Excerpt: Jazz compositions for heckelphone (chronological)
by Peter Hurd; reorganized and amended by Holger Hoos, editor-in-chief since 2020
version 2 (1 February 2022)
This collection is based on the catalogue of musical works requiring heckelphone or bass oboe instrumentation assembled by Peter Hurd beginning in 1998. For this new edition, the original version of the repertoire list has been edited for accuracy, completeness and consistency, and it has been extended with a number of newly discovered pieces.
Some entries could not (yet) be rigorously verified for accuracy; these were included nonetheless, to provide leads for future investigation, but are marked clearly. Pieces were selected for inclusion based solely on the use of heckelphone, bass oboe or lupophone, without any attempt at assessing their artistic merit. Arrangements of pieces not originally intended for these instruments were included when there was clear evidence that they had found a significant audience.
We gratefully acknowledge contributions by Crawford Best, Ulrich Brokamp, Michael Finkelman, Francis Firth, Alain Girard, Thomas Hiniker, Robert Howe, Gunther Joppig, Georg Otto Klapproth, Mark Perchanok, Andrew Shreeves and Michael Sluman.
Cui, César (1835-1918): Oriental Fox Trot (arrangement by Paul Whiteman and Ferde Grofé), 1922
Remarks: featuring Ross Gorman on heckelphone; the original Orientale by César Cui was written for violin and piano
Duration: 3min
Tags: heckelphone; jazz
A recording is available here.
Gershwin, George (1898-1937): Rhapsody in Blue, 1924
Publisher: Alfred Music (00-FS0004)
Remarks: for piano and jazz band; commissioned by Paul Whiteman; orchestrated by Ferde Grofé; premiere on 12 February 1924, in Aeolian Hall, New York City (NY), USA, by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra with George Gershwin (piano); unlike later orchestrations, the original 1924 version uses heckelphone (played at the premiere by Ross Gorman)
Duration: 17min
Tags: heckelphone; jazz, orchestra
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Herbert, Victor (1859-1924): A Suite of Serenades, 1924
Remarks: for jazz orchestra; heckelphone is used in No. 4 "Oriental"; commissioned by Paul Whiteman; premiere on 12 February 1924, in Aeolian Hall, New York City (NY), USA, by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, with Ross Gorman on heckelphone
Duration: 8min
Tags: heckelphone; jazz
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Sowerby, Leo (1895-1968): Synconata, 1924
Remarks: for symphonic jazz orchestra; written for Paul Whiteman's band; premiere on 28 December 1924 in New York City (NY), USA, by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, with Ross Gorman on heckelphone
Duration: 10min
Tags: heckelphone; orchestra, jazz
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Gershwin, George (1898-1937): Concerto in F (arrangement by Ferde Grofé), 1926
Publisher: Whiteman Collection, Williams College, Williamstown (MA), USA (ms)
Remarks: arrangement for piano and orchestra; original 1925 version commissioned by Walter Damrosch; Grofé's arrangement for the Paul Whiteman Orchestra was the one used in the first recording in 1928; premiere on 7 October 1928 in New York City (NY), USA, by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, with Charles Strickfaden on heckelphone
Duration: 24min
Tags: heckelphone; jazz, orchestra, arrangement
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Grofé, Ferde (1892-1972): Metropolis: A Blue Fantasy, 1928
Remarks: symphonic jazz tone poem for orchestra, piano and male trio; premiere on 7 October 1928 at Carnegie Hall, New York City (NY), USA, by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, with Charles Strickfaden on heckelphone
Duration: 16min
Tags: heckelphone; jazz, orchestra
A recording is available here.
Wiggins, Eddie (1917-1995): Orientale, 1946
Publisher: Sultan Records (2501A)
Remarks: played by the Eddie Wiggins Sextette
Tags: heckelphone; jazz
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Wiggins, Eddie (1917-1995): Onyx Jump, 1946
Publisher: Sultan Records (2502B)
Remarks: played by the Eddie Wiggins Sextette
Tags: heckelphone; jazz
A recording is available here.
Johnson, Aubrey: Honking Heck, 1964 [??]this entry has not (yet) been verified
Remarks: commissioned by the BBC Symphony Orchestra
Tags: heckelphone; jazz
Additional information can be found here.
Winter, Paul (1939-): Earth: Voices Of A Planet (album), 1990
Publisher: Living Music (LD0019)
Remarks: a heckelphone part, played by Mark Perchanok, can be heard prominently in "And The Earth Spins (Finale)", written by Paul Halley
Duration: 58min
Tags: heckelphone; jazz
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Winter, Paul (1939-): Noah and the Ark, 1992 [?]this entry is only partially verified
Publisher: Rabbit Ears Productions
Remarks: narrated by Kelly McGillis
Duration: 25min
Tags: heckelphone; jazz
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Winter, Paul (1939-): The Man Who Planted Trees (album), 1993
Publisher: Living Music (LD0030)
Remarks: based on the short story by Jean Giono, narrated by Robert J. Lurtsema; featuring Mark Perchanok on heckelphone
Duration: 40min
Tags: heckelphone; jazz
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Winter, Paul (1939): Prayer for the Wild Things (album), 1994
Publisher: Living Music (LD0028)
Remarks: heckelphone parts, played by Mark Perchanok, can be heard prominently in "Prelude: Eagle Mountain", "Morning: Buffalo Prairie", "Twilight: Sunset On Eagle Mountain", "Overture to a New Day: Night Into Dawn" and "Overture to a New Day: Eagle Mountain"
Duration: 69min
Tags: heckelphone; jazz
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Papadakos, Dorothy (1960-): Christmas Traveller, 1998
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Remarks: jazz Christmas concerto for chorus, baritone, orchestra and jazz trumpet; in the recording, the heckelphone part is played by Mark Perchanok
Duration: 17min
Tags: heckelphone; jazz, orchestra
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Schuller, Ed (1925-2015): Dra Kumba (arrangement by Gunther Schuller), 1998 [?]this entry is only partially verified
Remarks: from the album "Witchi-Tai-To (The Music Of Jim Pepper)"; arrangement for orchestra and jazz ensemble; recorded March 1998 in Köln, Germany, by WDR Rundfunkorchester Köln & The Jim Pepper Remembrance Band under Gunther Schuller
Duration: 9min
Tags: heckelphone; jazz, orchestra, arrangement
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Lehfuss, Augustin (1963-): Jazzy Ideas, 2009 [?]this entry is only partially verified
Remarks: for 8 oboe instruments and jazz trio; commissioned by Gregor Witt; premiere in 2011 in Markneukirchen, Germany
Duration: 7min
Tags: heckelphone, bass oboe; jazz
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Lehfuss, Augustin (1963-): Ballad for Double Reeds, 2009 [?]this entry is only partially verified
Remarks: for 8 oboe instruments and jazz trio; commissioned by Gregor Witt; premiere in 2011 in Markneukirchen, Germany
Duration: 4min
Tags: heckelphone, bass oboe; jazz
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Lehfuss, Augustin (1963-): Double Reed Blues, 2009 [?]this entry is only partially verified
Remarks: for 8 oboe instruments and jazz trio; commissioned by Gregor Witt; premiere in 2011 in Markneukirchen, Germany
Duration: 4min
Tags: heckelphone, bass oboe; jazz
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Lehfuss, Augustin (1963-): Rostock's Fun Fare, 2009 [?]this entry is only partially verified
Remarks: for 8 oboe instruments and jazz trio; commissioned by Gregor Witt; premiere in 2011 in Markneukirchen, Germany
Duration: 3min
Tags: heckelphone, bass oboe; jazz
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.