100 Transcendental Etudes (1940–44)



The following table shows titles and durations of Sorabji’s 100 Transcendental Studies. In addition, information on all known first perfomances is given.

[The timings on this page are those taken by Fredrik Ullén in his BIS recording of the entire series: see first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth for all the recordings in the series).]



Nr. Title Dur. Cum. World première performance
  Pianist Date City Country
1 Mouvementé 1:50 0:01:50 Yonty Solomon 30/09/1979 Como Italy
2 Vivace e leggiero 1:09 0:02:59 Carlo Grante 20/07/1995 Newport, Rhode Island USA
3 4:17 0:07:16 Carlo Grante 24/03/2000 Milano Italy
4 Scriabinesco. Soave e con tenerezza nostalgica 2:53 0:10:09 Carlo Grante 18/10/1998 London UK
5 Staccato e leggiero 1:24 0:11:33 Fredrik Ullén 27/04/2002 Stockholm Sweden
6 1:37 0:13:10 Fredrik Ullén 15/07/2002 Williamstown MA USA
7 Leggiero abbastanza 1:07 0:14:17 Carlo Grante 20/07/1995 Newport, Rhode Island USA
8 1:56 0:16:13 Fredrik Ullén 15/02/2003 Stockholm Sweden
9 Staccato e leggiero 0:58 0:17:11 Andrew Ball 02/11/1997 York UK
10 Con brio ed impeto — Volante 3:09 0:20:20 Yonty Solomon 30/09/1979 Como Italy
11 Animato abbastanza 1:37 0:21:57 Fredrik Ullén 17/08/2003 Hamburg Germany
12 Leggerio quasi “saltando” 1:44 0:23:41 Carlo Grante 23/08/1996 Husum Germany
13 3:31 0:27:12 Fredrik Ullén 15/02/2003 Stockholm Sweden
14 Tranquillamente soave 4:35 0:31:47 Fredrik Ullén 15/02/2003 Stockholm Sweden
15 1:40 0:33:27 Andrew Ball 02/11/1997 York UK
16 2:43 0:36:10 Carlo Grante 08/02/1998 Padua Italy
17 Molto accentato 1:56 0:38:06 Giampaolo Nuti 13/11/1999 Empoli Italy
18 Liscio. Tranquillamente scorrevole 5:15 0:43:21 Giampaolo Nuti 13/11/1999 Empoli Italy
19 Saltando e leggiero 2:12 0:45:33 Carlo Grante 02/06/1996 London UK
20 Con fantasia 5:24 0:50:57 Fredrik Ullén 09/07/2003 Yxtaholm Sweden
21 Con eleganza e disinvoltura 4:37 0:55:34 Fredrik Ullén 09/07/2003 Yxtaholm Sweden
22 Leggiero volante e presto assai 1:24 0:56:58 Fredrik Ullén 09/07/2003 Yxtaholm Sweden
23 Dolcemente scorrevole 4:00 1:00:58 Fredrik Ullén 22/09/2005 Sandvika Norway
24 Con fantasia e grazia 5:40 1:06:38 Yonty Solomon 30/09/1979 Como Italy
25 Vivace e secco 2:42 1:09:20 Fredrik Ullén 11/08/2003 Norrköping Sweden
26 Dolcissimo 9:56 1:19:16 Fredrik Ullén 11/08/2003 Norrköping Sweden
27 Staccato e leggiero a capriccio 2:57 1:22:13        
28 Leggiero e volante 2:15 1:24:28 Fredrik Ullén 17/08/2003 Hamburg Germany
29 A capriccio. Leggiero 2:09 1:26:37 Fredrik Ullén 22/09/2005 Sandvika Norway
30 Con fantasia 4:36 1:31:13 Fredrik Ullén 22/09/2005 Sandvika Norway
31 Vivace assai 2:14 1:33:27 Carlo Grante 20/07/1995 Newport, Rhode Island USA
32 Legato possibile, quasi dolce 3:12 1:36:39 Fredrik Ullén 17/08/2003 Hamburg Germany
33 Vivace e brioso 4:42 1:41:21        
34 Soave e dolce. Insinuante 4:11 1:45:32 Fredrik Ullén 17/08/2003 Hamburg Germany
35 2:17 1:47:49 Fredrik Ullén 22/03/2006 Falun Sweden
36 Mano sinistra sempre sola 7:16 1:55:05 Nicola Ventrella 20/11/1999 Treviso Italy
37 Riflessioni. Moderato 3:54 1:58:59 Fredrik Ullén 11/08/2003 Norrköping Sweden
38 Con fantasia 4:53 2:03:52 Sid Samberg 10/09/2013 Chicago, IL USA
39 3:34 2:07:26        
40 Moderato 3:09 2:10:35 Fredrik Ullén 17/08/2003 Hamburg Germany
41 3:40 2:14:15 Fredrik Ullén 19/08/2006 Amandola Italy
42 Impetuoso e con fuoco ed energia 4:15 2:18:30        
43 4:39 2:23:09 Fredrik Ullén 19/08/2006 Amandola Italy
