home          bio          recordings          publishing          webworks          wordworks         interviews & press           miscellaneous          email

Arthur  Jarvinen:  Selected Musical Compositions
The music of Arthur Jarvinen is published exclusively by Leisure Planet Music

This list is in reverse chronological order. You may also see works listed  by category.

WORKING NOTES (2008) Structured improvisation for piano. Indeterminate duration.

PERCY GRAINGER FANS THE MUSE (2007) Three soprano recorders. 14 minutes.

FOUR MELODIES AND A CODA (2007)  Cello solo. 12 minutes.

100 CADENCES, WITH FOUR MELODIES, A CHORALE AND CODA (“with bells on!”)  (2007) String quartet. 40 minutes

SRUTI  (2007)  Sruti box and polyphonic tone generator. 14 minutes.

BOARDPLAY (2007) Percussion solo for simantron and bell plate. 7 minutes.

TRIBAL SONGS OF THE ANDROMEDA (2006) bird whistles, duck calls, and various noise-makers. 6 players.
12 minutes.

OH, REBECCA (fifty is not so...)  (2006)  a tango for flute and cello.  1 1/2 minutes.

DEFRAG 1 - in memoriam Earle Brown (2006) graphic score for realization by mixed ensemble, medium to orchestra. Variable duration, 98 seconds to 98 minutes.

THE INVISIBLE GUY - a real soundtrack for an imaginary spy film  (2003 -2005)  A serialized web site with music, text, and visuals, uploaded every Friday,  June 2005 through May 2006, now permanently online.

TANGO INCOGNITO (2005) cello quartet.  3 minutes

25 LINES FOR 25 QUIRES - Set One: Nos. 2, 5, 14, 20 & 22  (2005)
male chorus: falsettist, tenor, baritone, baritone, bass - a cappella, one to a part (ensemble may be augmented). 18 minutes

BLUE TANGO/OPEN WATER (2005)  dobro (with slide) and string quartet.  4 minutes

AM SAYING IT (2004) spoken word piece on quotations from John Cage, Marcel Duchamp, and Jasper Johns.
3 performers. 8 minutes.

PERSONAL MUSIC (2004) instructions for guided improvisation based on other composers' works.
3 or more performers, any instruments. 15 minutes.

THE OUIJA BOARD (2004)  music for the 1920 Max Fleischer cartoon, to be played as a live score.
Piccolo, oboe, clarinet, contrabassoon, piano, percussion, viola, contrabass. 5 minutes.

GUN DANCE (2004) 2 electric guitars, electric bass, accordion, piano, glockenspiel, chimes, timpani, drum set.
2 minutes.

ENDLESS BUMMER, Parts IV & V (2004)  2 guitars. 6 minutes.

THREE TANGOS (2003) string quartet, or string quartet and percussion.  14 minutes.

I WORDS, for Lucky Mosko (2003)  Instructions for realization of a text piece for specific occasions. 3 minutes.

ENDLESS BUMMER, Part III (2003) 2 guitars.  4 minutes or longer.

TIMEPEACE - a piece for a time for peace (2003)  amplified analog timepieces and assorted small sounds.
30 minutes or more.

BOARD GAME (BORED GAME) (2003) word score for an imaginary game.

NIGHTHAWKS - A staged song cycle on paintings by Edward Hopper (2002)
keyboards, guitars, acoustic bass doubling euphonium and trombone, male and female voices (sung and spoken).
45 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)  very short pieces for tenor saxophone, piano, electric bass, and drumset. 2 1/2 minutes.

ONE TO TANGO (Twylyte's Theme, from The Invisible Guy) (2002)  piano solo. 2 1/2 minutes.

SGT. PEKKER, the Complete Scores (2001)  30 humorous songs in the manner of the Beatles. 56 minutes.

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

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

A CONSPIRACY OF CROWS  (2000)  3 oboes. 20 minutes.

DREAM CRUSH MUSIC: RAW (1999)
2 Hammond organs, electric violin, percussion. 12 minutes.

FOUR ROSICRUCIAN PRELUDES (1999)  piano solo. 8 minutes.

THREE GYMNOPÉDIES (1999)
Violin or viola, piano, percussion.  12 minutes.

THE FLUTE OF SHAME (1999)
flute solo. 8 minutes.

AMBULANT MUSIC, FOR ERIK SATIE: A Journal in Music, 1999
365 entries for the year, including fragments, sketches, jokes, songs, miniatures, and independent works for piano solo and chamber ensembles. May be realized as a CDrom, installation, or piano concerto with small orchestra.

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

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

SERIOUS IMMOBILITIES (840 variations on Satie's VEXATIONS)  (1997)
piano solo, with texts.  24 hours. To be performed simultaneously with Randall Woolf's SPINELESS DOG.
SERIOUS IMMOBILITIES Part One may be performed alone.  Duration 6 hours.
SERIOUS IMMOBILITIES, Petit may be performed alone. Duration 70 minutes.

NO BLUES  (1997)
chromatic harmonica solo with digital delay.  7 minutes.

PIZZICATO  (1996)
cello solo.  6 minutes.

WHITE LIGHTS LEAD TO RED  (1996)
flute, bass clarinet, piano, 2 percussion, violin, cello.   10 minutes.

