Excerpt: Operas using 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.
Rossini, Gioachino (1792-1868): Guillaume Tell (arrangement by Willem de Haan), 1905
Remarks: due to a misunderstanding of a common Italian practice for notating cor anglais parts in bass clef, one octave below the sound of the instrument, there were several performances that used the newly introduced heckelphone instead of cor anglais in this piece (notably for the well-known solo in the overture); the first such performance, on 8 January 1905 in Darmstadt under Willem de Haan, was the first occasion on which the heckelphone was heard in public; the original opera in four acts was first performed on 3 August 1829 in Paris, France, by the Opéra de Paris under François-Antoine Habeneck
Duration: 240min
Tags: heckelphone; opera, arrangement
Additional information can be found here.
Strauss, Richard (1864-1949): Salome, op. 54, 1903-1905
Publisher: Adolph Fürstner, Berlin
Remarks: opera in one act; libretto by the composer, after the play by Oscar Wilde, in a German translation by Hedwig Lachmann; dedicated to Sir Edgar Speyer; premiere on 9 December 1905 in Dresden, Germany, under Ernst von Schuch, with Emil Sehnert playing heckelphone #10
Duration: 100min
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Schillings, Max von (1868-1933): Moloch (Musikalische Tragödie), op. 20, 1903-1906
Publisher: Bote & Bock, Berlin (1906); Boosey & Hawkes (rental)
Remarks: libretto by Emil Gerhauser after Friedrich Hebbel; premiere on 8 December 1906 in Dresden, Germany, under Ernst von Schuch, with Emil Sehnert playing heckelphone #10
Duration: 160min
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here.
Braunfels, Walter (1882-1954): Prinzessin Brambilla (Phantasiestück nach E.T.A. Hoffmann), op. 12, 1906-1908 [?]this entry is only partially verified
Publisher: Lewy, München (1908); Universal Edition, Wien (1930)
Remarks: original two-act version completed in 1908; revised in 1929/30; dedicated to Max von Schillings; premiere of the original version on 25 March 1909 at the Staatstheater Stuttgart under Max von Schillings
Duration: 120min
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Strauss, Richard (1864-1949): Elektra, op. 58, 1906-1908
Publisher: Adolph Fürstner, Berlin
Remarks: opera in one act; libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal; dedicated to Natalie and Willy Levi; premiere on 25 January 1909 in Dresden, Germany, under Ernst von Schuch, with Emil Sehnert playing heckelphone #10
Duration: 105min
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Delius, Frederick (1862-1934): Fennimore and Gerda (Two episodes from the life of Niels Lyhne in eleven pictures), 1908-1910
Publisher: Universal Edition, Wien
Remarks: German-language opera with four interludes; dedicated to Sir Thomas Beecham; premiere on 21 October 1919 at the Opernhaus in Frankfurt, Germany, under Gustav Brecher; according to Klapproth (2008), it is likely that the bass oboe part in the score was originally intended for heckelphone
Duration: 80min
Tags: heckelphone, bass oboe; opera
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Pahissa, Jaume (1880-1969): Canigó, 1910
Publisher: Biblioteca de Catalunya (M 3702, ms)
Remarks: lyrical opera in three acts, based on a poem by Jacint Verdaguer
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here.
Weingartner, Felix (1863-1942): Kain und Abel, op. 54, 1913
Publisher: Universal Edition (rental)
Remarks: opera in one act; dedicated to Ernst Ludwig Grossherzog von Hessen und bei Rhein; premiere on 17 May 1914 in Darmstadt, Germany
Duration: 75min
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here.
Schillings, Max von (1868-1933): Mona Lisa, op. 31, 1915
Publisher: Universal Edition; Drei Masken, Berlin (1918)
Remarks: libretto by Beatrice von Dovsky; dedicated to the Philosophy Faculty of the University of Heidelberg; premiere on 26 September 1915 in Stuttgart, Germany, under Max von Schillings, with the heckelphone part played by Carl Riedel
Duration: 150min
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Hindemith, Rudolf (1900-1974): Konradin, der letzte Hohenstaufe, 1937-1938 [?]this entry is only partially verified
Publisher: Hindemith-Institut, Frankfurt (ms)
Remarks: opera in 3 acts
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Monteverdi, Claudio (1567-1643): L'Orfeo (adaptation by Carl Orff), 1939
Remarks: opera in three acts; second and final version, with one heckelphone part
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Hindemith, Paul (1895-1963): Cardillac (revised version), op. 39, 1952
Publisher: Schott Music, Mainz
Remarks: opera in four acts based on a text by Ferdinand Lion; the original version of 1926 does not appear to include a heckelphone part, while the revised version from 1952 specifies heckelphone as an alternate for the tenor saxophone part; premiere on 20 June 1952 at the Stadttheater Zürich, Switzerland, under Victor Reinshagen
Duration: 130min
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here.
