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 2 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
Transcrizione di concerto sopra motivi dell'opera Merlino del Maestro C. Goldmark	—	—	—	—	Classical	3
Violin Sonata No.1 in E minor, Op.29	1890IMSLP	Op.29	E minor	—	Classical	3
Von der	—	—	—	—	Classical	3
Busoni: Solo dramatique K 101	—	—	—	Piano, Clarinet	Classical	4
1. Nach de Wendung	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	3
1. Dama	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	3
Twenty Four Prelude Op.37(Busoni	—	Op.37	—	—	Classical	3
4. Fantasia in Modo Antico	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	3
6. Exuent Omnes	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	3
Die Brautwahl Suite, Op.45, BV261	1912IMSLP	Op.45	—	Tambourine, Triangle, Tamtam, Glockenspiel, Cymbals, Drum, Celesta, Xylophone	Classical	2
Comedy Overture, Op.38, BV 245	1897, rev. 1904IMSLP	Op.38	—	—	Classical	2
Editions - Bach: On the Transcription of Bach's Organ Works for the Pianoforte	—	—	—	Piano two hands	Classical	2
8 Etudes after Cramer	—	—	—	Piano two hands	Classical	2
Elegien	1907 (1909, "Berceuse")IMSLP	—	—	Piano	Classical	1
Fantasia nach J.S. Bach, BV 253	1909IMSLP	—	—	Piano	Classical	2
Perpetuum mobile, BV 293	1922IMSLP	—	—	Piano two hands	Classical	2
Rondo Arlecchinesco, Op.46, BV 266	1915 (April–June)IMSLP	Op.46	—	—	Classical	2
Transcription of 2 Toccatas for Organ by J.S. Bach (BWV 564, 565), BV B 29	—	BWV 564	—	Piano two hands	Classical	2
Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue (BWV 903)	1723?IMSLP	BWV 903	—	Piano two hands	Classical	2
J.S. Bach: Fantasy, Adagio and Fugue (BWV 906, 968). Combined and completed for concert performance by Ferruccio Busoni.	—	BWV 906	—	Piano two hands	Classical	2
Transcription of J. S. Bach's Goldberg Variations (BWV 988), BV B 35	—	BWV 988	—	Piano two hands	Classical	2
Joh. Seb. Bach: Prelude, Fugue, and Allegro in E	1740–45?IMSLP	—	—	Piano two hands	Classical	2
Variations on Liszt's Gondoliera (S.162/1) from Venezia e Napoli	1923–24IMSLP	S.162/1	—	Piano two hands	Classical	2
Duettino concertante nach Mozart für zwei Pianoforte	1919IMSLP	—	—	—	Classical	2
Busoni: Serenade K 108	—	—	—	Piano, Clarinet	Classical	3
Busoni: Andantino K 107	—	—	—	Piano, Clarinet	Classical	3
Busoni: Andante con moto K 72	—	—	—	Piano, Clarinet	Classical	3
Busoni: Suite K 88	—	—	—	Piano, Clarinet	Classical	3
6. Erscheinung	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	1
Scherzino C-Dur op. 33b; 3 -6 Klavierstucke - Nr. 3-	—	op. 33b	—	Piano	Classical	2
Elegie	—	—	—	Clarinet	—	2
6. Trovatore	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	2
2. Frohsinn	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	2
3. Scherzino	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	2
2. Kanonische Variationen und Fuge	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	3
Waffentanz	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	2
Nach der Wendung	—	—	—	—	Classical	1
All' Italia!	—	—	—	—	Classical	1
Finnish Folk Songs Op.27	—	Op.27	—	—	Classical	1
Nachtlichen, Die	—	—	—	—	Classical	1
5 variations over "Kommt ein Vogel geflogen"	—	—	—	—	Classical	1
Arlecchino, BV 270	1914IMSLP	—	—	—	Classical	1
Concert Piece, Op.31a. Introduction and Allegro	1890IMSLP	Op.31a	—	—	Classical	1
Edition of J. S. Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, BV B 25	—	—	—	Piano two hands	Classical	1
Analytical Exposition of the Fugue in Beethoven's Sonata, Op.106	1817–18IMSLP	Op.106	—	Piano two hands	Classical	1
	1806IMSLP	—	—	Piano two hands	Classical	1
Edition of Liszt's Réminiscences de Don Juan (S.418), BV B 71	1841IMSLP	S.418	—	Piano two hands	Classical	1
Improvisation on the Bach Chorale 'Wie wohl ist mir', BV 271	1916IMSLP	—	—	—	Classical	1

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.