BROKEN OSTINATO  (1996)
2 pianos, left hand or 2 electric guitars.   71/2 minutes.

OUT OF THE BLUE  (1996)
tuned bell plates or chimes.   4 minutes.

ISOLUMINARIES  (1995)
flute, bass clarinet, percussion, piano, violin, cello.  12 minutes.

SOLVING, FOR X(tet)   (1995)
flute, bass clarinet, bassoon, percussion, piano, harp, violin, viola, cello, contrabass.
2 minutes.

THE MEANING OF THE TREAT  (1995)
piano solo.   71/2 minutes.

CHASING THE DEVIL  (1995)
4 melody instruments, percussion, low instrument, contrabass.   12 minutes.
                   
MICROSCOPERAS  (1995)
electric chord organ and recitation (2 performers).   7 minutes.

THE ATEN  (1995)
violin (or clarinet), piano, bass, drum set/gongs.   8 minutes or more.
can be played as written or incorporate improvisation.

BE GOOD TO YOUR FINGERS AND THEY WON'T KILL YOU  (1994)
clarinet, viola, bassoon, contrabass, percussion.   8 minutes.
some other orchestrations possible.

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

GOD B's LULLABY  (from typOpera)  (1994)
voice (soprano, alto, or tenor) and piano.   text by James Merrill.   4 minutes.

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

BREAKING THE CHINK  (1993)  large ensemble: soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, trombone, violin, viola, electric bass, 2 electric guitars, synthesizer (or piano), 2 percussion.
13 minutes.

TOYS DO NOT WALK AND TALK  (1992)  electric violin, electric guitar, electric bass, bass clarinet.  7 minutes.

CLEAN YOUR GUN  (version for string quartet)  (1992)  51/2 minutes.

THE MODULUS OF ELASTICITY  (1992)  viola solo and chamber ensemble: violin, krummhorn, percussion, bass clarinet, bassoon, and cello.  16 minutes.

LITTLE DEATHS  (1991)  three readers and television set.  7 minutes.

CLEAN YOUR GUN  (1991)  violin, chromatic harmonica, cello, and baritone saxophone (all amplified).
51/2 minutes.

PHILIFOR HONEYCOMBED WITH CHILDISHNESS  (1991)  oboe and chamber ensemble: piccolo, bass clarinet, piano (and metronome), 3 percussion, violin, cello, contrabass.    191/2 minutes.

TRIO WITH TIME MACHINES  (1990)  glockenspiels, ratchets, and kitchen timers (three of each), 3 players.
12 minutes.

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

THE QUEEN OF SPAIN   (1988-90)  2 electronic harpsichords and percussion.  13 minutes.  Part one can be performed alone.   6 minutes.

THE VULTURE'S GARDEN  (1990)  four short pieces for four players.  E-flat sopranino saxophone, E-flat clarinet, and bass clarinet (one player), 2 percussion, piano.  Other orchestrations possible.   13 minutes.

EDIBLE BLACK INK  (1989)  electric guitar and electric bass, or marimba and electric bass.  4 minutes.

MURPHY-NIGHTS (a coda to "Johnny Sprays")  (1989)  baritone saxophone, percussion, synthesizer, electric violin, electric bass, optional solo instrument.  12 minutes.

GOLDBEATER'S SKIN  (version for electric violin solo)  (1988).  81/2 minutes.

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

GOLDBEATER'S SKIN  (1987)  two versions: clarinet or bass clarinet solo.  8 minutes.  version for ensemble; bassoon or bass clarinet, ratchet, glockenspiel, electronic harpsichord, violin, cello.  81/2 minutes.

351/2 MINUTES FOR GAYLORD MOWREY  (1987)  solo performer, amplified prepared piano, live and prerecorded video, and refreshments.  351/2 minutes.

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

EGYPTIAN TWO-STEP  (1986)  piccolo (also bass flute), chromatic harmonica, baritone saxophone, piano, marimba, 2 spray cans (compressed air), electric bass or synthesizer (all amplified).  6 minutes.

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

MASS DEATH OF A SCHOOL OF SMALL HERRING  (The Natural History of "Deductible Rooms")  (1986)  chamber orchestra: piccolo, bass flute, E flat clarinet (also B flat clarinet), bass clarinet, bassoon (also contrabassoon), horn, trombone, tuba, 2 percussion, strings (4/4/3/3/2).  11 minutes.

ELECTRIC JESUS  (1985)  juvenile piano soloist and large ensemble:  bass flute (amplified), oboe, 2 bass clarinets, bassoon (also contrabassoon), trumpet, horn, trombone, bass trombone, tuba, 3 percussion, piano, violin, viola, 2 cellos, electric 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.

DEDUCTIBLE ROOMS  (1982)  marimba solo.  7 minutes.

CARBON (1982)  bass clarinet solo.  11 minutes.

RAISON D'ETRE  (1981)  marimba and vibraphone (1 player).  61/2 minutes.

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

VISCOUS LININGS  (1981)  celeste, viola, bass clarinet, percussion.  13 minutes.

MERCURY AT RIGHT ANGLES  (1980)  celeste solo.  6 minutes.

SOLUBLE FURNITURE  (1980)  piano solo.  61/2 minutes.

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

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