Sonata for Two Voices, for two instruments with specified
ranges (1933)
Composition for 3 Voices for three unspecified instruments (1934)
Solo with obbligato accompaniment of two voices in canon, and six short inventions on the subjects of the solo, for three or more instruments (1934, six inventions revised [orchestrated] 1958)
Prelude for six instruments in A minor for flute,
bassoon,
trumpet,
violin,
cello and piano (1946, an arrangement of the second piece from Two Pieces for piano of 1946)
Variations VI, for a plurality of sound systems (1966)
Music for Carillon No. 5, for a four-octave instrument (1967)
Variations VIII, no music or recordings (May 1967; revised 1978)
Assemblage, for electronics (1968)
Return to composition (1969–86)
HPSCHD, for 1 to 7 amplified
harpsichords and 1 to 51 tapes (1967–69, accompanied with Program (KNOBS) for the listener, an instruction for playing back the recording of the piece)
Cheap Imitation, for piano (1969; orchestrated 1972, violin version 1977)
Sound Anonymously Received, for an unsolicited instrument (1969, possibly 1978)
Untitled (Work for Antoinette Vischer), for harpsichord (before 1969)
Dialog, for two performers with various objects (1970, possibly 1977; also known as Dialogue)
Song Books (Solos for Voice 3–92), for one or more voices (August – October 1970, Solo for Voice 85 arranged for violin as Chorals in 1978)
Mureau, for one or more speakers and tape ad lib (November 1970)
WGBH-TV, for composer and technicians (1971)
Bird Cage, for 12 tapes (April 1972)
Etcetera, for small orchestra, tape and, optionally, 3 conductors (August 1973)
Exercise, for an orchestra of soloists (November 1973, based on Etcetera; second version completed in December 1984)
Score (40 Drawings by Thoreau) and 23 Parts, for 23 performers; any instruments and/or voices (August 1974)
Child of Tree (Improvisation I), for percussion made of plants and/or plants used as percussion (1975, before March 8)
Lecture on the Weather, lecture for 12 voices and tapes (September 1975)
Renga, 78 parts for any instruments and/or voices (1975–76, finished in April)
Quartets I–VIII, for orchestra (1976, after August. Three versions for 24, 41, and 93 performers. Arranged for 12 amplified voices and concert band in 1978)
Branches, for percussion made of plants or plants used as percussion (1976)
Telephones and Birds, for three performers (1977, before January 18)
49 Waltzes for the Five Boroughs, for performer(s), or listener(s), or record maker(s) (1977, before October 6)
Inlets (Improvisation II), for four performers with
conch shells and the sound of fire (September 1977)
Cassette for five performers with any number of tapes (1977, before December 7. Used in Address, see
Happenings)
Alla ricerca del silenzio perduto (Il Treno), for "prepared train" (December 1977)
A Dip in the Lake: Ten Quicksteps, Sixty-two Waltzes, and Fifty-six Marches for Chicago and Vicinity, for performer(s) or listener(s) or record maker(s) (1978, before May)
Some of the "Harmony of Maine", for
organist and three assistants (November 12, 1978)
Hymns and Variations, for twelve amplified voices (January 1979)
Roaratorio, an Irish circus on Finnegans Wake, tape (April – September 1979; a realization of ____,____ ____ circus on ____, a set of instructions on transcribing any book for any ensemble)
Improvisation III, for four or more cassette players (February 1980)
Furniture Music Etcetera, for two pianos (April 27, 1980; partly based on Etcetera)
Litany for the Whale, for two voices (July 1980)
Thirty Pieces for Five Orchestras, for five orchestras (1981, before November 22)
Instances of Silence, for any number of cassette players and tapes (1982, before March 16)
Postcard from Heaven, for 1 to 20 harps (June 1982)
Improvisation IV (Fielding Sixes), for three cassette players (1982, before June 30)
Dance/4 Orchestras, for four orchestras (1982, before August 22)
Fifteen Domestic Minutes, for record players at different radio stations (August 1982)
An Alphabet, radio play (1982)
ear for EAR (Antiphonies), for voices (possibly January 20, 1983)
Ryoanji, for
double bass, trombone,
oboe, voice, percussion, small orchestra (1983; parts added in 1983–85, and an unfinished cello part survives from 1992)
R/13 (where R=Ryoanji), for percussionist with thirteen
found objects (July 26–28, 1983)
