Composer

Ferruccio Busoni

Italian composer, pianist, and conductor (1866–1924)

1866–1924

150 works in the index

Born: 1866
Died: 1924
Birthplace: Empoli
Citizenship / historical state: Kingdom of Italy
Period (estimated from birth year): Modern

Biography

Ferruccio Busoni was the only child of a clarinetist father and a pianist mother. He became not only a pianist himself but a conductor and composer. His compositions include a musical setting for a poem by Heinrich Heine, “Du bist wie eine Blume” (“You are like a Flower”) and one for a poem by Lord Byron, “An Babylons Wasserns” (“By the Rivers of Babylon.”) In his 40s Busoni wrote Sketch of a New Esthetic of Music (1907), an important statement of his conviction that a composer is not a lawgiver, that performers must have or take a good deal of interpretive freedom. Musical notation, he wrote, “is primarily an ingenious expedient for catching an inspiration, with the purpose of exploiting it later….It is for the interpreter to resolve the rigidity of the signs [emphasis in original] into the primitive emotion.” Busoni died in Berlin, and is commemorated by a plaque on the spot of his final residence there.

In this catalogue

Common listed instruments: Piano, Piano two hands, Clarinet, percussion, Timpani
Genres represented: Classical
Works with composition dates: 73 of 150

These details describe the indexed sheet music, including arrangements.

Catalogue

Works page 1 of 4

Years are composition dates where known. Instruments describe editions in our catalogue and may include arrangements. A dash means the detail is not recorded.

Works and available sheet music details
Work	Year composed	Catalogue / opus	Key in title	Listed instruments	Genre	Editions
Felix Mendelssohn: Symphony No.1 in C minor, Op.11, transcribed for 2 pianos 8 hands by F. B. Busoni	1824 (March 31)IMSLP	Op.11	C minor	Piano, Voice	Classical	10
Episode from Lenau's Faust. The Dance in the Village Inn (Mephisto Waltz) by Franz Liszt, newly transcribed for piano according to the orchestral score and dedicated to Count A. Rozwadowski by Ferruccio Busoni.	1856–61?IMSLP	—	—	Piano two hands	Classical	4
Concerto in D Major, Op. 35a	—	Op. 35a	D major	violin	Classical	8
Two Dance Pieces for piano, Op.30a	1914IMSLP	Op.30a	—	—	Classical	6
5 short pieces for the development of part playing	1923IMSLP	—	—	—	Classical	6
Andantino from Piano Concerto No.9 in E-flat Major, K.271	1777 (January)IMSLP	K.271	E-flat major	Piano two hands	Classical	6
3. Meine Seele bangt und hofft zu dir	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	6
Prelude in D-flat Major, Op. 37, No. 15	—	Op. 37, No. 15	D-flat major	Piano	Classical	6
Concertino for Clarinet and Small Orchestra, Op.48, BV 276	1918 (March-April)IMSLP	Op.48	—	Orchestra, Clarinet	Classical	5
Fantasia contrappuntistica	1910 / 1912 / 1921IMSLP	—	—	—	Classical	5
Sonatina	1910IMSLP	—	—	Piano two hands	Classical	5
Transcriptions - Offenbach: Barcarole from The Tales of Hoffman	1876-80IMSLP	—	—	Piano two hands	Classical	5
Turandot Suite, Op.41	1904IMSLP	Op.41	—	Piano, Harp, Organ, Cello, Flute, Oboe, violin, Bassoon, Orchestra, Double Bass, Horn, Clarinet, Trombone, Timpan	Classical	5
5. Die Nachtlichen	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	5
Album Leaf in E Minor	—	—	E minor	Flute	Classical	6
Three Cadenzas to Mozart's Piano Concerto No.24 in C minor, K. 491	1786IMSLP	K. 491	C minor	Piano two hands	Classical	4
Elegy in E-flat major for clarinet and piano	1920 (September 1919 to January 1920)IMSLP	—	E-flat major	—	Classical	4
Indianische Fantasie, Op.44	1913-14 (April–22 February)IMSLP	Op.44	—	—	Classical	4
Sonatina super Carmen	1920 (March)IMSLP	—	—	Piano two hands	Classical	4
Sketch of a New Esthetic of Music	—	—	—	—	Classical	4
String Quartet No.2, Op.26, BV 225	1887 JuneIMSLP	Op.26	—	—	Classical	4
Toccata: Preludio, Fantasia, Ciaccona	1921IMSLP	—	—	—	Classical	4
Transcriptions - Bach: Aria variata alla maniera italiana (BWV 989), BV B 44	1714?IMSLP	BWV 989	—	Piano two hands	Classical	4
Transcription of Chaconne in D minor from Partita No.2 for Violin, BWV 1004 (J.S. Bach)	1720IMSLP	BWV 1004	D minor	Piano two hands	Classical	4
Transcription of J.S. Bach's Prelude and Fugue (BWV 552), BV B 22	—	BWV 552	—	—	Classical	4
Violin Concerto, Op.35a	1896–97IMSLP	Op.35a	—	—	Classical	4
Violin Sonata No.2 in E minor, Op.36a	1898–1900 (revisions)IMSLP	Op.36a	E minor	—	Classical	4
2. All'Italia	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	4
4. Turandots Frauengemach	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	3
7. Berceuse	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	4
5. Finnische Ballade	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	4
the 1st movement of the C Minor Concerto	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	4
An die Jugend	1909IMSLP	—	—	—	Classical	2
Cadenza to Beethoven's Piano Concerto, Op. 58	1805-06IMSLP	Op. 58	—	Piano two hands	Classical	3
Cadenza to Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23, K. 488	1786/03/02IMSLP	K. 488	—	Piano two hands	Classical	3
6 Etudes, Op.16, BV 203	1883IMSLP	Op.16	—	Piano two hands	Classical	3
Finnländische Volksweisen, Op.27	1888IMSLP	Op.27	—	—	Classical	3
Fourth Ballet Scene, Op.33a, BV 238	1894 (BV 238); 1913 (BV 238a)IMSLP	Op.33a	—	Piano two hands	Classical	3
Geharnischte Suite, Op.34a, BV 242	1894-95; revised 1903IMSLP	Op.34a	—	—	Classical	3
3 Morceaux, Op.4, 5, and 6, BV 197	1881-82IMSLP	Op.4	—	—	Classical	3
Piano Concerto, Op.39	1903-04IMSLP	Op.39	—	Piano	Classical	3
Piano Sonatina No.3	1915IMSLP	—	—	Piano	Classical	3
Sonatina in diem nativitatis Christi MCMXVII	1917 (22 December)IMSLP	—	—	Piano two hands	Classical	3
Piano Sonatina No.5	1919IMSLP	—	—	Piano	Classical	3
String Quartet No.1, Op.19, BV 208	1880–82IMSLP	Op.19	—	—	Classical	3
Tanzwalzer, Op.53, BV 288	1920 (September–2 October)IMSLP	Op.53	—	Triangle, Piccolo, Glockenspiel, Drum, Side drum	Classical	3
Prelude and Fugue in E minor 'Little' (BWV 533)	1705? beforeIMSLP	BWV 533	E minor	Piano two hands	Classical	3
Variant of Chopin's Prelude in G major, Op.28, No.3	1838-39IMSLP	Op.28, No.3	G major	Piano two hands	Classical	3

Biographical record: Wikidata, matched on name and checked against dates held in the catalogue. The period label is an estimate from birth year. Authority record: VIAF 44484509. Portrait: Varischi & Artico, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.