Arthur Jarvinen
Selected musical compositions
 

Works are listed in reverse chronological order.
This list is not comprehensive, omitting numerous songs, rock and jazz compositions, collaborations, works written for specific projects with other artists, and works that are included in books or collections.

Most of the works listed below are available from Leisure Planet Music. Some are designated as "unpublished", usually for practical reasons.


ENDLESS BUMMER, Parts I, II & III (1999 - 2003) bass and guitar; 12 string electric guitar, bass, soprano voice or monophonic keyboard, 2 male voices; 2 guitars. Duration open ended (much repetition is possible).

RAKE (2003) unaltered real-time ambient recording. 30 minutes

TIMEPEACE  - a piece for a time for peace (2003)  amplified analog time pieces and assorted small sounds. 1 hour or more

THE INVISIBLE GUY - a real soundtrack for an imaginary spy film (2003) music for 2 guitars (sometimes guitar & bass), keyboards, drum set/percussion, occasional vocals, with accompanying texts. 45 minutes

NIGHTHAWKS - a staged song cycle on paintings by Edward Hopper (2002) keyboards, guitar, acoustic bass, euphonium & trombone, male and female voices (sung and spoken), with stage set and projections. 50  minutes

TANGO SUBURBIO (2002) string quartet. 6 minutes

SYMPHONY FOR BROKEN STRINGS (2002) 3 (or multiples of 3) electric guitars. 10 minutes

SUMO  I - VII (2002) a suite of very short pieces for tenor saxophone, piano, electric bass, and drum set. 2½ minutes total

ONE TO TANGO (Twylyte's Theme, from The Invisible Guy) (2002) piano solo. 2½ minutes

SGT. PEKKER, the Complete Scores (2001) 30 humorous songs in the manner of the Beatles (all of the music and lyrics from the Sgt. Pekker CD, with complete orchestrations. 56 minutes

APARTING, for piano (2000) performance installation for piano and technician(s). ca. 12 hours

TUACA - outdoor ritual music for 3 percussionists (2000) 3 simantrons. 10 - 12 minutes

A CONSPIRACY OF CROWS (2000) 3 oboes or members of the oboe family (similar or different). 20 minutes

CARBON, 1999 (1999) bass clarinet solo with two digital delays, or 3 bass clarinets. 11 minutes. (This is an adaptation of CARBON, for bass clarinet solo, from 1982)

AMBULANT MUSIC, FOR ERIK SATIE: A Journal In Music, 1999 (1999) 365 entries for the year, including fragments, sketches, jokes, songs, miniatures, visual works, and independent pieces for piano solo and chamber ensembles, some of which are listed separately in this page.
[unpublished]

SERIOUS IMMOBILITIES, Petit (1999) 84 variations on Satie's Vexations. Piano solo, mostly culled from SERIOUS IMMOBILITIES Part One. 75 minutes

DREAM CRUSH MUSIC: RAW (1999) 2 organs, electric violin, percussion (2 "kick" drums, concert bass drum, chromatic bell plates). 12 minutes

FOUR ROSICRUCIAN PRELUDES (1999) piano solo. 8 minutes

THREE GYMNOPÉDIES (1999) violin or viola, piano, percussion (vibraphone & crotales). 12 minutes

ENDLESS BUMMER, Part I (1999) bass and guitar. 3 minutes to...(lots of repetition possible, even desirable)

THE FLUTE OF SHAME (1999) flute solo. 8 minutes. Note: there is no written score for this work, which was conceived for transmission by oral tradition.