Sonata for Two Voices, for two instruments with specified
ranges (1933)
Composition for 3 Voices for three unspecified instruments (1934)
Solo with obbligato accompaniment of two voices in canon, and six short inventions on the subjects of the solo, for three or more instruments (1934, six inventions revised [orchestrated] 1958)
Prelude for six instruments in A minor for flute,
bassoon,
trumpet,
violin,
cello and piano (1946, an arrangement of the second piece from Two Pieces for piano of 1946)
Variations VI, for a plurality of sound systems (1966)
Music for Carillon No. 5, for a four-octave instrument (1967)
Variations VIII, no music or recordings (May 1967; revised 1978)
Assemblage, for electronics (1968)
Return to composition (1969–86)
HPSCHD, for 1 to 7 amplified
harpsichords and 1 to 51 tapes (1967–69, accompanied with Program (KNOBS) for the listener, an instruction for playing back the recording of the piece)
Cheap Imitation, for piano (1969; orchestrated 1972, violin version 1977)
Sound Anonymously Received, for an unsolicited instrument (1969, possibly 1978)
Untitled (Work for Antoinette Vischer), for harpsichord (before 1969)
Dialog, for two performers with various objects (1970, possibly 1977; also known as Dialogue)
Song Books (Solos for Voice 3–92), for one or more voices (August – October 1970, Solo for Voice 85 arranged for violin as Chorals in 1978)
Mureau, for one or more speakers and tape ad lib (November 1970)
WGBH-TV, for composer and technicians (1971)
Bird Cage, for 12 tapes (April 1972)
Etcetera, for small orchestra, tape and, optionally, 3 conductors (August 1973)
Exercise, for an orchestra of soloists (November 1973, based on Etcetera; second version completed in December 1984)
Score (40 Drawings by Thoreau) and 23 Parts, for 23 performers; any instruments and/or voices (August 1974)
Child of Tree (Improvisation I), for percussion made of plants and/or plants used as percussion (1975, before March 8)
Lecture on the Weather, lecture for 12 voices and tapes (September 1975)
Renga, 78 parts for any instruments and/or voices (1975–76, finished in April)
Quartets I–VIII, for orchestra (1976, after August. Three versions for 24, 41, and 93 performers. Arranged for 12 amplified voices and concert band in 1978)
Branches, for percussion made of plants or plants used as percussion (1976)
Telephones and Birds, for three performers (1977, before January 18)
49 Waltzes for the Five Boroughs, for performer(s), or listener(s), or record maker(s) (1977, before October 6)
Inlets (Improvisation II), for four performers with
conch shells and the sound of fire (September 1977)
Cassette for five performers with any number of tapes (1977, before December 7. Used in Address, see
Happenings)
Alla ricerca del silenzio perduto (Il Treno), for "prepared train" (December 1977)
A Dip in the Lake: Ten Quicksteps, Sixty-two Waltzes, and Fifty-six Marches for Chicago and Vicinity, for performer(s) or listener(s) or record maker(s) (1978, before May)
Some of the "Harmony of Maine", for
organist and three assistants (November 12, 1978)
Hymns and Variations, for twelve amplified voices (January 1979)
Roaratorio, an Irish circus on Finnegans Wake, tape (April – September 1979; a realization of ____,____ ____ circus on ____, a set of instructions on transcribing any book for any ensemble)
Improvisation III, for four or more cassette players (February 1980)
Furniture Music Etcetera, for two pianos (April 27, 1980; partly based on Etcetera)
Litany for the Whale, for two voices (July 1980)
Thirty Pieces for Five Orchestras, for five orchestras (1981, before November 22)
Instances of Silence, for any number of cassette players and tapes (1982, before March 16)
Postcard from Heaven, for 1 to 20 harps (June 1982)
Improvisation IV (Fielding Sixes), for three cassette players (1982, before June 30)
Dance/4 Orchestras, for four orchestras (1982, before August 22)
Fifteen Domestic Minutes, for record players at different radio stations (August 1982)
An Alphabet, radio play (1982)
ear for EAR (Antiphonies), for voices (possibly January 20, 1983)
Ryoanji, for
double bass, trombone,
oboe, voice, percussion, small orchestra (1983; parts added in 1983–85, and an unfinished cello part survives from 1992)
R/13 (where R=Ryoanji), for percussionist with thirteen
found objects (July 26–28, 1983)