KSS50 Opus Clavicembalisticum

Piece details

Written for: Piano
Date composed: 1929–30
Dedicatee: Hugh M’Diarmid
Approximate duration (minutes): 285
Manuscript pages: 260
Manuscript location: J.W.Jagger Library, University of Cape Town
Comments: Published (J.Curwen and Sons Ltd., 909021, 1931). Sorabji wrote an analysis of this work; it was published in the book accompanying John Ogdon’s recording. See also this list of complete performances.
I PARS PRIMA

i. Introito
ii. Preludio-Corale
iii. Fuga I
iv. Fantasia
v. Fuga II

II PARS ALTERA

vi. Interludium primum
vii. Cadenza I
viii. Fuga III

III PARS TERTIA

ix. Interludium: Toccata-Adagio-Passacaglia
x. Cadenza II
xi. Fuga IV
xii. Coda-Stretta

Editions available from the Sorabji Archive

(Annotated) copy of publication, A3L. 260 pages.
Price: £65 (paper), £20 (pdf)
Right-click to download high resolution sample page: PDF PNG

Manuscript, A3L. 260 pages.
Price: £65 (paper), £20 (pdf)
Right-click to download high resolution sample page: PDF PNG

Recordings

Michael Habermann (piano),
Musical Heritage Society/MusicMasters MHS4271L (LP), MHC6271M (Cassette), MM20015 (LP), MM60015 (CD) (November 1980)
Track 1 Introito and Preludio-Corale (13:15)

Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano),
Royal Conservatory Series (Keytone Records) RCS4-800 (4LPs) (September 1983)
Track 1-12 (230:16)
Track 1 I Introito (2:55)
Track 2 II Preludio-Corale (13:51)
Track 3 III Fuga I quator vocibus (10:51)
Track 4 IV Fantasia (5:35)
Track 5 V Fuga II duplex (15:06)
Track 6 VI Interludium primum (Thema cum XLIX variationibus) (47:46)
Track 7 VII Cadenza I (4:25)
Track 8 VIII Fuga tertia triplex (32:23)
Track 9 IX Interludium alterum (53:36)
Track 10 X Cadenza II (2:49)
Track 11 XI Fuga IV quadruplex (33:30)
Track 12 XII Coda-Stretta (7:29)

John Ogdon (piano),
Altarus Records AIR-CD9075 (May 1989)
Track 1-11 (286:50)
Track 1 I Introito (2:49)
Track 2 II Preludio-Corale (13:20)
Track 3 III Fuga I quator vocibus (12:36)
Track 4 IV Fantasia (4:19)
Track 5 V Fuga II duplex (18:06)
Track 6 VI Interludium primum (Thema cum XLIX variationibus) (58:09)
Track 7 VII Cadenza I (4:22)
Track 8 VIII Fuga tertia triplex (45:16)
Track 9 IX Interludium alterum (72:58)
Track 10 X Cadenza II (3:04)
Track 11 XI Fuga IV quadruplex – XII Coda-Stretta (51:51)

Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano),
BIS Records BIS-CD-1062/1064 (5CDs) (1999)
Track 1-12 (234:23)
Track 1 I Introito (3:03)
Track 2 II Preludio-Corale (13:33)
Track 3 III Fuga I quator vocibus (12:06)
Track 4 IV Fantasia (5:35)
Track 5 V Fuga II duplex (15:30)
Track 6 VI Interludium primum (Thema cum XLIX variationibus) (44:44)
Track 7 VII Cadenza I (4:40)
Track 8 VIII Fuga tertia triplex (33:18)
Track 9 IX Interludium alterum (57:17)
Track 10 X Cadenza II (3:04)
Track 11 XI Fuga IV quadruplex (33:18)
Track 12 XII Coda-Stretta (7:30)

Michael Habermann (piano),
British Music Society BMS427-429 (3CDs) (2004)
Track 12 Introito and Preludio-Corale (13:15)

Michael Habermann (piano),
Naxos 8.571363-65 (2015)
Track 12 Introito and Preludio-Corale (13:15)

