List of quarter tone pieces

A selection of compositions using quarter tones:

A

Thomas AdÃÂ¨s
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"
JÃÂ¡nos Bali
Aiolos ajÃÂ¡ndÃÂ©ka (Gift of Aiolos) for violin, viola da gamba (tuned 1/4 tone lower), harpsichord (upper manual tuned 1/4 tone lower)
Clarence Barlow
ÃÂoÃÂ§luotobÃÂ¼siÃÂletmesi 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)

BÃÂ©la BartÃÂ³k

String Quartet No. 6; the third movement Burletta contains quarter-tone tuning used for parodistic effect. Quarter tones are also used in BartÃÂ³k'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 first 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 vÃÂ³ (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

JuliÃÂ¡n Carrillo

Capricho for piano in quarter-tones (1959)

Capricho for solo viola in quarter-tones (1926)

Casi-sonatas 1Ã¢ÂÂ6 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 ColÃÂ³n 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?) {also for solo viola, cello, or double-bass}

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) {There are also 7 others with some using smaller intervals.}

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)

Dragutin ÃÂoliÃÂ

Concertino for quarter-tone piano and string sextet (1932)

String Quartet No. 1 (1932)

Jacob Collier

In the Bleak Midwinter for 10 Vocalists (2016)

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

Jean-Jacques DÃÂ©billemont

VercingÃÂ©torix, cantata (1863, lost)

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

ÃÂdipe (opera)

Third Violin Sonata ("In Popular Romanian Style")

F

BjÃÂ¸rn Fongaard

Galaxe [Galaxy] (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 HaapamÃÂ¤ki

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 ÃÂ Steve Reich" (1982)

"Hommage ÃÂ GyÃÂ¶rgy Ligeti" (1984)

"Hommage ÃÂ Josef Matthias Hauer" (1982)

Alois HÃÂ¡ba

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)

DetskÃÂ© nÃÂ¡lady (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)

JÃÂ¡ (I) for unaccompanied men's chorus, Op. 36 (1928)

Matka (The Mother), quartertone opera in 10 scenes, Op. 35 (1927Ã¢ÂÂ29)

Poesie zivota (Poetry of Life), 12-song cycle for soprano and quartertone guitar, Op. 53 (1943)

PracujÃÂcÃÂ den (The working day) for unaccompanied male voices, Op. 45 (1932)

Solo for violin Op. 93 (1961Ã¢ÂÂ62)

Sonata for quartertone piano, Op. 62 (1946Ã¢ÂÂ47)

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 (1959Ã¢ÂÂ60)

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 (1957Ã¢ÂÂ59)

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 HalÃÂ©vy

PromÃÂ©thÃÂ©e enchaÃÂ®nÃÂ© (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) (1923Ã¢ÂÂ24)

Symphony No. 4 (1910Ã¢ÂÂ1924)

K

Jeronimas KaÃÂinskas

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)

GyÃÂ¶rgy KurtÃÂ¡g

Lebenslauf, Op. 32 (1992)

L

Dongryul Lee

GoetheÃ¢ÂÂs Garden (2016-2017) for two pianos tuned a quarter-tone apart

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.

GyÃÂ¶rgy Ligeti

Clocks and Clouds for 12-voiced women's choir and orchestra.

Quartet No. 2 for strings.

Ramifications for 12 solo strings (1968Ã¢ÂÂ69), divided into two groups tuned a quarter-tone apart.

Arthur LouriÃÂ©

Prelude for piano "with higher chromatism", Op.12 No.2 (1912).

Alain Louvier

Anneaux de LumiÃÂ¨re (1983) for two pianos, one tuned a quarter-tone apart (1 player)

M

Street Cries (11.10.83) for solo BÃ¢ÂÂ 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.

XXIXÃ¢ÂÂin 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 MaÃÂ¾ulis

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 NÃÂ¸rgÃÂ¥rd

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 MÃÂ¡cha (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 RistiÃÂ

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 Heinrich Stein

Zwei KonzertstÃÂ¼cke, Op. 26, 1906.

Karlheinz Stockhausen

PietÃÂ , 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

TÃÂru 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 1Ã¢ÂÂ3 for recorder trio

Romanza for solo recorder.

Sarabande: Dance for Miriam Cooper, for microtonal harpsichord (1986)

Sonata No. 1 for Solo Recorder ("The Bullfinch").

W

Craig Walsh

String Quartet No. 1 "Ganga" (2010)

Ivan Wyschnegradsky

Ainsi Parlait Zarathoustra, for four pianos two of which are tuned a quarter-tone sharp, Op. 17 (1929Ã¢ÂÂ1930, revised 1936)

2 Chants sur Nietzsche, for baritone & 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 9 (1923)

Chant douloureux et ÃÂ©tude, for violin and piano, Op. 6 (1918)

Composition, for string quartet, Op. 43 (1960)

Cosmos, for 4 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 28 (1939Ã¢ÂÂ1940)

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 (1923Ã¢ÂÂ1924)

ÃÂtudes sur les mouvements rotatoires, for two pianos tuned a quarter-tone apart, eight hands, Op. 45a.; for chamber orchestra, Op. 45c (1961)

ÃÂtudes sur les densitÃÂ©s 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)

PrÃÂ©lude et Fugue, Op. 21, for two pianos tuned a quarter-tone apart (1932)

PrÃÂ©ludes dans tous les tons de l'ÃÂ©chelle chromatique diatonisÃÂ©e ÃÂ 13 sons, Op. 22, for two pianos tuned a quarter-tone apart (1934, revised 1960)

String Quartet No. 1, Op. 13 (1923Ã¢ÂÂ1924)

String Quartet No. 2, Op. 18 (1930Ã¢ÂÂ1931)

String Trio, Op. 53 (1979, unfinished, completed by Claude Ballif)

Variations sans thÃÂ¨me et conclusion (five), for orchestra, Op. 33 (1951Ã¢ÂÂ52)

Y

EugÃÂ¨ne YsaÃÂ¿e

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

See also

List of compositions in just intonation

Notes

References

Further reading

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