Composition database

This is the Composition Database of BMC, which includes information about works by composers that are either Hungarian or Hungarian by origin or live in Hungary.

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Title of the work

Samuel Beckett: What is the word Op. 30b

Composer
Kurtág György
Original / Hungarian title
Samuel Beckett: what is the word Op. 30b / Samuel Beckett: Mi is a szó Op. 30b
Foreign language / English title
Samuel Beckett: What is the word Op. 30b
Subtitle
Samuel Beckett sends word through Ildikó Monyók in the translation by István Siklós
Year of composition
1991
Type
Solo voice(s) with chamber orchestra
Instrumentation
Ca. solo (rezitation) -
vocal ensemble: S., Ca., T., Bar., B. -
chamber ensembles: pnino. con super-sordino - fl. (anche rec.t.), fl. in sol (anche picc.), fl.b. (rec.b.), ob., c.ing., cl. (anche cl. in mi b), cl.b., fg., cfg. - 2 cor., 2 tr., 2 trb., tuba - cimb., arpa, cel., vibr. (anche marimba, xil., ptto.sosp. III. e raganella II.) - timp. -
perc. 1: ptto.sosp. I., tmb.b., tmb.picc.c.c., tmb.picc.s.c., maracas, 3 tom-tom, raganella I., cas., gr.c. -
perc. 2: ptto.sosp. II., ptti. a 2, trg.picc., 3 gong, campli., tam-tam -
strings: vl., vla., vlc., cb.
Duration
12 min
Text
BECKETT, Samuel
Language
Hungarian and English combined
Premiere information
27 October 1991, Vienna; Ildikó Monyók (A.), Tomkins Vocal Ensemble (chorus master: János Dobra), Ensemble Anton Webern, Claudio Abbado (cond.)
Publisher / Source
Editio Musica Budapest, Z. 13 990
Available here!
Recordings
COL LEGNO WWE 2CD 31870, 1994
DEUTSCHE GRAMOPHON 437 840-2, 1996
Remarks, other info
To the last writing of Samuel Beckett for contralto solo (recitation), five vocalists and chamber groups dispersed in space / Samuel Beckett utolsó írására Siklós István fordításában (részben angolul is), alt hangra (recitáció), ének-kvintettre és térben elosztott kamaracsoportokra

Reworking of Samuel Beckett: what is the word Op. 30, and like the latter written for singer-actress Ildikó Monyók, who remained exclusive soloist for both versions of the work until 2008. This exclusivity has recently been transferred by the composer to Hungarian actress-reciter Piroska Molnár.
 

Recordings

Title Publisher
Kurtág, György - Portraitkonzert - Salzburg, 10. 8. 1993. Col Legno