Chronological List of Works with KSS Numbers and Years of Publication
This page lists Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji’s works in the chronological order used in the “Catalogue of Works” in Opus sorabjianum (derived from the corresponding section in SCC, 93-192, with some reordering to take into account research and discoveries after 1992).
KSS: Numbers assigned by the Sorabji Archive in its List of Compositions of Sorabji’s works. The differences in the sequence of numbers are due to the fact that this list was prepared when the Archive was founded and research was in its very early stages. No numbers were assigned to works that were then known only from references in the correspondence or other archival documents. The Archive did, however, take into account the Toccata terza (1955; 91 pp.), which was included on the basis that it was likely to turn up eventually, as it did in September 2019. These works have a dash (—) instead of a number.
The works published under the composer’s supervision between 1921 and 1931 have a number at the bottom centre preceded by the composer’s initials, e.g., K. S. 16. They were assigned to all these works except the Sonata no. 1 for Piano (1919; 42 pp.) and the Two Piano Pieces (1918, 1920; 20 pp.), which would have been K.S.2 and K.S.3. These numbers were skipped when it came to assigning one to the Fantaisie espagnole (1919; 23 pp.), which was therefore identified as K.S.4. A complete list is given in SCC, 104. Several modern editions published by the Sorabji Archive have the same footer on the first page of music, using the number in column KSS, for example K.S.S. 63.
Title: Normalized titles as given in Opus sorabjianum and on the Sorabji Resource Site. These titles differ from those used by the Sorabji Archive, especially in matters of capitalization. The need for editorial titles, free of the problems resulting from Sorabji’s incorrect handling of languages is discussed in full on a separate page.
Cat.: Category number used to group the works under one of nine headings, plus three subdivided into two, marked a and b, for a total of twelve, in the “Short Catalog” found in SCC, 175-79.
- 1 Piano solo
- 2 Organ solo
- 3 Piano and orchestra
- 4a Orchestra without voices
- 4b Orchestra with voices
- 5a Chamber ensemble without voices
- 5b Chamber ensemble with voice(s)
- 6a Voice and piano
- 6b Voice and organ
- 7 Carillon
- 8 (Piano) transcriptions
- 9 Unknown
Type: Type of work to which the title belong (see examples in the note below)..
- E: Evocative
- G: Generic
- M: Mixed
Use of definite articles before titles: The practice on the Sorabji Resource Site and in Opus sorabjianum regarding the use of a definite article before a title is to use one for generic and mixed titles, and none for evocative titles. Examples of the first and second types are the Concerto pour piano et grand orchestre [no. 4] (1918; 100 pp.) and the Frammento cantato (1967; 1 p.), respectively; evocative titles are those of works such as Opus clavicembalisticum (1929-30; 253 pp.) and Un nido di scatole sopra il nome del grande e buon amico Harold Rutland (1954; 26 pp.).
First Edition: Year of publication of the first edition. A dash (—) is used for works whose eventual publication is highly unlikely, if not totally impossible because no autograph has yet been found. Blank entries indicate works that are still unpublished and for which no edition is known to be in progress.
Later Editions: Editions later than the first are listed in reverse chronological order to give precedence to the most recent. Editions in progress (or reserved) are indicated by 2999 (used for sorting purposes). See also page Current or Recent Research.
The family names of the editors are given in the two columns giving the years of publication; the full names will be found on page Editors of Music Scores, which offers a list ordered by name and the number of pages of their edtions.
The Sorabji Archive’s website has a table entitled Progress in Sorabji editing, performing and recording, which shows the number of pages edited, performed, and recorded. Some information about edition projects has been provided by Alistair Hinton on the Sorabji Forum in posts dated 29 March 2014, 27 November 2017, 25 March 2019, and 14 May 2020. It is imperative to contact the Sorabji Archive to discuss any intention of contributing an edition and receive approval before start note entry, as an edition may already be in progress without having been announced as such.
Click on a column heading to sort, then shift-click on additional headings to sort on multiple columns.
