Appendix A - Overview and Catalogue of Pieces

Summary

THE AIM OF THIS APPENDIX is to render Simon Holt's compositions clearly visible in an authoritative form, annotating them consistently for reference purposes. The entries are chronological. It remains for others to compile a bibliographical catalogue including publication details. From 1995 Holt's publisher was Chester Music, whose contract with the composer lasted up to Fool is hurt, H 77. Chester Music are responsible for issuing all the most accurate and up-to-date scores available up to H 77. They took over the twenty-five pieces that Holt published prior to 1995 with Universal Edition and have also issued revised and corrected scores of certain works that appeared first with UE. These include Syrensong, H 12, and Nigredo, H 25, which was the last of the original series from UE. At all stages of his career, Holt's revisions have concerned orchestration, notation and local details (whether small cuts or small extensions) but not basic design.

Additional dates of performances, with Holt's programme notes (quoted below), those by others, alternative genre groupings and some consultable scores in pdf. format, are found on the publisher's website (www.musicsalesclassical. com/composer/works/Simon-Holt).

Commercially released recordings are mentioned under individual pieces. BBC broadcasts kept at the National Sound Archive are also noted, primarily (though not exclusively) when no commercial recording exists (referenced with ‘NSA’ below: may be heard at the British Library). Dates quoted refer to the original broadcast.

Entries below sometimes make reference to Holt's four cycles of works. All their component works are self-standing, but ought (eventually) to be programmed as sequences. The only cycle so far to have been heard complete is the first, which Thierry Fischer (see Chapter 11) conducted at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival on 20 November 1998.

3 for Icarus, or the Icarus trilogy

Icarus Lamentations (H 20); Minotaur Games (H 21); Dædalus Remembers (H 26).

These pieces for related instrumental ensembles of different sizes originated between 1992 and 1995. They are discussed by Edward Venn in Chapter 4.

a ribbon of time

Sunrise’ yellow noise (H 30); Two movements for string quartet (H 33); Boots of Lead (H 35); Clandestiny (H 31); startled Grass (H 34).

These pieces are based on Emily Dickinson's poems, and on two texts drawn from her letters: they were composed between 1999 and 2002.