Mixed Ensemble Game (selection thread)

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Considering there is such a wealth of non-orchestral 1 per part chamber/ensemble works out there, especially since the 19th century, I thought I might start a Sammy-style game to see where our preferences lie. What I find most interesting about this repertoire is that there seem to be very few standard ensembles which composers write for. The closest ones I can think of is maybe a nonet with winds, horn and strings as well as the Pierrot ensemble and variations on that.

The guidelines in this game for what constitutes as a 'mixed ensemble' work is as follows:

• 1 player per part.
• The ensemble must cover at least three families of instruments, therefore giving us a minimum of three instruments in a piece of music we might want to nominate. If it is for a larger, non-standard instrumentation then I guess two families of instruments should be fine as a minimum. I just want to avoid an oversaturation of piano quintets, piano quartets, piano trios, solo+piano duos etc.
• The instruments must be specified by the composer—or at least there should be some guideline about recommended instrumentation from the composer to make it eligible for selection in this game.
• The families are: wind, brass, percussion, keyboard, plucked/struck strings, voice, bowed strings.
• Horns count as brass in this game despite historical associations with the wind section.
• Keyboard instruments are a family in their own right and I don't care whether piano is technically percussion or harpsichord is technically a plucked string instrument.
• Harps, guitars, mandolins, dulcimer are in the plucked/struck string category.
• Works with electronics are allowed but if there are any grey areas as to whether it constitutes as a sufficient 'third instrument' then I will decide on a case by case basis.
• Works requiring a conductor is allowed, but a conductor ain't an instrument even if the score calls for them to make some sound.
• Works requiring more than one of any instrument are allowed as long as they have separate parts.

In this thread I'm looking for maybe between 40 and 60 works to be nominated by members of GMG. I'll split up the final nominations into two rounds and then a final round to decide upon a ranking for the top 10 works as voted by us.

Guidelines for nominations (this thread) is as follows:

• You may nominate up to two pieces per day.
• You may only nominate each piece once. If a piece has already been nominated, choose a different one.
• As soon as a piece of music has been nominated then it's in the running and will be in one if the voting rounds.

I hope we have fun with this and may it not cause any bickering. 

[Sammy]

Poulenc - Sextet for Piano, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon and Horn
Stravinsky - Pastorale for Violin, Oboe, English Horn, Clarinet and Bassoon

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Ligeti - Chamber Concerto
Beethoven - Septet

[San Antone]

Debussy - trio for Flute, Viola and Harp
Stravinsky - Ragtime for eleven instruments

[Trout]

Boulez: Le marteau sans maître
Copland: Appalachian Spring (original chamber version)

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

The first eight

Beethoven - Septet
Boulez - Le marteau sans maître
Copland - Appalachian Spring (original chamber version)
Debussy - trio for Flute, Viola and Harp
Ligeti - Chamber Concerto for 13 Instrumentalists
Poulenc - Sextet for Piano, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon and Horn
Stravinsky - Pastorale for Violin, Oboe, English Horn, Clarinet and Bassoon
Stravinsky - Ragtime for eleven instruments

[Mirror Image]

Today's choices:

Takemitsu: And then I knew 'twas Wind
Berg: Kammerkonzert

[Mahlerian]

Schoenberg: Pierrot lunaire, Op. 21
Schoenberg: Serenade, Op. 24

[Ken B]

Bartok MSPC
Stravinsky Agon

Oops, missed one per part bit.

Bartok Contrasts
Brahms Horn Trio

[GioCar]

Schubert: Octet
Grisey: Quatre chants pour franchir le seuil

[Baron Scarpia]

Martinu Nonet (H314)
Enescu Chamber Symphony Op 33.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Nominations so far:


Bartok - Contrasts
Beethoven - Septet
Berg - Kammerkonzert
Boulez - Le marteau sans maître
Brahms - Horn Trio
Copland - Appalachian Spring (original chamber version)
Debussy - trio for Flute, Viola and Harp
Enescu - Chamber Symphony Op 33
Grisey - Quatre chants pour franchir le seuil
Ligeti - Chamber Concerto for 13 Instrumentalists
Martinu - Nonet (H314)
Poulenc - Sextet for Piano, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon and Horn
Schoenberg - Pierrot lunaire, Op. 21
Schoenberg - Serenade, Op. 24
Schubert - Octet
Stravinsky - Pastorale for Violin, Oboe, English Horn, Clarinet and Bassoon
Stravinsky - Ragtime for eleven instruments
Takemitsu - And then I knew 'twas Wind

Let's aim for 60 pieces I reckon

[San Antone]

Messiaen - Quatuor pour la fin du temps

Brahms - Clarinet Trio in A minor, Op. 114

[San Antone]

Bartok MSPC
Stravinsky Agon

Oops, missed one per part bit.

Bartok Contrasts
Brahms Horn Trio

Good ones; I had thought of them but you got there first.

[Crudblud]

Varèse - Octandre
Carter - Triple Duo

[amw]

Ligeti - Trio for violin, horn and piano
Schumann - Andante & Variations for two pianos, two cellos & horn

[North Star]

Ravel - Introduction et Allegro for harp, flute, clarinet & string quartet
Saint-Saëns - Le carnaval des animaux

[Draško]

Jean Cras - Quintet for flute, harp and string trio

Toru Takemitsu - Rain Spell (flute, clarinet, harp, piano and vibraphone)

Gavriil Popov - Chamber Symphony (flute, trumpet, clarinet, bassoon, violin, cello and double bass)

[North Star]

Jean Cras - Quintet for flute, harp and string trio

Toru Takemitsu - Rain Spell (flute, clarinet, harp, piano and vibraphone)

Gavriil Popov - Chamber Symphony (flute, trumpet, clarinet, bassoon, violin, cello and double bass)

I think you'll have to save one for tomorrow, Draško.

[Ken B]

Steve Martland, Horses Of Instruction
Partch Castor and Pollux — you might need to make a ruling on if this is eligible