Surround strings with quotation marks for specific searches. Refresh the page to revert to the initial order.
| KSS | Title | Cat. | Type | First Edition | Later Editions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KSS | Title | Cat. | Type | First Edition | Later Editions |
| — | Transcription of “In a Summer Garden” (1914; 0 p.) | 8 | M | — | |
| 1 | The Poplars (1915; 3 pp.) | 6a | E | 2999 (Roberge; completed in 2007 but temporarily withheld) | |
| 2 | Chrysilla (1915; 4 pp.) | 6a | E | 2007 (Roberge; second impression, 2009) | |
| 3 | Roses du soir (1915; 4 pp.) | 6a | E | 2002 (Abrahams) | |
| 4 | L’heure exquise (1916; 2 pp.) | 6a | E | 1992 (Hamelin) | 2006 (Roberge; second impression, 2009) |
| 5 | Vocalise pour soprano fioriturata (1916; 3 pp.) | 6a | M | 2006 (Roberge; second impression, 2009) | |
| 6 | Concerto [no. 1] pour piano et grand orchestre (1915-16; 177 pp.) | 3 | G | ||
| — | Vocalise no. 2 (1916; 0 p.) | 6a | G | — | |
| — | Medea (1916; 0 p.) | 4b | E | — | |
| 7 | Apparition (1916; 5 pp.) | 6a | E | 2001 (Abrahams) | |
| 8 | Hymne à Aphrodite (1916; 5 pp.) | 6a | E | 2006 (Roberge; second impression, 2009) | |
| 9 | Sonata no. 0 for Piano (1917; 30 pp.) | 1 | G | 2015 (Jarvis) | |
| 15 | Chaleur—Poème (1916-17; 32 pp.) | 4a | E | 2013 (Jarvis) | |
| 12 | Quasi habanera (1917; 6 pp.) | 1 | E | 1992 (Roberge; second impression, 2009) | |
| 10 | L’étang (1917; 2 pp.) | 6a | E | 2006 (Roberge; second impression, 2009) | |
| 13 | Désir éperdu (Fragment) (1917; 1 p.) | 1 | E | 2005 (Jarvis) | |
| 14 | Concerto II pour piano et grand orchestre (1916-17; 49 pp.) | 3 | G | 2999 | |
| 16 | Concerto pour piano et orchestra da camera [no. 3] (1918; 100 pp.) | 3 | G | ||
| 18 | Concerto pour piano et grand orchestre [no. 4] (1918; 100 pp.) | 3 | G | ||
| 11 | I Was Not Sorrowful—Poem for Voice and Piano [Spleen] (between 1917 and 1919; 3 pp.) | 6a | E | 2006 (Roberge; second impression, 2009) | 2024 (Roberge; second edition) |
| 11a | Le mauvais jardinier (1918 or 1919; compl. Chappell Kingsland, 2023; 5 pp.) | 6a | E | 2006 (Roberge; second impression, 2009) | 2024 (Roberge; second edition, with completion by Chappell Kingsland) |
| 37 | Trois fêtes galantes de Verlaine (ca. 1919; 11 pp.) | 6a | M | 1924 | |
| 19 | Fantaisie espagnole (1919; 23 pp.) | 1 | M | 1922 | |
| 20 | Sonata no. 1 for Piano (1919; 42 pp.) | 1 | G | 1921 | 2999 |
| 21 | Trois poèmes pour chant et piano (1918, 1919; 9 pp.) | 6a | G | 1921 | 2999 |
| 22 | Music to “The Rider by Night” (1919; 54 pp.) | 5b | M | 2008 (Roberge; second impression, 2009) | |
| 24 | Arabesque (1920; 2 pp.) | 6a | E | 2006 (Roberge; second impression, 2009) | |
| 17, 23 | Two Piano Pieces (1918, 1920; 20 pp.) {different numbers were assigned to the two pieces (“In the Hothouse”, “Toccata”)} | 1 | G | 1921 | 2019 (Lee) |
| 27 | Concerto for Piano and Orchestra [no. 5] (1920; 144 pp.) | 3 | G | 1923 | |
| 26 | Quintet no. 1 for Piano and Quartet of Stringed Instruments (1919-20; 72 pp.) | 5a | G | 1923 | 2999 |
| 28 | Sonata seconda for Piano (1920; 49 pp.) | 1 | G | 1923 | 2021 (William A.P.M.) |