Daan Vandewalle (piano),
Passacaille PAS9703 (January 2024)
Track 1-19 (300:11)
Track 1 I Introito (2:51)
Track 2 II Preludio-Corale (14:42)
Track 3 III Fuga I quator vocibus (15:45)
Track 4 IV Fantasia (6:35)
Track 5 V Fuga II duplex (24:32)
Track 6 VI Interludium Primum (59:41)
Track 7 VII Cadenza I (6:09)
Track 8 VIII Fuga Tertia Triplex: Dux Primus (13:10)
Track 9 VIII Fuga Tertia Triplex: Dux Alter (15:32)
Track 10 VIII Fuga Tertia Triplex: Dux Tertius (18:26)
Track 11 IX Interludium Alterum: Toccata (7:35)
Track 12 IX Interludium Alterum: Adagio (12:08)
Track 13 IX Interludium Alterum: Passacaglia cum LXXXI variationibus (44:01)
Track 14 X Cadenza II (3:56)
Track 15 XI Fuga IV quadruplex: Dux primus (12:57)
Track 16 XI Fuga IV quadruplex: Dux alter (10:06)
Track 17 XI Fuga IV quadruplex: Dux tertius (10:28)
Track 18 XI Fuga IV quadruplex: Dux quartus (10:31)
Track 19 XII Coda-Stretta (11:06)

Tellef Johnson (piano),
Opus A Records Opus A Records #002 (2024)
Track 2 Quasi Tambura (1:07)
Track 3 Quasi Tambura (1:11)
Track 4 Quasi Tambura (1:15)
Track 5 Quasi Tambura (0:53)
Track 6 Quasi Tambura (0:59)
Track 7 Quasi Tambura (0:58)

