Luciano Berio
Compass
Short instrumentation: 4 3 4 3 - 3 3 3 1 - timp, perc(2), hp, cel, alto sax, t.sax, str
Duration: 45'
Solos:
piano
Instrumentation details:
1st piccolo
2nd piccolo
1st flute
2nd flute
1st oboe
2nd oboe
cor anglais
clarinet in Eb
1st clarinet in Bb
2nd clarinet in Bb
bass clarinet in Bb
alto saxophone in Eb
tenor saxophone in Bb
1st bassoon
2nd bassoon
contrabassoon
1st horn in F
2nd horn in F
3rd horn in F
1st trumpet in C (+tpt(D))
2nd trumpet in C
3rd trumpet in C
1st trombone
2nd trombone
3rd trombone
bass tuba
timpani
1st percussion
2nd percussion
harp
celesta
violin I
violin II
viola
violoncello
contrabass
Berio - Compass for piano and orchestra
Sample pages
Audio preview
Work introduction
Renzo Piano and I wanted Compass (a danced recital for piano and orchestra) to be a sort of three parts invention where the music, the visual elements and the choreography, would develop indipendently from each other and could occasionally meet in complete unanimity. But the third “part”, the choreography, was absent : unless you are willing to entrust choreographic dignity to an incoherent exibition of common places prompted by démi tours, by pas de bourrées, coupés, entrechats and pas de deux. It is surprising that in the Zürich Opera House - so exemplary in so many aspects - Renzo Piano’s work and mine had to share the stage with a perfectly useless choreography not even worthy of a Christmas Show.
Luciano Berio