Turnage has composed numerous orchestral and chamber works, and three full-length operas. Greek, composed with the encouragement of Hans Werner Henze and first performed in 1988 at the Munich Biennale, is based on Steven Berkoff's adaptation of Oedipus Rex. The Silver Tassie, first performed in 2000, is based on the play by Seán O'Casey. Anna Nicole, with a libretto by Richard Thomas and first performed in 2011, relates the rise and fall of Playboy model and media celebrity Anna-Nicole Smith. Other works include Three Screaming Popes (after the paintings by Francis Bacon), Your Rockaby (a concerto for saxophone and orchestra), Yet Another Set To (a concerto for trombone and orchestra, dedicated to Christian Lindberg), and From the Wreckage (a concerto for trumpet and orchestra, written for Håkan Hardenberger). Blood on the Floor (1993–1996), for jazz quartet and large ensemble, contains nine sections with a shared theme of drug addiction, the section titled "Elegy for Andy" being a lament.
Turnage was the first Radcliffe Composer in Association with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra from 1989 until 1993 and between 2000 and 2003 was the BBC Symphony Orchestra's first Associate Composer. He was Composer in Residence with the London Philharmonic Orchestra from 2005 until 2010. Between 2006 and 2010, Turnage was a co-composer-in-residence of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, a position he held alongside Argentinian composer Osvaldo Golijov.
In Autumn 2005, he was appointed the Royal College of Music's Research Fellow in Composition. In 2015 he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to music.
Ballet
From All Sides (2005–06)
L'Anatomie De La Sensation (2011)
Undance (2011)
Trespass (2012)
Strapless (2016 revised 2017)
Orchestral
Night Dances (1981), for offstage string quintet, solo instrumental group and orchestra
Three Screaming Popes (1988–89)
Some Days (1989), song cycle for mezzo-soprano and orchestra
Momentum (1990–1991)
Drowned Out (1992–1993)
Your Rockaby (1992–93), for soprano saxophone and orchestra
Dispelling the Fears (1994–1995), for two trumpets and orchestra
Scorched (1996–2001), for jazz trio and orchestra
Still Sleeping (1997)
Evening Songs (1998)
Silent Cities (1998)
About Time (1999–2000), for ensemble and chamber orchestra of period instruments
Another Set To (1999–2000), concerto for trombone and orchestra
A Quick Blast (2000), for orchestral winds, brass and percussion
Dark Crossing (2000), for chamber orchestra
Etudes and Elegies (2000–2002)
Four-Horned Fandango (2000), for four horns and orchestra
On Opened Ground (2000–2001), concerto for viola and orchestra
Uninterrupted Sorrow (2000–2001)
Fractured Lines (2001), double concerto for two percussion and orchestra
When I Woke (2001), for baritone and chamber orchestra
A Quiet Life (2002), for string orchestra
A Man Descending (2003), for tenor saxophone and chamber orchestra
Riffs and Refrains (2003), concerto for clarinet and orchestra
Scherzoid (2003–04)
A Soothing Interlude (2004), for trombone and orchestra
From the Wreckage (2004), concerto for trumpet and orchestra
Yet Another Set To (2004), concerto for trombone and orchestra
Ceres (2005)
Hidden Love Song (2005), for soprano saxophone and chamber orchestra
Juno (2005)
Lullaby for Hans (2005), for string orchestra
Three Asteroids (2005)
The Torino Scale (2005)
From All Sides (2005–06)
A Prayer Out of Stillness (2007), concertante for double bass (doubling bass guitar) and string orchestra
Chicago Remains (2007)
Five Views of a Mouth (2007), concerto for flute and orchestra
Mambo, Blues and Tarantella (2007), concerto for violin and orchestra
Texan Tenebrae (2009)
Hammered Out (2010)
Cello Concerto (2010)
Speranza (2011–12)
Canon Fever (2012), premiered at the opening night of the 2012 BBC Proms.
