Elliott Carter: A Reverse Chronological Collection

"One of the most significant post-WW II American composers, Elliott Carter remains a forceful and eloquent voice into his 10th decade. From an early, quasi-neo-Classical style, Carter has forged his own complex, dramatically oriented adaptation of serial methods."  - AllMusic

"He has been extremely productive in his later years, publishing more than 40 works between the ages of 90 and 100, and over 14 more since he turned 100 in 2008." - Wikipedia

Happy 103rd birthday, with many more to come.

It is my first playlist for a living composer this year, though Carter is actually older than Britten, Cage, Schnittke, Stockhausen and Xenakis. His great Indian summer still lives on, and recordings of his new compositions are coming out steadily, so I compiled this playlist in reverse chronological order. If you are not familiar with Carter, you may start with the first few tracks of his most recent works, then try String Quartet No.1 (it quotes from Ives, whom Carter befriended in the 1920s), Cello Sonata, and the Clarinet Concerto.

Here's the Spotify playlist: Elliott Carter: A Reverse Chronological Collection (211 tracks from more than 50 recordings, total time: 18 hours) Ctrl (CMD)+G to browse in album view. To accompany your listening: an informative article on Carter's 101th birthday, from two years ago, including pictures of Carter with Bernstein, Cage and Stravinsky; Richard Taruskin's article on Carter, a standalone chapter from The Oxford History of Western Music, on Google Books.

Below is a list of works in this playlist, all linked to introductory articles. The Bridge Carter Edition will appear on Spotify soon, and the post/playlist will then be greatly expanded.

• Retracing III, for solo trumpet (2009) 
• Figment V, for solo marimba (2009) 
• Retracing II, for solo horn (2009) 
• Duettone, for violin and violoncello (2009)
• Duettino, for violin and violoncello (2008) 
• Poems of Louis Zukofsky, for clarinet and soprano (2008)
• On Conversing with Paradise, for baritone and ensemble (2008)
• Tintinnabulation, for percussion sextet (2008)
• Wind Rose, for wind ensemble (2008)
• Clarinet Quintet (2007)
• Mad Regales, for 6 solo voices (2007)
• HBHH, for oboe solo (2007)
• Figment IV, for viola (2007)
• Sound Fields, for string orchestra (2007)
• Matribute, for piano (2007)
• La Musique, for soprano solo (2007) 
• Figment III, for solo contrabass (2007)
• Caténaires (Two Thoughts About the Piano) (2006)
• Horn Concerto (2006)
• Intermittences, for piano (2005)
• Mosaic, for harp & 7 instruments (2004)
• Dialogues, for piano & chamber orchestra (2003)
• Retracing, for solo bassoon (2002)
• Au Quai, for bassoon and viola (2002)
• Boston Concerto, for orchestra (2002)
• Hiyoku, for two clarinets (2001)
• Oboe Quartet, for oboe & string trio (2001)
• 4 Lauds, for solo violin (2001)
• Steep Steps, for clarinet (2001)
• Figment No. 2, "Remembering Mr. Ives", for solo cello (2001)
• Asko Concerto, for orchestra (2000)
• Retrouvailles, for solo piano (2000)
• Cello Concerto (2000)
• Fragment No.2, for string quartet (1999)
• 2 Diversions, for piano (1999)
• Tempo e Tempi, for soprano, oboe, clarinet, violin & cello (1999)
• What Next?, opera in 1 act (1998)
• Shard, for guitar (1997)
• Quintet for piano and string quartet (1997)
• Luimen, for ensemble (1997)
• Clarinet Concerto (1996)
• A 6 Letter Letter (1996)
• Symphonia: Sum fluxae pretium spei (1996)
• Esprit Rude/Esprit Doux II, for flute, clarinet & marimba (1995)
• String Quartet No.5 (1995)
• 90+, for piano (1994)
• Figment, for cello (1994)
• Of Challenge and of Love, for flute, clarinet & marimba (1994)
• Fragment No.1, for string quartet (1994)
• Gra, for clarinet or trombone (1993)
• Inner Song - in Memory of Stefan Wolpe, for oboe (1992)
• Quintet for piano and winds (1991)
• Scrivo in vento, for flute (1991)
• Con leggerezza pensosa, for clarinet, violin, and cello (1990)
• Violin Concerto (1990)
• Three Occasions for Orchestra (1989)
• Enchanted Preludes (1988)
• Oboe Concerto (1987)
• String Quartet No.4 (1986)
• Esprit Rude/Esprit Doux, for flute & clarinet (1985)
• Penthode, for 5 groups of 4 instruments (1985)
• Triple Duo,for ensemble (1983)
• Changes for guitar (1983)
• In Sleep, in Thunder, for tenor and 14 instrumentalists (1981)
• Night Fantasies for piano (1980)
• Syringa, for soprano, baritone & ensemble (1978)
• A Symphony of Three Orchestras (1976)
• A Mirror on Which to Dwell, for soprano & chamber orchestra (1975)
• A Fantasy about Purcell's "Fantasia Upon One Note", for brass quintet (1974)
• Duo for violin and piano (1974)
• Canon for Three Equal Instruments, "In Memoriam Igor Stravinsky" (1971)
• Concerto for Orchestra (1969)
• Piano Concerto (1964)
• Double Concerto for piano, harpsichord and 2 chamber orchestras (1961)
• String Quartet No. 2 (1959)
• Variations for orchestra (1955)
• Sonata for flute, oboe, cello, and harpsichord (1952)
• String Quartet No. 1 (1951)
• Eight Pieces for Four Timpani (1949/66)
• Eight Etudes and a Fantasy, for wind quartet (1949)
• Woodwind Quintet (1948)
• Cello Sonata (1948)
• The Minotaur, ballet in 2 scenes, for orchestra (1947)
• Piano Sonata (1946) 
• Holiday Overture, for orchestra (1944, revised 1961)
• Voyage, for medium voice & piano (1943)
• Warble for Lilac-Time, for voice & piano (or orchestra)(1943)
• Elegy, for viola (or cello) and piano (1943)
• Symphony No. 1 (1942, revised 1954)
• Three Poems of Robert Frost, for mezzo-soprano (or baritone) & small orchestra (or piano) (1942, orchestrated 1980)
• Pastoral, for english horn (or viola or clarinet) & piano (1940)
• Canonic Suite, for 4 alto saxophones (or 4 clarinets) (1939)
• Tell Me Where is Fancy Bred, for alto & guitar (1938)

(Flute Concerto, 2008)