The standard, accepted order of instrumentation for large ensembles: fl.ob.cl.bsn - hn.tpt.trbn.tba - perc - other - vlnI.vlnII.vla.vlc.db - tape, or electronics. Saxophones appear between clarinet and bassoon.
All other scorings (less than 8 instruments) are listed in full.
When an instrument is listed in parentheses, then this instrument is doubled. "guitar (=electric guitar)" means that the guitarist plays an acoustic, as well as an electric guitar. In an orchestral setting, "1(I=picc).2(II=corA).2(II=bcl).1" would resolve to: 1 flute (also playing piccolo), 2 oboes (second oboe also playing cor anglais), 2 clarinets (second clarinet also playing bass clarinet), 1 bassoon. If there is an extra instrument, which is not doubled, then this is expressly written out, e.g. "1(I=picc).2.corA.2.bcl.1.dbn", which unravels to: 1 flute (also playing piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 1 bass clarinet, 1 bassoon, 1 double bassoon.
Solo instruments in a concerto or chamber setting are written out in front of the ensemble instruments: guitar - 1.1.1.1 - 1.0.0.0 - perc - strgs.
Genre
Orchestra
Text/Libretto
Ivan Goll, Ingeborg Bachmann, Octavio Paz, Philip Larkin, Sylvia Plath, Philippe Jacottet, E.E. Cummings, Georg Webern, Nelly Sachs, Federico Garcia Lorca, Eugenio Montale, Denis Cohen, poésie Quechua
Dedication
Andrée Savourey de Bonnay
Commission
Festival Musica de Strasbourg
Premiere
Strasbourg, France, Festival Musica, Palais de la musique et des congrés de Strasbourg, 26 September 1990: Anne Liebeck, soprano / Sharon Cooper, mezzo-soprano / Andreas Jaeggi, tenor / Jacques Bonna, baritone / Bernard Freyd, reciter / Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg, Denis Cohen (cond.)