| 29 | Sonata III for Piano (1922; 75 pp.) | 1 | G | 1925 (copyright on first page of music, but copyright of 1924 on title page) | 2021 (Lee) |
| 30 | Symphony [no. 1] for Piano, Large Orchestra, Chorus, and Organ (1921-22; 300 pp.) | 4b | G | ||
| — | Black Mass (1922; 0 p.) | 4b | M | — | |
| 31 | Three Pastiches for Piano (1922; 17 pp.) | 8 | M | 1969 (Garvelmann, no. 1) 1992 (Roberge, nos. 2 and 3, separately; second impression, 2009) |
2014 (Roberge; new edition of nos. 1-3) 2005 (Roberge; new edition of no. 1; second impression, 2009) |
| 25 | Prelude, Interlude, and Fugue for Piano (1920, 1922; 17 pp.) | 1 | G | 1924 | |
| 32 | Concerto for Piano and Orchestra [no.] III [no. 6] (1922; 144 pp.) | 3 | G | 2999 | |
| 34 | Opusculum for Orchestra (1923; 36 pp.) | 4a | E | 2014 (Jarvis) | |
| 35 | Le jardin parfumé: Poem for Piano Solo (1923; 16 pp.) | 1 | E | 1927 | 2014 (Powell) |
| 33 | Rapsodie espagnole de Maurice Ravel—Transcription de concert pour piano (first version, 1923; 16 pp.) | 8 | M | 2005 (Jarvis) | |
| 36 | Cinque sonetti di Michelagniolo Buonarroti (1923; 40 pp.) | 5b | M | 2005 (Roberge; second impression, 2009) | 2022 (Roberge; second edition) |
| 38 | Concerto per pianoforte e piccola orchestra, “Simorg-Anka” [no. 7] (1924; 100 pp.) | 3 | G | 2020 (Powell) | |
| 39 | Symphony [no. 1] for Organ (1924; 81 pp.) | 2 | G | 1925 | 2013
(Bowyer; new edition) 1988 (Bowyer; corrected edition) |
| 40 | Valse-fantaisie for Piano (1925; 16 pp.) | 1 | M | 1927 | 2999 1993 (Amato and Rice) |
| 41 | Variazioni e fuga triplice sopra “Dies irae” per pianoforte (1923-26; 201 pp.) | 1 | M | 2999 | |
| 41a | Fragment: Prelude and Fugue on FxAxx DAxEx (1926; 3 pp.) | 1 | M | 2013 (Younger) | |
| 42 | Trois poèmes du “Gulistān” de Saʿdī (1926, rev. 1930; 16 pp.) | 6a | M | 1991 (Wolfson) | 2024 (Kingsland) |
| 42a | From an Imaginary String Quartet (1926; 1 p.) | 5a | M | 2025 (Jarvis) | |
| 44 | L’irrémédiable (1927; 8 pp.) | 6a | E | 1993 (Roberge; second impression, 2009) | |
| 45 | Concerto V for Piano and Large Orchestra [no. 8] (1927-28; 344 pp.) | 3 | G | ||
| 46 | Toccata [no. 1] for Piano (1928; 66 pp.) | 1 | G | 2001 (Younger) | |
| 47 | Nocturne, “Jāmī” (1928; 28 pp.) | 1 | E | 1994 (Hopkins) | 2004 (Powell) |
| 48 | Sonata IV for Piano (1928-29; 111 pp.) | 1 | G | 2004 (Abrahams) | |
| 49 | Toccatinetta sopra C.G.F. (1929; 8 pp.) | 1 | M | 1992 (Amato) | 2013 (Jarvis) |
| 48a | Introduction, Passacaglia, Cadenza, and Fugue (1929; compl. Alexander Abercrombie, 2004; 79 pp.) | 1 | G | 2005 (Abercrombie) | |
| — | Music for “Faust” (ca. 1930; 0 p.) | 9 | M | — | |
| 50 | Opus clavicembalisticum (1929-30; 253 pp.) | 1 | E | 1931 | 2999 |
| 51 | Symphony no. 0 for Piano Solo (1930-31; 333 pp.) | 1 | G | 2019 (Sánchez-Aguilera) | |
| 52 | Movement for Voice and Piano (1927, 1931; 9 pp.) | 6a | M | 2001 (Abrahams) | |
| 53 | Second Symphony for Organ (1929-32; 350 pp.) | 2 | G | 1991 (Bowyer) | 2013 (Bowyer; new edition) |
| 54 | Quintet II for Piano and String Quartet (1932-33; 432 pp.) | 5a | G | 2007 (Abercrombie) | |
