Vagn Holmboe - Major Works

Major Works

(M. — Meta number — for Metamorphosis. Might also be said to be named after his wife, Meta May Holmboe... numbering system assembled by Prof. Rapoport. This information from The Compositions of Vagn Holmboe.)

• Symphonies
  • sym. 1, for chamber orchestra, M. 85
  • sym. 2, 1938–9, M. 107
  • sym. 3, Sinfonia rustica, M. 126
  • sym. 4, Sinfonia sacra for chorus and orchestra, M. 132
  • sym. 5, 1944, M. 145
  • sym. 6, 1947, M. 155
  • sym. 7, 1950, M. 167
  • Chamber symphony no. 1, 1951, M. 171
  • sym. 8, Sinfonia boreale, M. 175
  • Sinfonia in memoriam, 1954-5, M. 185
  • Sinfonia I for strings, M. 194
  • Sinfonia II for strings, M. 196
  • Sinfonia III for strings, M. 200
  • Sinfonia IV for strings, M. 215 (Kairos)
  • sym. 9, 1967–9, M. 235
  • Chamber symphony no. 2, 1968, M. 240
  • Chamber symphony no. 3, 1969–70, M. 246
  • sym. 10, 1970–2, M. 250 (premiered by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra under Sixten Ehrling)
  • sym. 11, 1980–1, M. 304
  • sym. 12, 1988, M. 338
  • sym. 13, 1993–4, M. 362

• Concertos
  • Several (about twenty), including especially
  • Concerto for trumpet and chamber orchestra, with the orchestra consisting of two horns and strings- written in 1948, M. 157. Eleventh of a series of 13 concertos with chamber orchestra originally called "chamber concertos"
  • Cello concerto, 1974–9, M. 273
  • Recorder concerto, 1974, M. 275
  • Flute concerto no. 1, 1975–6, M. 279
  • Tuba concerto, 1976, M. 280
  • Flute concerto no. 2, 1981–2, M. 307

• String quartets
  • Twenty-one written (excluding numerous un-numbered student works)
    • From no. 1, 1948–9, M. 159 to no. 20, 1985, M. 322 (this the last of four works representing the times of the day) (also the completion of a twenty-first, Quartetto sereno)

• Some other works
  • Notturno for wind quintet, 1940, M. 118
  • Brass quintets - no. 1, 1961–2, M. 212; no. 2, 1978, M.293
  • Requiem for Nietzsche for tenor, baritone, chorus, and orchestra, 1963–4, M. 219
  • Symphonic metamorphoses for orchestra —
    • Epitaph, 1956, M. 189 (premiered by the BBC Symphony Orchestra)
    • Monolith, 1960, M. 207
    • Epilog, 1961–2, M. 213
    • Tempo variabile (Changeable weather,) 1971-2, M.254
  • Two sonatas for guitar, op. 141-2
  • Five intermezzi for guitar, op. 149

Commercial recordings of his symphonies by Owain Arwel Hughes are still available, as are recordings of his string quartets, chamber concertos, and some other works. His choral or brass music, or his wind Notturno from 1940 may be performed more often than his works for full or chamber orchestra.

Private tapes exist of performances conducted by Holmboe; these were made by Nikolai Malko and/or by Fritz Mahler, but are rare, and difficult to obtain.