Boris Yoffe English Deutsch Русский
The catalog...

...  is organized by instrument or ensemble. It is made by Ruslan Khazipov.

Book of Quartets

The most important part in Boris Yoffe's oeuvre is the Book of Quartets which consists of thousands of pieces ("poems"). In the catalog, only the cycles made by the composer himself (sometimes with special instrumentation) are indicated:

  • From the Song of Song for 4 voices and string quartett (2010)
  • À la Recherche du Cygne for violin, clarinet, horn and cello (2011)
  • Poems from the Book of Quartetts for violin, clarinet, viola da gambe and bassoon (2013)
  • Quartetti Veneziani for string quartett (2012-2014)
  • Unsichtbares (2021)
Operas

The chamber opera (mystery play) "The Story of the Rabbi and His Son" based on a story by the Hasidic Rabbi Nachman of Braslaw (libretto by composer and H. Volohonsky, in Yiddish)
for a boy soprano, baritone, countertenor, bass, tenor and 13 musicians, some of them have to change between modern and historical instruments.

The chamber opera (purimspiel) „Esther de Racine“ (2004-2005) after Racine (in French)*
for an ensemble of seven baroque instruments and four singers.

Madame Lenine“ - ritual after Welemir Chlebnikow for vocal quartett and string quartett (2017)

Orchestral compositions
  • Early compositions (before 1995) Orchestra-Variations
  • (untitled) for violin and orchestra für Geige und Orchester
  • (untitled) for viola and orchestra
  • Piece ( untitled ) for orchestra.
  • Gezeichnetes Menuett for strings (2000)
  • 3 Canzoni for violin and strings (2003)
  • Motette für violin and orchestra (2005) *
  • Von Prinzen, Prinzessinnen (children’s piece) for an actor and orchestra (2002) *
  • Limericks for ensemble consisting of children (2006/2010)
  • Sacra conversazione for violin and 3 string quartetts (2019)
Vocal compositions
  • Cantata Nr. 1 for voice, 2 flutes and strings, without text (vor 1995)
  • Cantata Nr. 2  for soprano, mezzosoprano, 2 flutes, clarinet, horn and strings, after William Blake and Ave verum. (1996)
  • Zum Ostwind sprach ich (Song) for voice and piano, after Heinrich Heine (vor 2000)
  • Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening for voice and string quartet, after Robert Frost (2003)
  • Mein Gebet for voice, oboe, violin and cello, after Franz Schubert's poem (2003)
  • Volksweise for voice, flute and harp, after Rainer Maria Rilke (2004) *
  • VIER, a cycle of songs for mezzosopran, recorder, fiddle and lute (2005) *
  • Russian Music for alto and wind quintet, after Andrei Platonow (2005)
  • Air and Angels for soprano and choir, after John Donne (2006) *
  • Vejashav for voice, flute, 2 fiddles and lute (2006)
  • Psalm 19 for tenor and ensemble (2007)
  • Drei Romanzen (in memoriam Blum) for voice and piano, after Nikolai Sabolozki (2010)
  • Elis for voice, after Georg Trakl (2012)
  • Otod for choir a capella (2014)
  • Stifter-Landschaft after A. Stifter, for voice and bassoon (2017)
  • Messe for mixed choir a capella
  • Drei Romanzen nach Daniil Charms for voice and piano (2018)
  • Herr von Ribbeck after Th. Fontane (voice and piano) (2020)
  • Atem after F. Werfel for voice and string quartett (2020)

2 Songs after Riccardo Held (voice and piano):

  • Alte Tanne zu den Enkelkindern (2021)
  • Das, was nicht da war (2021)

2 Songs after W. Blake und N. Sabolozki for soprano, alto and ensemble of early instruments (2021):

  • Tyger
  • Die Blätter
Chamber music

Ensemble, consisting of more than 4 musicians

  • Early compositions (before 1995): Piano Quintett, composition for 2 flutes, trumpet, piano and strings.
  • Variations for string quartett, piano, bassett horn and tuba (1998) *
  • „I thirst!“ for violin, viola, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon (2001)
  • „Sijo (Einheit und Einsamkeit des Mondes)“ for oboe, harp and string quartett (2007)
  • „Nams“ for viola da gamba, wind quintet and harp (2009)

Ensemble, consisting of 4 musicians

  • Early compositions (before 1995): piano quartet (before 1991);
  • Music for harp, flute, oboe and bass clarinet (2001) *
  • „Tanka“ for 4 cellos (2005)
  • Night music ("Kirchenfenster bei Nacht") for horn, 2 cellos and contrabass (2005) *
  • „Volksweise“ for piano quartet (2006)
  • „Heterophonie“ for 4 guitars (2010)
  • „Symphonie“ for guitar, viola da gamba, cello and voice (2006-2011)