44 Ben cantato. Dolce e chiaro 15:25 2:38:34 Kentaro Noda 02/11/2008 Tokyo Japan
45 1:26 2:40:00        
46 2:44 2:42:44        
47 Leggiero e a capriccio 2:35 2:45:19        
48 Volante 3:14 2:48:33        
49 Vivace ma non troppo 2:23 2:50:56 Fredrik Ullén 17/08/2003 Hamburg Germany
50 Per il pedale 3 4:50 2:55:46 Fredrik Ullén 17/08/2003 Hamburg Germany
51 3:15 2:59:01        
52 3:14 3:02:15 Alexander Abercrombie 12/04/2003 Lytham St. Anne’s UK
53 A capriccio 1:59 3:04:14        
54 4:17 3:08:31        
55 2:43 3:11:14        
56 Moderato 3:10 3:14:24 Alexander Hanysz 16/09/2023 Adelaide Australia
57 2:02 3:16:26        
58 Leggiero 3:31 3:19:57 Alexander Hanysz 16/09/2023 Adelaide Australia
59 Quasi fantasia. Moderato 10:46 3:30:43 Fredrik Ullén 18/05/2003 Paris France
60 Saltando, leggiero 3:07 3:33:50        
61 4:12 3:38:02        
62 2:37 3:40:39        
63 En forme de valse. Leggiero con disinvoltura 17:00 3:57:39        
64 2:38 4:00:17        
65 2:33 4:02:50 Fredrik Ullén 12/08/2003 Byärka-Säby Sweden
66 6:07 4:08:57 Nicola Ventrella 07/09/1996 Matera Italy
67 4:10 4:13:07 Fredrik Ullén 12/08/2003 Byärka-Säby Sweden
68 Sotto voce 2:28 4:15:35        
69 La punta d’organo. Sotto voce 25:39 4:41:14 Florian Steininger 01/02/2014 Karlsruhe Germany
70 Rhythmes brisés 4:08 4:45:22 Alexander Abercrombie 12/04/2003 Lytham St. Anne’s UK
71 Aria 13:14 4:58:36 Fredrik Ullén 08/08/2014 Mänttä Finland
72 Canonica. Marcato 2:11 5:00:47 Nicola Ventrella 19/12/1997 Pisa Italy
73 Quasi Preludio-corale. Sonorità piena, morbida e dolcissima 17:57 5:18:44 Kentaro Noda 02/11/2008 Tokyo Japan
74 Ostinato. Secco 4:22 5:23:06        
75 Passacaglia. Largo 28:50 5:51:56 Fredrik Ullén 17/08/2003 Hamburg Germany
76 Imitations. Presto assai 1:10 5:53:06 Nicola Ventrella 19/12/1997 Pisa Italy
77 1:34 5:54:40 Nicola Ventrella 19/12/1997 Pisa Italy
78 1:44 5:56:24 Ernest So 21/03/2020 Hong Kong Hong Kong
79 The inlaid line. Legatissimo il tema melodico 2:08 5:58:32 Jørgen Hald Nielsen 09/04/2011 Esbjerg Denmark
80 La linea melodica. Mormorando sordamente 5:46 6:04:18 Kentaro Noda 02/11/2008 Tokyo Japan
81 The Suspensions. Lento quasi Adagio e gravemente solenne 5:35 6:09:53 Nicola Ventrella 07/09/1996 Matera Italy
82 Sordamente e oscuramente minaccioso 2:28 6:12:21        
83 Arpeggiated fourths 4:12 6:16:33 Nicola Ventrella 20/11/1999 Treviso Italy
84 Tango habanera. Leggiero, con grazia indolente 9:03 6:25:36 Jonathan Powell 01/02/2003 Utrecht Netherlands
85 1:53 6:27:29 Nicola Ventrella 20/11/1999 Treviso Italy
86 Adagietto. Legatissimo 1:59 6:29:28 Carlo Grante 23/01/1996 Bari Italy
87 Studio gammatico 2:59 6:32:27        
88 1:20 6:33:47 Nicola Ventrella 19/12/1997 Pisa Italy
89 Chopsticks. Vivace 1:31 6:35:18 Fredrik Ullén 12/08/2003 Byärka-Säby Sweden
90 3:23 6:38:41        
91 Volante leggiero 2:52 6:41:33        
92 Legato possibile. Velato, misterioso 2:17 6:43:50 Fredrik Ullén 17/08/2003 Hamburg Germany
93 Leggiero, saltando 2:12 6:46:02        
94 Ornaments. Con fantasia 4:10 6:50:12 Florian Steininger 15/02/2013 Karlsruhe Germany
95 0:54 6:51:06 Nicola Ventrella 20/11/1999 Treviso Italy
96 3:32 6:54:38 Kentaro Noda 02/11/2008 Tokyo Japan
97 3:11 6:57:49 Kentaro Noda 19/07/2007 Tokyo Japan
98 Staccato e vivace 2:56 7:00:45 Kentaro Noda 19/07/2007 Tokyo Japan
99 Quasi fantasia. Scorrevole 16:07 7:16:52 Kentaro Noda 04/01/2006 Tokyo Japan
100 Coda-finale. Fuga a cinque soggetti 55:56 8:12:48 Kentaro Noda 04/01/2006 Tokyo Japan