LITTLE HUMILIATIONS (1999) selected variations from Serious Immobilities (1997). 2 speaking and singing pianists. 20 minutes

THE HOLE-FLOW SYMPHONY (1997) first realization for live electronics, violin, bass clarinet, trombone, harmonica. 35 minutes

SERIOUS IMMOBILITIES, Complete (1997) 840 variations on Satie's Vexations. Piano solo with occasional spoken and sung texts.  24 hours

SERIOUS IMMOBILITIES, Part One (1997) 210 variations on Satie's Vexations. Piano solo with occasional spoken and sung texts. 6 hours

NO BLUES (1997) chromatic harmonica solo with digital delay. 7 minutes. NOTE: There is no written score for this. It was realized and performed by the composer on various occasions, and recorded on Erase the Fake (Some Over History, O.O. Discs)
[no score published]

PIZZICATO (1996) cello solo. 6 minutes

WHITE LIGHTS LEAD TO RED (1996) fl, b.cl, pno, 2 perc, vln, vc. 10 minutes

BROKEN OSTINATO (1996) 2 pianos, left hand, OR 2 guitars (electric, acoustic, or classical). 8 minutes

OUT OF THE BLUE (1996) solo for 8 tuned steel bell plates, or chimes. 3 minutes

ISOLUMINARIES (1995) fl, b.cl, perc, pno, vln, vc. 12 minutes

SOLVING, FOR X(tet) (1995) fl, b.cl, bsn, perc, pno, hp, vln, vla, vc, cb. 2 minutes

THE MEANING OF THE TREAT (1995) piano solo. 8 minutes

CHASING THE DEVIL (1995) 4 melody instruments, perc, low instrument, bass instrument. 12 minutes

MICROSCOPERAS (1995) electric chord organ, recitation. 8minutes

THE ATEN (1995) vln (or clarinet), pno, bass (acoustic or elec), drum set/gongs. 8 - 20 minutes
(Through-composed version is 8 minutes. Improvisation optional in some sections)

BE GOOD TO YOUR FINGERS AND THEY WON'T KILL YOU (1994) cl, bsn, vla, cb, perc. 8 minutes

TYPOPERA (backseat driving with a Kurt Schwitters roadmap) (1993-94) composed in collaboration with Eve Beglarian and James Rohrig. Text-sound, music, and theater. 3 or more performers.
65 minutes
[unpublished]

GOD B's LULLABY (from TypOpera) (1994) voice (any register) and piano.Text by James Merrill.  4 minutes

BREAKING THE CHINK (1993) sop sax, bari sax, b.cl, tbn, kbd, 2 perc, vln, vla, 2 elec gtrs, elec bass. 13 minutes

GHATAM (1992-93) composed in collaboration with Robert Fernandez and M.B. Gordy for handmade ceramic instruments by Stephen Freedman. 55 minutes

BONG'S OTHER GARBO (from Ghatam) (1993) percussion trio, unspecified unpitched  instruments.  6 minutes

BONG'S GARBO (1993) trio for hand-held gongs. 4 minutes

JALTARONG (from Ghatam) (1992) percussion trio for 26 porcelain bowls or flower pots. 12 -15 minutes

TOYS DO NOT WALK AND TALK (1992) amplified violin, electric guitar, electric bass, bass clarinet. Later revised and recorded in a version for amplified violin, electric bass, bass clarinet, and trombone.  7 minutes.

CLEAN YOUR GUN - version for string quartet (1992) 5½ minutes

THE MODULUS OF ELASTICITY (1992) viola (solo) and chamber ensemble: vln, krummhorn (or ob), perc, b.cl, bsn, vc. 16 minutes

LITTLE DEATHS (1991) three readers and television set. Texts by Stephen Freedman. 7 minutes

CLEAN YOUR GUN (1991) violin, chromatic harmonica, cello, baritone saxophone (all amplified).  6 minutes

PHILIFOR HONEYCOMBED WITH CHILDISHNESS (1991) oboe (solo) and chamber ensemble: picc, b.cl, pno, 3 perc, vln, vc, cb. 20 minutes

TRIO WITH TIME MACHINES (1990) 3 glocks, 3 ratchets, 3 kitchen timers (3 players). 12minutes