Eyser, Eberhard (1932-): Abu Said (Der Sohn des Kalifen), 1970 [?]this entry is only partially verified
Publisher: Breitkopf & Härtel
Remarks: opera in 1 act; libretto by Axel Strindberg; revised 1974; premiere 17 October 1976 in Stockholm
Duration: 90min
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here.
Weishappel, Rudolf (1921-2006): König Nicolo, 1971
Publisher: Proscenium Artist Management
Remarks: opera in 2 acts and 6 scenes, based on a drama Frank Wedekind; the first, shorter version from 1953 also used heckelphone
Duration: 130min
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here.
Weishappel, Rudolf (1921-2006): Vokalsymphonie König Nicolo, 1977
Publisher: Proscenium Artist Management
Remarks: symphony in four movements for solo soprano, mixed chorus and large orchestra, after the opera "König Nicolo"
Duration: 35min
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here.
Henze, Hans Werner (1926-2012): Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria, 1981
Publisher: Schott Music (rental)
Duration: 180min
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here.
Chailly, Luciano (1920-2002): La cantatrice calva, 1982
Publisher: Ricordi
Remarks: chamber opera in one act; text by Eugène Ionesco
Duration: 105min
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here.
Henze, Hans Werner (1926-2012): Die Englisch Katze (The English Cat), 1980-1983
Publisher: Schott Music (BN 3364-20)
Remarks: a story for singers and instrumentalists by Edward Bond; commissioned by Süddeutscher Rundfunk and the Württemberg State Theatre Stuttgart; dedicated to Hans-Peter Doll; premiere on 2 June 1983 in Schwetzingen, Germany, by the Württembergische Staatsoper Stuttgart under Dennis Russell Davies; revised version 1990
Duration: 130min
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Reimann, Aribert (1936-): Troades, 1984-1985
Publisher: Schott Music (rental)
Remarks: opera, based on a text by Franz Werfel; commissioned by the Bayerische Staatsoper München; premiere on 7 July 1986 in Munich, Germany, under Gerd Albrecht
Duration: 120min
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Aho, Kalevi (1949-): Hyönteiselämää (Insect Life / Aus dem Leben der Insekten), 1985-1987
Publisher: Fennica Gehrman
Remarks: opera in two acts; the libretto of Kalevi Aho is based on a play by Josef and Karel Capek; tape music composed 1996; commissioned by the City of Savonlinna and the Savonlinna Opera Festival; premiere on 27 September 1996 by the chorus and orchestra of the Finnish National Opera under Pertti Pekkanen
Duration: 2h45
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here.
Lombardi, Luca (1945-): Faust (Un travestimento), 1986-1990
Publisher: Ricordi
Remarks: opera in 3 acts and 12 scenes; text by E. Sanguineti (after Goethe); commissioned by Theater Basel
Duration: 150min
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Reimann, Aribert (1936-): Das Schloß, 1989-1992
Publisher: Schott Music (rental)
Remarks: opera in 2 parts, based on a novel by Franz Kafka; premiere on 2 September 1992 in Berlin, Germany, under Michael Boder
Duration: 165min
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Glanert, Detlev (1960-): Der Spiegel des großen Kaisers, op. 24, 1989-1993
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Remarks: opera in two acts; libretto by Detlev Glanert and Ulfert Becker, based on the novel by Arnold Zweig; premiere on 23 November 1995 at the Nationaltheater Mannheim, under Peter Theiler (director) and Jun Märkl (conductor)
Duration: 110min
Tags: heckelphone, bass oboe; opera
Additional information can be found here.