Performances

01/12/1930 Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji (piano)
Stevenson Hall, Glasgow, Scotland
Active Society for the Propagation of Contemporary Music
10/03/1936 John Tobin (piano) [i-v]
Cowdray Hall Contemporary Music Centre, London, UK
01/12/1959 John Ogdon (piano)
Townfoot House (home of Ronald Stevenson), West Linton, Scotland
Private reading
15/04/1978 Michael Habermann (piano) [i, ii]
Great Hall, Post College, Greenvale NY, USA
13/05/1978 Michael Habermann (piano) [i, ii]
Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, New York NY, USA
19/09/1978 Michael Habermann (piano) [i, ii]
Great Hall, Post College, Greenvale NY, USA
27/09/1978 Michael Habermann (piano) [i, ii]
Music Building, Nassau Community College, Garden City NY, USA
06/10/1978 Michael Habermann (piano) [i, ii]
Midland Center for the Arts, Midland MI, USA
American Liszt Society Festival
09/08/1979 Michael Habermann (piano) [i, ii]
University of Maryland, College Park MD, USA
International Piano Festival: Lecture-recital
01/02/1980 Paul Rapoport (computer realisation) [extract]
Walter Hall, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
New Music Concerts: Illustrated Lecture by Paul Rapoport
01/06/1980 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [i, ii]
Muziekcentrum Vredenburg, Utrecht, Netherlands
Holland Festival
05/06/1980 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [i, ii]
Centrum Bellevue, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Holland Festival
09/06/1980 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [i, ii]
Cultureel Centrum de Hagen, Almelo, Netherlands
Holland Festival
11/06/1980 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [i, ii]
Schönbergzaal, Koninklijk Conservatorium, Den Haag, Netherlands
Holland Festival
11/06/1982 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano)
Muziekcentrum Vredenburg, Utrecht, Netherlands
Holland Festival
28/06/1982 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [x-xii]
Priory Church of St Bartholomew, London, UK
24/04/1983 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano)
Mandel Hall, University of Chicago, Chicago IL, USA
Contemporary Concerts
10/05/1983 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano)
Beethovenhalle, Bonn, Germany
XXXI Internationales Beethovenfest
02/11/1983 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [x-xii]
Chamber Hall, Århus, Denmark
International Society for Contemporary Music (World Music Days)
09/11/1984 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano)
Redpath Hall, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
Les Événements du Neuf
14/11/1984 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [i, ii]
McLaughlin Hall, Faculty of Music, York University, Toronto, Canada
14/11/1984 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [i, ii]
Music Gallery, Toronto, Canada
02/08/1986 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [i, ii, iv]
Youth Hall, Viitasaari, Finland
4th International Summer Academy and Festival: “Time of Music”
12/02/1988 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [i, ii]
Universitets Aula, Oslo, Norway
Norsk Tangentfestival
14/07/1988 John Ogdon (piano)
Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, UK
09/10/1988 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano)
Opéra Comique, Paris, France
Festival d’Automne
02/11/1988 John Ogdon (piano)
Skinners’ Hall, Dowgate Street, London, UK
Cornhill Festival of British Music
01/03/1990 Julian Saphir (piano) [i]
Lecture room, Royal College of Music, London, UK
Lecture-recital
21/05/1990 Julian Saphir (piano) [i, ii]
Recital Hall, Royal College of Music, London, UK
21/01/1993 Julian Saphir (piano) [i, ii]
British Music Information Centre, London, UK
28/04/1995 Simon Abrahams (piano) [ix(Adagio)]
Turner Sims Concert Hall, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
Lunchtime Recital
12/11/1998 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [i, ii]
India International Centre, New Delhi, India
20/11/1998 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [i, ii]
National Centre for the Performing Arts, Mumbai, Inda
22/11/1998 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [i, ii]
Gulati Hall, Poona, India
28/11/1998 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [i, ii]
Guru Nanak Bhavan, Bangalore, India