| 55 | Fantasia ispanica (1933; 54 pp.) | 1 | M | 2002 (Powell) | |
| 56 | Pasticcio capriccioso sopra l’op. 64, no 1 del Chopin (1933; 8 pp.) | 8 | M | 1994 (Roberge; second impression, 2009) | |
| 57 | Toccata seconda per pianoforte (1933-34; 111 pp.) | 1 | G | 2004 (Abercrombie) | |
| 58 | Sonata V (Opus archimagicum) (1934-35; 336 pp.) | 1 | M | 2009 (Abercrombie) | |
| 43 | Fragment Written for Harold Rutland (1926, 1928, 1937; 2 pp.) | 1 | M | 1993 (Roberge; second impression, 2009) | |
| 59 | Symphonic Variations for Piano (1935-37; 484 pp.) | 1 | G | 2022 (Jarvis) | |
| 60 | Tāntrik Symphony for Piano Alone (1938-39; 284 pp.) | 1 | M | 2015 (Sánchez-Aguilera) | |
| 61 | Transcription in the Light of Harpsichord Technique for the Modern Piano of the Chromatic Fantasia of J. S. Bach, Followed by a Fugue (1940; 15 pp.) | 8 | M | 1993 (Roberge; second impression, 2009) | |
| 62 | “Quaere reliqua hujus materiei inter secretiora” (1940; 16 pp.) | 1 | E | 1993 (Rice) | 2013 (Powell) |
| 63 | “Gulistān”—Nocturne for Piano (1940; 28 pp.) | 1 | E | 1994 (Hamelin) | 2012 (Powell) |
| 64 | St. Bertrand de Comminges: “He was laughing in the tower” (1941; 16 pp.) | 1 | E | 1992 (Rice) | 2014 (Powell) |
| 65 | Trois poèmes (1941; 13 pp.) | 6a | G | 1988 (Hinton) | 2021 (Roberge; new edition; second impression, 2009) 2007 (Roberge; second edition) |
| 66 | Études transcendantes (100) (1940-44; 456 pp.) | 1 | G | 2007 (Abercrombie, with contributions by Hamelin, Jarvis, Huisman, Abrahams) | |
| 67 | Rapsodie espagnole de Maurice Ravel—Transcription de concert pour piano (second version, 1945; 26 pp.) | 8 | M | 2005 (Jarvis and Acuña) | |
| 68 | Transcription of the Prelude in E-flat by Bach (1945; 4 pp.) | 8 | G | 1992 (Roberge; second impression, 2009) | |
| 69 | Concerto da suonare da me solo e senza orchestra, per divertirmi (1946; 70 pp.) | 1 | M | 2004 (Powell, with Abercrombie, Younger, and Fabre) | |
| 70 | Schlussszene aus “Salome” von Richard Strauss—Konzertmäßige Übertragung für Klavier zu zwei Händen (1947; 25 pp.) | 8 | M | 2007 (Powell) | |
| 71 | Sequentia cyclica super “Dies irae” ex Missa pro defunctis (1948-49; 335 pp.) | 1 | M | 2008 (Abercrombie) | |
| 72 | Symphony [no. 2], “Jāmī”, for Large Orchestra, Wordless Chorus, and Baritone Solo (1942-51; 826 pp.) | 4b | M | 2999 | |
| — | Le agonie (1951; 0 p.) | 1 | E | — | |
| 73 | Third Organ Symphony (1949-53; 305 pp.) | 2 | G | 2014 (Bowyer) | |
| 74 | Un nido di scatole sopra il nome del grande e buon amico Harold Rutland (1954; 26 pp.) | 1 | E | 2002 (Powell) | |
| 75 | Second Symphony for Piano (1954; 248 pp.) | 1 | G | 2999 | |
| 76 | Toccata terza (1955; 91 pp.) | 1 | G | 2021 (Sánchez-Aguilera) | |
| 77 | Passeggiata veneziana sopra la Barcarola di Offenbach (1955-56; 24 pp.) | 1 | M | 2002 (Powell) | |
| 78 | Symphonic Variations for Piano and Orchestra (1935-37, 1953-56; 540 pp.) | 3 | G | 2014 (Vignani) | |
| 79 | Rosario d’arabeschi (1956; 45 pp.) | 1 | E | 2002 (Powell) | |
| 80 | Opus clavisymphonicum—Concerto for Piano and Large Orchestra for Piano and Large Orchestra (1957-59; 333 pp.) | 3 | E | ||
