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 estimates made by Fredrik Ullén, and will be updated to reflect the timings taken by him in his BIS recording of the entire set (so the timings for the first 25 studies are the same as those on the first recording 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 8:30 1:17:50 Fredrik Ullén 11/08/2003 Norrköping Sweden
27 Staccato e leggiero a capriccio 3:10 1:21:00        
28 Leggiero e volante 2:10 1:23:10 Fredrik Ullén 17/08/2003 Hamburg Germany
29 A capriccio. Leggiero 2:00 1:25:10 Fredrik Ullén 22/09/2005 Sandvika Norway
30 Con fantasia 4:00 1:29:10 Fredrik Ullén 22/09/2005 Sandvika Norway
31 Vivace assai 2:45 1:31:55 Carlo Grante 20/07/1995 Newport, Rhode Island USA
32 Legato possibile, quasi dolce 2:00 1:33:55 Fredrik Ullén 17/08/2003 Hamburg Germany
33 Vivace e brioso 5:30 1:39:25        
34 Soave e dolce. Insinuante 3:30 1:42:55 Fredrik Ullén 17/08/2003 Hamburg Germany
35 — 1:50 1:44:45 Fredrik Ullén 22/03/2006 Falun Sweden
36 Mano sinistra sempre sola 5:00 1:49:45 Nicola Ventrella 20/11/1999 Treviso Italy
37 Riflessioni. Moderato 4:00 1:53:45 Fredrik Ullén 11/08/2003 Norrköping Sweden
38 Con fantasia 4:15 1:58:00        
39 — 3:30 2:01:30        
40 Moderato 5:00 2:06:30 Fredrik Ullén 17/08/2003 Hamburg Germany
41 — 3:30 2:10:00 Fredrik Ullén 19/08/2006 Amandola Italy
42 Impetuoso e con fuoco ed energia 3:15 2:13:15        
43 — 2:45 2:16:00 Fredrik Ullén 19/08/2006 Amandola Italy
44 Ben cantato. Dolce e chiaro 15:00 2:31:00 Kentaro Noda 02/11/2008 Tokyo Japan
45 — 1:30 2:32:30        
46 — 2:30 2:35:00        
47 Leggiero e a capriccio 2:30 2:37:30        
48 Volante 3:10 2:40:40        
49 Vivace ma non troppo 2:00 2:42:40 Fredrik Ullén 17/08/2003 Hamburg Germany
50 Per il pedale 3 4:00 2:46:40 Fredrik Ullén 17/08/2003 Hamburg Germany
51 — 2:45 2:49:25        
52 — 2:00 2:51:25 Alexander Abercrombie 12/04/2003 Lytham St. Anne’s UK
53 A capriccio 2:00 2:53:25        
54 — 3:15 2:56:40        
55 — 2:40 2:59:20        
56 Moderato 4:00 3:03:20        
57 — 1:50 3:05:10        
58 Leggiero 2:45 3:07:55        
59 Quasi fantasia. Moderato 9:00 3:16:55 Fredrik Ullén 18/05/2003 Paris France
60 Saltando, leggiero 3:30 3:20:25        
61 — 3:15 3:23:40        
62 — 2:20 3:26:00        
63 En forme de valse. Leggiero con disinvoltura 16:00 3:42:00        
64 — 2:30 3:44:30        
65 — 2:00 3:46:30 Fredrik Ullén 12/08/2003 Byärka-Säby Sweden
66 — 4:00 3:50:30 Nicola Ventrella 07/09/1996 Matera Italy
67 — 3:00 3:53:30 Fredrik Ullén 12/08/2003 Byärka-Säby Sweden
68 Sotto voce 2:15 3:55:45        
69 La punta d’organo. Sotto voce 17:00 4:12:45        
70 Rhythmes brisés 3:30 4:16:15 Alexander Abercrombie 12/04/2003 Lytham St. Anne’s UK
71 Aria 9:00 4:25:15        
72 Canonica. Marcato 1:50 4:27:05 Nicola Ventrella 19/12/1997 Pisa Italy
73 Quasi Preludio-corale. Sonorità piena, morbida e dolcissima 9:30 4:36:35 Kentaro Noda 02/11/2008 Tokyo Japan
74 Ostinato. Secco 4:15 4:40:50        
75 Passacaglia. Largo 26:00 5:06:50 Fredrik Ullén 17/08/2003 Hamburg Germany
76 Imitations. Presto assai 0:50 5:07:40 Nicola Ventrella 19/12/1997 Pisa Italy
77 — 1:20 5:09:00 Nicola Ventrella 19/12/1997 Pisa Italy
78 — 1:25 5:10:25        
79 The inlaid line. Legatissimo il tema melodico 2:00 5:12:25        
80 La linea melodica. Mormorando sordamente 3:50 5:16:15 Kentaro Noda 02/11/2008 Tokyo Japan
81 The Suspensions. Lento quasi Adagio e gravemente solenne 4:30 5:20:45 Nicola Ventrella 07/09/1996 Matera Italy
82 Sordamente e oscuramente minaccioso 2:15 5:23:00        
83 Arpeggiated fourths 3:30 5:26:30 Nicola Ventrella 20/11/1999 Treviso Italy
84 Tango habanera. Leggiero, con grazia indolente 8:00 5:34:30 Jonathan Powell 01/02/2003 Utrecht Netherlands
85 — 1:40 5:36:10 Nicola Ventrella 20/11/1999 Treviso Italy
86 Adagietto. Legatissimo 2:20 5:38:30 Carlo Grante 23/01/1996 Bari Italy
87 Studio gammatico 3:15 5:41:45        
88 — 1:20 5:43:05 Nicola Ventrella 19/12/1997 Pisa Italy
89 Chopsticks. Vivace 1:20 5:44:25 Fredrik Ullén 12/08/2003 Byärka-Säby Sweden
90 — 3:00 5:47:25        
91 Volante leggiero 1:45 5:49:10        
92 Legato possibile. Velato, misterioso 1:30 5:50:40 Fredrik Ullén 17/08/2003 Hamburg Germany
93 Leggiero, saltando 2:10 5:52:50        
94 Ornaments. Con fantasia 3:30 5:56:20        
95 — 0:45 5:57:05 Nicola Ventrella 20/11/1999 Treviso Italy
96 — 2:50 5:59:55 Kentaro Noda 02/11/2008 Tokyo Japan
97 — 3:00 6:02:55 Kentaro Noda 19/07/2007 Tokyo Japan
98 Staccato e vivace 2:40 6:05:35 Kentaro Noda 19/07/2007 Tokyo Japan
99 Quasi fantasia. Scorrevole 17:00 6:22:35 Kentaro Noda 04/01/2006 Tokyo Japan
100 Coda-finale. Fuga a cinque soggetti 38:50 7:01:25 Kentaro Noda 04/01/2006 Tokyo Japan





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