19/12/2000 Eric Huebner (piano), Su-Yen Jeon (piano), Lora Tchekoratova (piano) [vi(extract),vii, ix(extract)]
Paul Recital Hall, Juilliard School of Music, New York NY, USA
“B-A-C-H”
12/03/2002 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano)
Konzertsaal, Universität der Künste, Berlin, Germany
“Klavier Solitär”: Berliner Festspiele “MaerzMusik” series
10/09/2003 Jean-Jacques Schmid (piano) [i]
Konzertsaal, Hochschule der Künste Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Bern Biennale
16/09/2003 Jonathan Powell (piano)
Purcell Room, London, UK
23/11/2003 Kazue Nakamura (piano) [i, ii, iv]
Theatre Rameau Rokkou, Hyogo, Japan
07/03/2004 Daan Vandewalle (piano)
Kamermuziekzaal, Concertgebouw, Brugge, Belgium
20/06/2004 Jonathan Powell (piano)
Merkin Hall, New York NY, USA
12/03/2005 Jonathan Powell (piano)
Almi Hall, Opera House, Helsinki, Finland
“Musica Nova” Festival
17/03/2005 Jonathan Powell (piano)
Sheremetev Palace, 34 Fontanka River Embankment, St. Petersburg, Russia
02/03/2006 Vasilios Tsokis (piano) [i, ii]
St-Vallerin, Burgundy, France
Rencontres Culturelles Le Pinacle
12/04/2006 Daan Vandewalle (piano) [i, ii]
Musée d’Art Contemporaine, Strasbourg, France
27/09/2008 Elsa Silva (piano) [extract]
Palco do Grande Auditório, Lisbon, Portugal
Festival Expresso Oriente 2008
20/02/2009 Daan Vandewalle (piano) [i, ii, iii]
Theatre du chatelet, Paris, France
27/02/2009 Daan Vandewalle (piano)
Auditorio nacional, Madrid, Spain
28/05/2010 Daan Vandewalle (piano) [x-xii]
De Bijloke Muziekcentrum, Ghent, Belgium
12/06/2011 HyunSoo Kim (piano) [extract]
Central Recital Hall, Rocky Ridge Music Center, Rocky Ridge, CO, USA
Young Artist Recital Series, Rocky Ridge Music Festival
19/10/2012 Lukas Huisman (piano) [vii(extract), ix(Adagio), xii(extract)]
University of Coventry, Coventry, UK
Lecture-recital Intime 2012 Symposium
27/11/2012 Lukas Huisman (piano) [i, ii, ix(Adagio), vii, xii]
Logos Foundation, Tetrahedron Concert Hall, Gent, Belgium
Lecture-recital
16/12/2012 Lukas Huisman (piano) [i, ii, ix(Adagio), vii, xii]
De Toonzaal, s'Hertogenbosch, Netherlands
Lecture-recital
08/02/2013 Lukas Huisman (piano) [vii(extract), ix(Adagio), xii(extract)]
Royal College of Music, London, UK
Lecture-recital, LIPS 2013 Symposium
28/03/2013 Lukas Huisman (piano) [vii(extrat), ix(Adagio), xii(extract)]
Aula, University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium
Week of Contemporary Music: lecture-recital
14/09/2014 Esther Archer Lakhani (piano) [extract]
Littlefield Concert Hall, Oakland, CA, USA
“India in the English musical imagination, 1897-1947”: concert to launch the book Resonances of the Raj (OUP) by Prof. Nalini Ghuman
31/07/2016 Daan Vandewalle (piano)
Heimathafen Neukölln, Berlin, Germany
Festival “Schwelbrand Overkill”
07/09/2016 Lukas Huisman (piano) [extract]
Miry Hall, Conservatoire, Ghent, Belgium
Lecture-recital
19/02/2017 Hiroaki Ooi (piano) [i-ix]
Shōtō Salon, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
05/05/2017 Jonathan Powell (piano)
St Michael’s Church, Brighton, UK
09/05/2017 Jonathan Powell (piano)
Rosslyn Hill Chapel, London, UK
13/05/2017 Jonathan Powell (piano)
Jacqueline du Pré Music Building, Oxford, UK
25/08/2017 Hiroaki Ooi (piano)
Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo, Japan
01/10/2017 Jonathan Powell (piano)
Musentempel, Karlsruhe, Germany
06/10/2017 Jonathan Powell (piano)
Glasgow University, Glasgow, UK
13/11/2017 Jonathan Powell (piano)
JAMU (Janacek Academy) concert hall, Brno, Czech Republic
14/11/2019 Daan Vandewalle (piano)
Villa Elisabeth, Invalidenstrasse, Berlin, Germany
06/11/2022 Tellef Johnson (piano) [ix(extract)]
Jeannik Méquet Littlefield Concert Hall, Mills College, Oakland CA, USA
Starting at 3pm
29/03/2023 Tellef Johnson (piano) [Quasi Tambura]
Annett Recital Hall, University of Wisconsin, La Crosse WI, USA
29/08/2023 Tellef Johnson (piano) [ix extract]
Founders’ Hall, South Dakota State University, Brookings SD, USA
30/08/2023 Tellef Johnson (piano) [ix extract]
Hamre Hall, Augustana University, Sioux Falls SD, USA
16/12/2023 Tellef Johnson (piano) [ix, extract]
Xenakis Residence, Sioux Falls, MD, USA
31/03/2024 Yi-Chung Huang (piano) [i,ii]
Klavierhaus, New York, NY, USA
23/08/2025 Harry Bowden (piano) [i/ii]
Carole Nash Hall, Chetham’s School of Music, Manchester, UK

