Totentanz

Instrumentation

3(I+II=picc.III=picc+afl).3(III=ca).3(I in Bb+A=Ebcl.II in A=bcl.III in A=bcl with low C).3(II=cbsn.III=contraforte or cbsn with low A) – 4.3(all=fl.hn).2.btrbn.contrabass tuba – timp(=rototoms) – perc(5-8): glsp/xyl/vib/mar/crot/t.bells/2 bell plates/2 gongs/4 anvils/steel sheet/2 tam-t/6-12 susp.cym/cyms/kit hi-hat/4 SD/TD (with snares)/2 military TD/taiko/kit BD/cym on BD/BD/2 swanee whistles/referee’s whistle/2 siren whistles/3 whips/2 clappers/2 plastic mcas/2 ratchets/large guero/tamb/bamboo canes/bones – harp – pno(=cel) – strings

Text and credits

Unknown

Commission

Commissioned by Robin Boyle in memory of Witold Lutosławski (1913-1994) and of his wife Danuta.

Programme notes

Please contact promotion@fabermusic.com for a programme note

Reviews

'The cantata unleashes a whipping battery of percussion and teeming dissonance while also receding into Mahlerian chamber vignettes and bringing swooning dances to the surface.'

Financial Times (Rebecca Schmid), 24 April 2018

'Achieves all the macabre giddiness you might expect, liberally laced with fragments of the Dies Irae planchaint.'

Arts Desk (Alexander Coghlan), 18 July 2013

'It is the orchestra that adds the chill factor. Treating his enormous instrumental apparatus like a witch’s brew, with snake rattles and animal bones specified in the score, Adès awards shrill shrieks to the woodwinds, sadistic thwacks to all manner of percussion and baleful growls to the brass, before letting the entire orchestra sound off in an unscripted section at the work’s heart.'

Financial Times (Andrew Clark), 19 July 2013

Availability

Full score on sale (HPOD1001) (please contact trade@fabermusic.com)

Full score, vocal score and parts for hire

Scores and publication

• Publisher information
• View score

Upcoming performances

No performances found.

Previous performances

• 4 October 2024 — Gewandhaus (Leipzig, Sachsen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 30 March 2022 — Großer Saal, Wiener Konzerthaus (Vienna, Austria) (19:30) — Austria — Composer, Conductor
• 29 March 2022 — Müpa (Budapest, Hungary) (19:30) — Hungary — Composer, Conductor
• 27 March 2022 — Musikverein (Vienna, Austria) (11:00) — Austria — Composer, Conductor
• 26 March 2022 — Musikverein (Vienna, Austria) (15:30) — Austria — Composer, Conductor
• 4 September 2019 — Noblessner Foundry (Tallinn, Estonia) — Estonia — Composer
• 3 September 2019 — Noblessner Foundry (Tallinn, Estonia) — Estonia — Composer
• 31 August 2019 — Noblessner Foundry (Tallinn, Estonia) — Estonia — Composer
• 31 January 2019 — Philharmonie (Paris, France) (20:30) — France — Composer
• 30 January 2019 — Philharmonie (Paris, France) (20:30) — France — Composer
• 26 October 2018 — Concert Hall, Helsinki Music Centre, Helsinki (19:00) — Finland — Composer, Conductor
• 12 October 2018 — BBC Radio 3 (United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 28 April 2018 — Berwaldhallen (Stockholm, Sweden) — Sweden — Composer
• 27 April 2018 — Berwaldhallen (Stockholm, Sweden) — Sweden — Composer
• 22 April 2018 — Grosser Saal, Philharmonie (Berlin, Germany) — Germany — Composer, Conductor
• 23 March 2018 — Dvořák Hall, Rudolfinum (Prague, Czech Republic) — Czech Republic — Composer, Conductor
• 22 March 2018 — Dvořák Hall, Rudolfinum (Prague, Czech Republic) (19:30) — Czech Republic — Composer, Conductor
• 21 March 2018 — Dvořák Hall, Rudolfinum (Prague, Czech Republic) — Czech Republic — Composer, Conductor
• 6 October 2017 — Palais de la Musique et des Congrès (Strasbourg, Alsace, France) (20:00) — France — Composer
• 5 October 2017 — Palais de la Musique et des Congrès (Strasbourg, Alsace, France) — France — Composer
• 3 March 2017 — National Concert Hall (Dublin, Ireland) — Ireland — Composer
• 11 February 2017 — Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles, CA, USA) (20:00) — USA — Composer, Conductor
• 10 February 2017 — Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles, CA, USA) (20:00) — USA — Composer, Conductor
• 5 November 2016 — Symphony Hall (Boston, MA, USA) — USA — Composer, Conductor
• 4 November 2016 — Symphony Hall (Boston, MA, USA) — USA — Composer, Conductor
• 3 November 2016 — Symphony Hall (Boston, MA, USA) — USA — Composer, Conductor
• 18 September 2016 — Grosse Saal, Laeiszhalle (Hamburg, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 15 April 2016 — Het Concertgebouw (Amsterdam, Netherlands) — Netherlands — Composer
• 14 April 2016 — Het Concertgebouw (Amsterdam, Netherlands) — Netherlands — Composer
• 8 October 2015 — Koncerthuset DR Byen (Copenhagen, Denmark) — Denmark — Composer, Conductor
• 20 May 2015 — Das Meininger Theater (Meiningen, Thüringen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 31 March 2015 — The Béla Bartók National Concert Hall, Palace of Arts (Budapest, Hungary) — Hungary — Composer
• 14 March 2015 — David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center (New York City, NY, USA) (20:00) — USA — Composer, Conductor
• 13 March 2015 — David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center (New York City, NY, USA) (19:30) — USA — Composer, Conductor
• 12 March 2015 — David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center (New York City, NY, USA) (19:30) — USA — Composer, Conductor
• 28 September 2013 — Filharmonia Narodowa Warschau (Warsaw, Poland) — Poland — Composer
• 21 July 2013 — BBC Radio 3 (United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 17 July 2013 — Royal Albert Hall (London, United Kingdom) (19:33) — United Kingdom — Composer, Conductor

Recordings

• Berg: Three Pieces for Orchestra – Ravel: La valse – Adès: Totentanz (Live) — 2023 — Platoon
• Adès Conducts Adès — 2020 — Deutsche Grammophon (4837998)