Frieze (2013) BBC co-commission with the Royal Philharmonic Society and the New York Philharmonic
Erskine (2013), concerto for drum set and orchestra
Passchendaele (2013)
Piano Concerto (2013)
Dialogue (2014), for violin and cello soloists, strings, percussion, harp and piano
Håkan (2014), for trumpet and orchestra
Remembering (2016), for orchestra
Choral
The Game Is Over (2001–2002), for S.A.T.B. choir and orchestra
A Relic of Memory (2003), for S.A.T.B. choir and orchestra
Calmo (2003), for a cappella S.A.T.B. choir and bells
Two Fanfares and a Lament (2003), for S.A.T.B. choir and large ensemble
Christmas Night (2006), for S.A.T.B. choir and piano
Claremont Carol (2006), for upper-voice choir and piano or organ
Miserere Nobis (2006), for a cappella S.A.T.B. choir
At Sixes and Sevens (2012), for soprano and baritone soloists, youth chorus and chamber orchestra
Hibiki (2014), for two solo voices, children's chorus and orchestra (world premiere: Tokyo, 11/12/2016; European premiere: London, BBC Proms, 14/8/2017)
Chamber
On All Fours (1985), for chamber ensemble
Sarabande (1986), for soprano saxophone and piano
Release (1987), for soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, bass clarinet, trumpet, trombone, percussion, piano and double bass
Kai (1989–1990), for cello solo and ensemble
Three Farewells (1989–1990), for flute, bass clarinet, harp and string quartet
Set To (1992–1993), for brass dectet
This Silence (1992–1993), for clarinet, bassoon, horn and string quintet
Blood on the Floor (1993–1996), for jazz quartet and large ensemble
Barrie's Deviant Fantasy (1995), for string quartet and referee's whistles
Bass Invention (1999–2000), for double bass solo and ensemble
Cantilena (2001), for oboe quintet
Snapshots (2002), for large ensemble
Crying Out Loud (2003), for large ensemble
A Short Procession (2003), for piano trio
Eulogy (2003), for viola solo and small ensemble
No Let Up (2003), for ensemble
A Fast Stomp (2004), for piano trio
A Few Serenades (2004), for cello and piano
A Slow Pavane (2004–2005), for piano trio
Bleak Moments (2005), for horn and string quartet
Fanfare (from all sides) (2006), for brass ensemble
Returning (2006), for string sextet
Tango (2007), for ensemble
Out of Black Dust (2007–08), for brass ensemble
Four Chants (2008), for violin and piano
Twisted Blues with Twisted Ballad (2008), for string quartet
Grazioso! (2009), for small ensemble
Five Processionals (2009), for clarinet, violin, cello and piano
GG (2010), for cello and percussion
Three for Two (2010), for piano quartet
Amelia's March (2010), for small ensemble
Silem (2010), for solo trumpet and big band
Undance (2011), for ensemble
Contusion (2013), for string quartet
Run Riot (2013), for saxophone quartet
Power Play (2014), for viola and piano
Duetti d’Amore (2015), for violin and cello
Vocal
Lament for a Hanging Man (1983), for soprano and ensemble
Some Days (1989), song cycle for mezzo-soprano and orchestra
Greek Suite (1989), for mezzo-soprano, tenor soli and ensemble
The Torn Fields (2000–2002), song cycle for baritone and large ensemble
When I Woke (2001), song cycle for baritone and orchestra
Two Baudelaire Songs (2003–04), for soprano and ensemble
About Water (2006), for solo jazz singer; soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, bass soli; solo instrumental septet and large ensemble
A Constant Obsession (2007), song cycle for tenor and ensemble
Bellamy (2008), for countertenor and singing harpist
Solo instrumental
An Aria (with Dancing) (2004), for trumpet
Ah, Quegli Occhi! (2006), for soprano saxophone
Air with Variations (2007), for guitar
Cradle Song (2009), for clarinet
Leap (2010), for clarinet
Other
Anthem by Peter Erskine, ed. Turnage (1996), for jazz trio and chamber orchestra
On the CD Music to Hear (Black Box, BBM 1065, 2001):
