni, piano (D.) Ref: Dent, pp. 46, 341; Kindermann, pp. 163-165; Sitsky, p. 47; Beaumont, p. 365; Roberge, p. 26.

BV 204: Sonate f-moll Op. 20 für Klavier [Sonata in F minor, Op. 20, for piano]

Comprises: 1) Allegro risoluto vivace ed energico 2) Andante con moto 3) Nella guesa d'un'improvvisazione - Allegro fugato Manuscript: SB187 (Sonate Op. 20) Dedication: Anton Rubinstein gewidmet Dated: Vienna Natale 1883 [Vienna, Christmas, 1883] (at the end of the manuscript) First performance: Vienna, Bösendorfer Saal, 6 March 1884; Ferruccio Busoni, piano Publication: B&H, 1983, as Op. 20a, ed. Jutta Theurich Recording: Wolf Harden, piano (Naxos 8572077) Ref: Dent, p. 341; Kindermann. pp. 165–166; Sitsky, p. 26; Beaumont, p. 365; Roberge, p. 26.

BV 241: [6] Stücke [Pieces] Op. 33b, for piano

Comprises: Series I (ded. Max Reger): Series II (ded. Isabella Stewart Gardner): Composed: 1895 (Beaumont) Manuscript: Busoni Archive No.223 (sketches) Title: Finnische Ballade 4 sheets, notated on one side only, attached Publications: 1) Leipzig: C. F. Peters, Copyright 1896, cat. no. 2838, plates 8222 (nos. 1-3); 8223 (nos. 4-6), 36 pages 2) Helsinki: Fazer, 1957 (no. 6 only, with a note by Roberto Wis) 3) Moscow: Muzyka, 1969 (nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, ed. Grigorii Kogan) 4) Frankfurt, New York, and London: C. F. Peters, 1982 Ref: Dent, p. 342; Kindermann, pp. 213-216; Beaumont, p. 368; Roberge, p. 31.

^ BV 274: Sonatina in diem nativitatis Christi MCMXVII für Klavier zu zwei Händen

MS: 1) Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel (dated 22 December 1917, at the end of the composition) 2) SB304 (dated 19 December 1917; 21 December 1917, at the end) Dedication: "An Benvenuto" (Benvenuto Busoni) Pub: 1) Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, Copyright 1918, cat. no. EB 5071, plate no. 27744, (9 pages) 2) Leipzig: VEB Breitkopf & Härtel, [1949] (reprint) 3) Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel, [1960 or later] (reprint) 4) Milan: Ricordi, 1986. First performance: Tonhalle, Zürich (?); 24 January 1910; Ferruccio Busoni, piano. Ref: Kindermann, pp. 331-332; Dent, p. 344; Roberge, p. 39; Beaumont, pp. 251, 370; Sitsky, pp. 79, 376, 381.

Ferruccio Busoni: Early Character Pieces for Clarinet and Piano

•Pub: Munich: G. Henle Verlag; 1992; cat. no. HN 467; edited by Georg Meerwein; fingering of piano part by Klaus Schilde. •Note: clarinet in B-flat, except as noted (cl = clarinet; pf = piano) •Contents: full score (cl & pf); instrumental part (cl) •Preface, p. V-VIII (full score only; by Georg Meerwein, Bamberg, autumn 1991) •Andante con moto (BV 72), pp. 1-3 (cl in C & pf); p. 2 (cl in B-flat), p. 18 (cl in C) •Suite (BV 88): •Solo dramatique: Allegro maestoso (BV 101), pp. 25-30; pp. 10-11 •Andantino (BV 107), pp. 31-34; pp. 12-13 •Serenade (BV 108), pp. 35-40; pp. 14-15 •Novellette: Allegro (BV 116), pp. 41-51; pp. 16-17 •Comments, pp. 53-55 (full score only; by Georg Meerwein)