Over a century ago, a completely new repertoire appeared, that of the work for instrumental ensemble.

Situated halfway between chamber music and the large orchestra, capable of bending, like the former, to the most precise detail and, like the latter, possessing a uniformity of colour, the young ensemble, born in a time of austerity (already!) amidst great conflict, had to grow far beyond its initial promises.

Dedicated ensembles, such as the famous Intercontemporain Ensemble and its numerous international equivalents, have now excelled in the defense of this repertoire both on stage and on recordings, of which we offer you a carefully chosen selection.

Aperghis, Georges : Champ–Contrechamp (2010)

For piano and instrumental ensemble : 1.0.1.1.1  — 1.1.1.0  — 2 perc - pno - hpe  — 1.1.1.1.1

15 min. – view score - video

Aperghis, Georges : Le Soldat inconnu (2013)

Inspired by a text by Franz Kafka

For instrumental ensemble : 0.2.1.2  — 2.0.0.1  — 2 perc - pno  — 0.0.0.0.1

13 - 15 min. – view score - recording

Aperghis, Georges : Pièce pour douze (1991)

Inspired by a text by Franz Kafka

For baritone and instrumental ensemble : 0.0.2.1 — 0.1.1.0 — perc — pno — 1.0.0.2.1

27 min. – view score

Aperghis, Georges : Shot in the dark (2011)

Inspired by a text by Franz Kafka

For 13 musicians : 2.0.2.0.1  — 1.0.0.0  — 2 perc - 2 pnos  — 0.0.0.2.1

17 min. – view score  

Aperghis, Georges : Teeter Totter (2008)

Inspired by a text by Franz Kafka

For female voice and instrumental ensemble : 2.0.2.0  — 1.1.0.0  — perc - pno  — 1.1.2.2.1

15 min. – view score - recording  

Attahir, Benjamin : Et nous tournions autour de ces fontaines hallucinées (2016)

For ensemble : 1.1.1.1  — 1.1.1.0  — 2 perc - hpe  — 1.1.1.1.1

19 min. – view score – extract

Bianchi, Oscar : Mezzogiorno (2004-2005)

For 11 instruments and electronic : 1.0.1.0  — 0.1.0.0  — perc - guitare électrique - guitare basse - synth - pno  — 1.0.1.1.0

14 min. - view score

Bianchi, Oscar : Partendo (2015)

For countertenor & instrumental ensemble : 1.1.1.0  — 0.0.0.0  — perc - pno - accordéon  — 1.0.1.1.0

21 min 30 sec. -  view score - video  

Dusapin, Pascal : Quad (1996)

Concerto pour violon et petit orchestre

For violin and 13 musicians : 1.1.1.1 — 1.1.1.0 — timb — 1.1.1.1.1

19 min. – view score

Dusapin, Pascal : Coda (1992)

For 15 musicians : 2.1.2.1  — 1.1.2.0  — perc  — 0.0.0.2.2

12 min. – view score - recording

Dusapin, Pascal : Souvenir du silence (1976)

For 13 strings (7.3.2.1)

8 min. – view score

Hersant, Philippe : Nun Komm (2019)

For chamber choir & ensemble of baroque instruments

15 min. – view the score

Magrané Figuera, Joan: Marines i boscatges (2016)

(cinquè dia de la creació)

For 14 instruments : 2.1.1.0  — 0.0.0.0  — 3 perc - pno - hpe  — 1.1.1.1.1

9 min. – view the score - recording

Manoury, Philippe : B-Partita (2016)

violin, real-time electronics & instrumental ensemble

23 min. – view score - recording

Manoury, Philippe : Gesänge-Gedanken mit Friedrich Nietzsche (2009)

For alto voice and instrumental ensemble

32 min. – view score

Manoury, Philippe : Instants pluriels (2007-2008)

instrumental ensemble divided into 2 groups with a conductor each

20 min. – view score – recording  

Maresz, Yann: Tutti (2013)

For ensemble & electronic device : 1.1.1.1  — 1.1.1.1  — perc - pno - clav midi  — 1.1.1.1.1

24 min. – view score - video

Maresz, Yann: Éclipse (1999)

For clarinet & 14 instruments

12 min. – recording

Milhaud, Darius: Concertino de printemps (1934) 

Violin & 12 instrumentalists minimum : 1.1.1.1 - 1.1.0.0 - perc - 1.1.1.1.1

9 min. – view score- recording

Nante, Alex : Estrella de la mañana (2019)

Five songs after Jacobo Fijman

For soprano and orchestra : 1.1.1.1 — 2.1.0.0 — perc — 1.1.1.1.1.1

11 min. – view score  

Parra, Hèctor : Un souffle en suspens (2016)

Based on the monodrama “Te craindre en ton absence”

For instrumental ensemble : 1.1.1.1  — 1.1.1.0  — 2 perc - hpe  — 1.1.1.1.1

70 – 75 min. – view score - video

Parra, Hèctor : Moins qu’un souffle, à peine un mouvement de l’air (2012)

Tribute to Khady Demba

For flute / bass flute / small flute & instrumental ensemble : 1.0.0.0 — 0.0.0.0 — 2 perc — hpe – pno — 1.1.1.1.1

20 min. – view score - recording

Posadas, Alberto: La lumière du noir (2013)

For instrumental ensemble : 1.1.1.1.1  — 1.1.1.0  — 2 perc - accordéon  — 1.1.1.1.1

20 min. – view score - recording

Posadas, Alberto: Tenebrae (2010)

For choir, instrumental & electronic ensemble : 1.1.2.0  — 0.1.1.0  — 2 perc  — 1.1.1.1.1

19 min. – view score - video

Rivet, Christian: Quelque part dans l’inachevé (2017)

For flute and instrumental ensemble : 1.1.1.1  — 2.0.0.0  — hpe  — strings

24 min. – view score - video

Takemitsu, Tōru: Blue Aurora "for Toshi Ichiyanagi" (1964-1971)

Variable instrumentation

15 min. – view score

Tanguy, Éric: Concertino pour hautbois (2002- 2003)

Oboe & ensemble : 2.0.2.2  — 2.2.0.0  — perc  — 0.0.0.1.1

12 min. – view score

Verrières, Frédéric: Domenico Scarlatti – an exhibition (2013)
Instrumental ensemble

22 min. – view score - video

Xenakis, Iannis: Aroura (1971)

12 string instruments

12 min. - view score - recording

See our selection of works for instrumental ensembles on Spotify and Nkoda :