Broadcasts etc.

??/??/1975 Paul Rapoport (computer realisation) [extract]
School of Music Building, University of Illinois, Urbana IL, USA [recording]
Lecture on Sorabji by Paul Rapoport
20/10/1975 Paul Rapoport (computer realisation) [extract]
Fine Arts Building University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada [recording]
Lecture on Sorabji by Paul Rapoport
11/06/1977 Yonty Solomon (piano) [i[x]]
LWT (London Weekend Television), London, UK [broadcast]
“Aquarius” programme
08/05/1978 Michael Habermann (piano) [i, ii]
WQXR (radio), New York NY, USA [broadcast of recording]
“The Listening Room” programme
11/06/1980 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [i, ii]
NOS (Nederlandse Omroeprogramma Stichting), Den Haag, Netherlands [broadcast]
live relay
24/07/1980 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [i, ii]
ABC Television, Sydney, Australia [broadcast]
12/10/1980 Paul Rapoport (computer realisation) [extract]
Home of William Marsh, Newtown PA, USA [recording]
Delius Society (Philadelphia branch) meeting: Lecture by Paul Rapoport
??/03/1981 Michael Habermann (piano) [i, ii]
US National Public Radio (many stations), , USA [broadcast]
“Grand Piano” programme
11/06/1982 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano)
NOS (Nederlandse Omroeprogramma Stichting), Utrecht, Netherlands [broadcast]
live relay
25/08/1982 Michael Habermann (piano) [i, ii]
WUHY (later WHYY) (radio), Philadelphia PA, USA [broadcast of recording]
90th birthday tribute
17/03/1983 Michael Habermann (piano) [i, ii]
McGill University, Montréal, Canada [recording]
Illustrated Lecture by Marc-André Roberge
15/08/1983 Michael Habermann (piano) [i, ii]
WFUY (radio), New York NY, USA [broadcast of recording]
“Concert Grande” programme
22/08/1983 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [ix(Passacaglia)]
WFUY (radio), New York NY, USA [broadcast of recording]
“Concert Grande” programme
29/08/1983 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [x, xi, xii]
WFUY (radio), New York NY, USA [broadcast of recording]
“Concert Grande” programme
07/04/1984 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano)
WFMT (radio), Chicago IL, USA [broadcast]
06/01/1985 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano)
Radio-Canada, Montréal, Canada [broadcast]
“Musique de notre siècle” programme
02/08/1986 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [i, ii, iv]
(see above), Viitasaari, Finland [broadcast]
Finnish Television
15/07/1988 John Ogdon (piano) [i(extract)]
BBC World Service, London, UK [broadcast]
“Outlook” programme
16/07/1988 John Ogdon (piano) [i(extract)]
BBC World Service, London, UK [repeat broadcast]
“Outlook” programme
22/07/1988 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [extract]
BBC World Service, London, UK [broadcast of recording]
Special Overseas Service
26/07/1988 John Ogdon (piano) [i,ii[x]]
Cleveland Lodge (home of Lady Susi Jeans), Dorking, UK [recording]
Organists’ Summer School: Illustrated Lecture
18/01/1989 John Ogdon (piano) [xi(extract)]
BBC Radio 4, London, UK [broadcast of recording]
“Kaleidoscope” programme
24/02/1989 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [ix(Adagio)]
NOS (Nederlandse Omroeprogramma Stichting), Hilversum, Netherlands [broadcast]
19/03/1989 John Ogdon (piano) [vi, xii(extract)]
LWT (London Weekend Television), London, UK [broadcast]
“South Bank Show” programme
19/09/1989 John Ogdon (piano) [vi, xii(extract)]
Channel 4 Television, London, UK [repeat broadcast]
repeat from LWT (London Weekend Television)
24/09/1989 John Ogdon (piano) [vii]
BBC Radio 3, London, UK [broadcast of recording]
27/12/1989 John Ogdon (piano) [vii]
BBC Radio 3, London, UK [repeat broadcast of recording]
01/03/1990 John Ogdon (piano) [vi, ix, xii(extract)]
Lecture room, Royal College of Music, London, UK [recording]
Lecture-recital
13/06/1990 Michael Habermann (piano) [i, ii]
KPBX Radio, Spokane WA, USA [broadcast of recording]
“Chamber Music” programme
14/08/1990 John Ogdon (piano) [iii, iv, v]
WFUV Radio, New York NY, USA [broadcast of recording]
“Concert Grande” programme
09/08/1992 John Ogdon (piano) [i, ix, xi(extract), xii]
Radio Bremen, Bremen, Germany [broadcast of recording]
Hauptabteilung E-Musik, Redaktion Neue Musik
10/08/1992 John Ogdon (piano) [i, ii]
Channel 2, Swedish Broadcasting Corporation, Stockholm, Sweden [broadcast of recording]
17/08/1992 John Ogdon (piano) [x-xii]
Channel 2, Swedish Broadcasting Corporation, Stockholm, Sweden [broadcast of recording]
29/10/1992 John Ogdon (piano) [vi(extract), ix(extract)]
École de Musique, Salle Henri-Gagnon Université Laval, Québec, Canada [recording]
Sorabji centenary lecture (Marc-André Roberge)
04/09/2001 John Ogdon (piano) [extract]
WDR (Radio), Köln, Germany [broadcast of recording]
Atlas der Moderne 166: presentation by Jens Hagestedt
04/09/2001 John Ogdon (piano), Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [extract]
WDR (Radio), Köln, Germany [broadcast of recording]
Atlas der Moderne 166: presentation by Jens Hagestedt
12/11/2002 John Ogdon (piano) [extract]
WDR (Radio), Köln, Germany [broadcast of recording]
Atlas der Moderne 166: presentation by Jens Hagestedt
12/11/2002 John Ogdon (piano), Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [extract]
WDR (Radio), Köln, Germany [broadcast of recording]
Atlas der Moderne 166: presentation by Jens Hagestedt
23/06/2004 John Ogdon (piano) [i, v]
WPRB, Princeton NJ, USA [broadcast of recording]
“Classical Discoveries” programme
11/07/2005 John Ogdon (piano)
WPRB, Princeton NJ, USA [broadcast of recording]
“Classical Discoveries” programme
07/10/2007 John Ogdon (piano) [extract]
BBC Radio 3, London, UK [broadcast of recording]
Iain Burnside’s playlist
19/01/2011 John Ogdon (piano)
CJUM, Winnipeg, Canada [broadcast of recording]
13/11/2011 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [vi-ix]
Filodiffusione (“Canale 5”), , Italy [broadcast of recording]
15/10/2017 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [i extract]
BBC Radio 4, London, UK [broadcast of recording]
“Something understood: Simplicity”, presented by Mark Tully
02/03/2018 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [iv/v]
De Concertzender, Utrecht, Netherlands [broadcast of recording]
30/05/2019 John Ogdon (piano) [1/6x/9x/12x]
ORF Austrian Radio, Vienna, Austria [broadcast of recording]
Faszinosum Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji: Opus - das Musikkolloquium
25/02/2023 Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) [extracts from i, v, vii, xi, xii]
Radio-France: https://www.radiofrance.fr/francemusique/podcasts/musicopolis/kaikhosru-sorabji-un-compositeur-bien-secret-6078820, Paris, France [broadcast of recording]
Musicopolis