BENCH ADS WORK (1990) slide guitar. 1 minute

THE PACES OF YU (1990) berimbau and homemade percussion instruments. 5 players. 19 minutes

THE VULTURE'S GARDEN (1990) fl/picc, cl/bs cl, pno, 2 perc, vln, vc. Some re-orchestration possible. 13 minutes

THE QUEEN OF SPAIN (1988-90) 2 electronic hpschds (midi kybds), 2 perc (bass drums, crotales). 3 movements. 13 minutes.
1st mvmt may be performed alone (2 kbds, 1 bass drum). 6 minutes

EDIBLE BLACK INK (1989) 3 duets: elec gtr, elec bass; OR mba, elec bass. 4 minutes

MURPHY-NIGHTS (a coda to "Johnny Sprays") (1989) bari sax, perc, synth, elec vln, elec bass, optional solo instrument. 12 minutes

GOLDBEATER'S SKIN (1988) version for violin. 8½ minutes

THE FIFTEEN FINGERS OF DOCTOR WU (1987) oboe. 6 minutes

GOLDBEATER'S SKIN (1987) bsn (or b.cl), ratchet, glock, synth, vln, vc. 8½ minutes

GOLDBEATER'S SKIN (1987) clarinet or bass clarinet. 8½ minutes

35½ MINUTES FOR GAYLORD MOWREY (1987) solo performer, amplified prepared piano, live and pre-recorded video, and refreshments. 35½ minutes
[unpublished] - although it could be realized with a new video tape

THE SEVEN GOLDEN VAMPIRES (1987) 2 pianos. 9 minutes

EGYPTIAN TWO-STEP (1986) picc (b.fl), chrom. harm, bari sax, pno, mba, 2 spray cans, elec bass. 6 minutes

A BOOK OF FIVE RINGS (1986) pno, prepared pno, perc (1 or 2 players). 14 minutes

MASS DEATH OF A SCHOOL OF SMALL HERRING (The Natural History of "Deductible Rooms") (1986) chamber orchestra: picc, b.fl, e flat cl/b flat cl, b.cl, bsn/cbsn, hn, tbn, tba, 2 perc, stgs (4/4/3/3/2). 11 minutes

ELECTRIC JESUS (1985) large ensemble and juvenile piano soloist: b.fl, ob, 2 b.cls, bsn/cbsn, tpt, hn, tbn, b.tbn, tba, 3 perc, pno, vln, vla, 2 vc, elec bass. 35 minutes

IVAN, WHERE ARE YOU RUNNING TO? (1985) bass clarinet, harmonica, percussion, piano, organ, cello, electric bass, steel pipes, texts, and amplified heartbeats. 9 players. 14 minutes.
[unpublished]

ADULT PARTY GAMES FROM THE LEISURE PLANET (1975-85) a collection of hard-to-categorize works, including instrumental solos, structured improvisations, conceptual pieces, and texts that could motivate performance.

DEDUCTIBLE ROOMS (1982) marimba. 7 minutes

CARBON (1982) bass clarinet. 11 minutes

RAISON D'ETRE (1981) marimba and vibraphone (1 player). 6½ minutes

PROSTHESIS (1981) "false piece" for anything or nothing. No duration to infinity

THE DOOR THAT DOESN'T OPEN (1981) marimba solo with amplified heartbeat. ca. 5 minutes
[unpublished] - although it has been performed a couple of times. It just presents some peculiar physical and technological challenges, so it's not for everyone.

VISCOUS LININGS (1981) clste, vla, b.cl, perc. 13 minutes

MERCURY AT RIGHT ANGLES (1980) celeste. 6 minutes

SOLUBLE FURNITURE (1980) piano. 6½ minutes

THROUGH BIRDS, THROUGH FIRE, BUT NOT THROUGH GLASS (1979) percussion quartet (including piano). 12 minutes

VOTE OF CONFIDENCE (1979) trio for amplified triangles. 8 minutes
 
 

Arthur Jarvinen

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