Pintscher, Matthias (1971-): Thomas Chatterton, 1993
Publisher: Bärenreiter (BA 7371)
Remarks: opera in two parts after Hans Hanny Jahnn; premiere on 25 May 1998 in Dresden, Germany, under Marc Albrecht; a reduced version, still using heckelphone, has been completed in 2000; a separate, 23min piece from the opera for baritone and orchestra has been published by Bärenreiter (BA 7380) and also uses heckelphone
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here.
Riehm, Rolf (1937-): Das Schweigen der Sirenen, 1994
Publisher: Ricordi (Sy. 3217)
Remarks: music theatre; an earlier version for soprano, tenor and orchestra also exists; based on a short story by Franz Kafka; premiere on 9 October 1994 in Stuttgart, Germany
Duration: 90min
Tags: heckelphone; opera, orchestra
Additional information can be found here.
Aho, Kalevi (1949-): Salaisuuksien kirja (The Book of Secrets), 1998
Publisher: Fennica Gehrman
Remarks: opera in one act and four scenes, libretto by Paavo Rintala and Kalevi Aho; commissioned by Lahti Opera for the celebration of the Millennium; premiere on 15 July 2000 at the Savonlinna Opera Festival
Duration: 1h14
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here.
Everhartz, Jury (1971-): Der Kommissar, 2002
Remarks: libretto by Kristine Tornquist; premiere 15 March 2002 at Jugendstiltheater am Steinhof, Vienna
Duration: 141min
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Reimann, Aribert (1936-): Medea, 2007-2009
Publisher: Schott Music (ED 20974)
Remarks: opera in four images; commissed by Wiener Staatsoper; based on a play by Franz Grillparzer; premiere on 28 February 2010 in Vienna, Austria, under Michael Boder
Duration: 120min
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Wagner, Richard (1813-1883): Die Walküre (Erster Tag des Bühnenfestspiels "Der Ring des Nibelungen"; arrangement by Eberhard Kloke), 2011
Publisher: Universal Edition
Remarks: arrangement of Wagner's 1856 opera by Eberhard Kloke for soloists and medium-size orchastra
Duration: 300min
Tags: heckelphone; opera, arrangement
Additional information can be found here.
Wagner, Richard (1813-1883): Das Rheingold (Vorabend des Bühnenfestspiels "Der Ring des Niebelunge"; arrangement by Eberhard Kloke), 2011
Publisher: Universal Edition (UE 35 618)
Remarks: arrangement of Wagner's 1854 opera by Eberhard Kloke for soloists and medium-size orchestra
Duration: 140min
Tags: heckelphone; opera, arrangement
Additional information can be found here.
Wagner, Richard (1813-1883): Siegfried (Zweiter Tag des Bühnenfestspiels "Der Ring des Nibelungen"; arrangement by Eberhard Kloke), 2012
Publisher: Universal Edition (UE 36 177)
Remarks: arrangement of Wagner's 1871 opera by Eberhard Kloke for soloists and medium-size orchastra
Duration: 300min
Tags: heckelphone; opera, arrangement
Additional information can be found here.
Sotelo, Maurico (1961-): El público, 2010-2013
Remarks: opera in five scenes and a prologue; libretto by Andrés Ibáñez, based on the play by Federico García Lorca; commissioned by Gerard Mortier for the Teatro Real de Madrid; premiere on 24 February 2015 in Madrid, Spain
Duration: 142min
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Reimann, Aribert (1936-): L'Invisible (Trilogie lyrique), 2011-2017
Publisher: Schott Music (rental)
Remarks: based on three short plays by Maurice Maeterlinck; commissioned by Deutsche Oper Berlin; premiere on 8 October 2017 in Berlin, Germany, under Donald Runnicles
Duration: 90min
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here; a recording is available here.
Santos, Luís (2000): Anastasia, 2018 [??]this entry has not (yet) been verified
Tags: heckelphone; opera
Additional information can be found here.
Wagner, Richard (1813-1883): Götterdämmerung (Dritter Tag des Bühnenfestspiels "Der Ring des Nibelungen"; arrangement by Eberhard Kloke), 2018
Publisher: Universal Edition (UE 36 179)
Remarks: arrangement of Wagner's 1874 opera by Eberhard Klose for soloists, chorus and medium-size orchestra; premiere on 25 May 2019 in Würzburg, Germany, by Philharmonisches Orchester Würzburg under Enrico Calesso
Duration: 300min
Tags: heckelphone; opera, arrangement
Additional information can be found here.