| 81 | Third Symphony for Piano Solo (1959-60; 144 pp.) | 1 | G | 2016 (Sánchez-Aguilera) | |
| 82 | Suggested Bell-Chorale for St. Luke’s Carillon (1961; 1 p.) | 7 | M | 1989 (Hamelin) | 2004 (Roberge; second impression, 2009) |
| 83 | Fantasiettina sul nome illustre dell’egregio poeta Christopher Grieve ossia Hugh M’Diarmid (1961; 10 pp.) | 1 | M | 1981 (Stevenson) | |
| 84 | Messa grande sinfonica (1955-61; 1,001 pp.) | 4b | M | 2017 (Fabre) | |
| 85 | Fourth Symphony for Piano Alone (1962-64; 240 pp.) | 1 | G | 2014 (Abercrombie) | |
| 86 | Frammenti aforistici (20) (1964; 9 pp.) | 1 | E | 2012 (Steininger) | |
| 90 | Frammenti aforistici (Sutras) (104) (1962-64; 37 pp.) | 1 | E | 2007 (Smetryns and Huisman) | |
| 87 | Toccata quarta (1964-67; 149 pp.) | 1 | G | 2999 | |
| 88 | Frammento cantato (1967; 1 p.) | 6a | G | 2007 (Roberge; second impression, 2009; third impression 2013) | |
| 89 | Concertino non grosso for String Sextet with Piano obbligato quasi continuo (1968; 48 pp.) | 5a | M | 2004 (Roberge; second impression, 2009) | |
| 91 | Benedizione di San Francesco d’Assisi (1973; 2 pp.) | 6b | M | 2013 (Roberge) | |
| 92 | Symphonia brevis for Piano (1973; 120 pp.) | 1 | M | 2010 (Abrahams) | |
| 93 | Variazione maliziosa e perversa sopra “La morte d’Åse” da Grieg (1974; 2 pp.) | 1 | M | 1991 (Rice) | 2005 (Jarvis) |
| 94 | Opusculum clavisymphonicum vel claviorchestrale (1973-75; 334 pp.) | 3 | E | 2999 | |
| 95 | Sixth Symphony for Piano (Symphonia claviensis) (1975-76; 270 pp.) | 1 | M | 2012 (Abercrombie) | |
| 96 | Frammenti aforistici (4) (1977; 1 p.) | 1 | E | 2008 (Huisman) |
2013 (Huisman) |
| 97 | Symphonic Nocturne for Piano Alone (1977-78; 113 pp.) | 1 | M | 2016 (Huisman) | |
| 98 | “Il gallo d’oro” da Rimsky-Korsakov: Variazioni frivole con una fuga anarchica, eretica e perversa (1978-79; 93 pp.) | 1 | E | 2004 (Abercrombie) | |
| 99 | Il tessuto d’arabeschi (1979; 32 pp.) | 5a | E | 2004 (Roberge; second impression, 2009) | 2022 (Roberge; second edition) |
| 100 | Villa Tasca: Mezzogiorno siciliano—Evocazione nostalgica e memoria tanta cara e preziosa del giardino meraviglioso, splendido, tropicale (1979-80; 47 pp.) | 1 | E | 2008 (Abrahams) | |
| 101 | Opus secretum atque necromanticum (1980-81; 48 pp.) | 1 | E | 2007 (Smetryns and Huisman) | |
| 102 | Passeggiata variata sul nome del caro e gentile giovane amico Clive Spencer-Bentley (1981; 3 pp.) | 1 | M | 2013 (Roberge; second impression, 2013) | |
| 103 | Fantasiettina atematica (1981; 2 pp.) | 5a | M | 1989 (Burton-Page) | 2021 (Roberge; second edition, 2021) 2005 (Roberge; second impression, 2009) |
| 105 | Passeggiata arlecchinesca sopra un frammento di Busoni (“Rondò arlecchinesco”) (1981-82; 16 pp.) | 1 | M | 1993 (Amato) | 2024 (Penafiel) |
| 104 | Due sutras sul nome dell’amico Alexis (1981, 1984; 2 pp.) | 1 | M | 1992 (Rice) | 2013 (Jarvis) |
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© Marc-André Roberge 2025
Faculté de musique, Université Laval, Québec
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