Ensemble (trio)

  • Early compositions (before 1995): (untitled) for flute, violin and piano; 2 pieces for piano trio
  • Romanze for piano trio (2001)
  • Aria for string trio (2002) *
  • Meisterwerke der naiven Malerei for viola, cello and contrabass (2002)
  • Bagatellen for 3 recorders (2003)
  • Rede for clarinet, viola and piano (2003)
  • Gesang for 3 saxophones (2010)
  • Five pieces for clarinet, cello and piano: „Kerze“, „Wasser“, „Rose“, „Flügel“, „Präludium.Tombeau“ (2014/2016) 
  • Aria II for string trio (2022)

Duos

  • Early compositions (before 1995):
    (untitled) for violin and viola (before 1984); „Om“ for viola and piano (1989); Sonate for flute und piano (1990); (untitled) for flute and piano; „Nostalgie“, cycle for violin and piano; 3 pieces for violin and piano; poems for violin and piano; (untitled) for violin and piano; simple sonata for viola and piano; 2 pieces for viola and piano; (untitled) for viola and piano; poems for cello and piano
  • 9 Widmungen for violin and piano (1999)
  • Essay for violin and piano (2000) *
  • Caprichos for cello and guitar (2004) (also as a movement of the „Symphonie“) *
  • Bracha for recorder and harpsichord (2001)
  • Symbol for violin and viola (2008) or viola da gamba and cello (also as a movement of the „Symphonie“)
  • Bunte Steine for viola da gamba or viola and guitar (2011) (also as a movement of the „Symphonie“)
  • Lai for soprano saxophone and guitar (2011)
  • Wanderers Nachtlied for violin and clarinet (2012)
  • Tambourin for violin and guitar (2012)
  • Sonatine for viola and guitar (2014)
  • Three pieces for 2 violins: Trois regards, Un regard, Tenebrae (2014)
  • Tasten for violin and cello (2018)
  • Klagenspiel for viola and cello (2019)
  • Anbetung der Farbe for violin and piano (2019)
  • Karlsruher Postkarte for flute and continuo (2019)
  • Hocketus for viola and cello (2021)
Solo pieces

for violin:

  • 6 Entwürfe für Sonate von Vinteuil (1997) *
  • Volksweise for violin (2001) *
  • Leicht, aber mit Hingabe (2003) *
  • Mit geschlossenen Augen (2019)
  • Fünf Zeiten (2022)

for viola:

  • (untitled) for viola solo (2005)

for cello:

  • 6 Entwürfe (2001) (also as a movement of the „Symphonie“)
  • Oratio de lacte effuso (2011) (also as a movement of the „Symphonie“)
  • Wald im Mai  (2020)
  • Impromptu  (2022)

for viola da gamba:

  • Lautenspieler (2004) (also as a movement of the „Symphonie“) *
  • Ladino (2004) (also as a movement of the „Symphonie“)

for guitar:

  • Oratio de hominis dignitate (2006) (also as a movement of the „Symphonie“) *
  • Aus Aschkenaz (2010) (also as a movement of the „Symphonie“)
  • 6 Entwürfe (2011) (also as a movement of the „Symphonie“)
  • Pavane (2018)

for recorder:

  • Klagenspiel (2003)

for bassoon:

  • Baum (2004)

for flute (music for children):

  • 9 Märsche (2014)
  • Für Maria Kolesnikova (2021)
Piano Works
  • 3 pieces (before 1995)
  • Bagatellen (2001)
  • Sonata ricercata (2000) *
  • Angelus novus (2008)
  • Mit geschlossenen Augen, music for children (2009) *
  • Muse der Demut (2011)
Bearbeitungen (Auswahl)

F. Schubert Allegro a-moll „Lebensstürme“ for piano 4 hands -
for one pianist

D. Gabrielli 4 Ricercari for cello solo -
„Kommentar“ for second cello

M. Balakierev „Islamey“ for piano -
for 2 pianos (CD „1001 Nights“, EMI CLASSICS, 2003)

F. Liszt Totentanz for piano-
for 2 pianos

N. Rimski-Korsakow „Hummelflug“-
for 2 pianos

H. Vieuxtemps „Souvenir d’Amerique Yankee doodle“ -
for violin and orchestra

M. de Falla Suite populaire Espagnole for voce and piano -
for violin and orchestra

W. A Mozart „Non piu andrai...“-
for flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon

C. Debussy - Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune -
for flute, viola and harp

Bruckner - Erinnerung
for flute, viola and harp, 2015

Bizet - Carmen
chamber music reduction for an ensemble of 7 musicians, 2016

J. S. Bach Sonate BWV 1029 - as Concerto for violin, oboe and strings