Reviews

Compositions

• Memento mori (1984/85) - voc, vl, vla, vcl, cb - after poems by Friedrich Dürrenmatt, Franz Neovalis Neulinger and Hans Magnus Enzensberger
• Streichquartett 1985 (1985) - string quartet
• Helix 1.0 (1986) - string quartet
• met him pike trousers (1987) - orchestra
• Proportional Circels 2314 (1987) - 4 percussion players
• In the Cage (1988) - performance for 3 speakers
• Oh tiempo tus piramides (1988/89) - chamber orchestra
• Abolition... (1989) - percussion solo
• Rudiments (1989/90) - 4 snare drums
• ...et consumimur igni (1989/90) - 3 spatially distributed ensembles (2 tp, 2 fh, 2 tb, 3 perc, 3 vl, 3 vla, 3 vcl)
• Zungenreden (1990) - radiophonic tape piece
• Close the Gap (1990) - 3 tenor saxophones
• In Girum. Imus. Nocte (1991) - orchestra
• In's Offene! (1991) - fl, cl (bcl), vl, vcl
• Partikel-Bewegungen (1991 ff.) - fl, bcl, sax (or: saxophon quartet)
• Rapprochement (1992) - vl, vcl
• Entsagung (1991-93) - fl, bcl, pno, perc and live-electronics
• Lexikon-Sonate (1992 ff.) - infinite interactive realtime composition for computer-controlled piano
• Klanglabyrinth (1992-95) - Interactive 4-Channel Realtime-Composition for the IRCAM Workstation or 2 CD Players
• Déviation (1993) - fl, bcl, vl, vcl, pno, perc
• Cross the Border (1994/95) - soloists (sax, cb, perc) and ensemble
• Intervention (1995) - 4 orchestra groups (each: tp, tb, perc, vla, vcl, cb)
• absence (1996) - violin solo
• Amazing Maze (1996 ff) - infinite interactive realtime composition for computer and live-performer(s)
• ...wird sichtbar am Horizont (1996) - spatially distributed ensemble
• MindShipMind (1996-98) - generative web installation
• à trois - seul (1997/98) - string trio
• Champ d'Action (1998) - meta-composition for computer-controlled ensemble
• fLOCK (1998/99) - sound scape and improvisation concept
• fLUMEN (1998/99) - sound scape and improvisation concept
• mise en scène (1998) - for 4 ensemble groups
• elision (1997) - for bass clarinet, french horn, double bass and percussion
• onwards (1999/2000) - for three instruments and computer
• four2eight (1999/2000) - for 4 groups of 1 trumpet and 1 trombone each, spatially distributed in a large reverberant hall
• da bracccio (1999/2000) - interactive realtime composition for computer, live electronics and strings
• à la recherche de la voix perdue (2002) - music theatre for 4 instruments, live-electronics and tape
• DISTANCE OF THE MOON (2002) - electronic live music for a dance performance choreographed by Bernd R. Bienert
• ex machina (2002) - 6 percussionists encircling the audience
• Sonnez la cloche! (2002/2003) - computer music live performance
• more or less (1999-2002) - computer-controlled realtime composition for soloists and computer
• blur (2003) - alto flute, vibraphone & cello
• el-emen' (2004) - solo percussion & live-electronics
• dance:storm (2004) - electronic soundtrack for an experimental dance video by Bernd R. Bienert
• action rituelle (2004) - computer music live performance
• Faites vos jeux! (2004) - Klangspiel für 7 Posaunisten
• SEELEWASCHEN (2004) - generative sound environment for a light installation by Rainer Gottemeier
• Father Earth (2004/2005) - computer music live performance
• Kalimba (2005) - for toy piano and playback
• WebernSpielWerk (2005/2012) - toy piano with ringmodulator
• colorado (2005/2006) - saxophone quartet and live-electronic
• Deconstructing Mozart (2006) - sound performance for computer and electronics
• Sequitur (2008 ff.) - various pieces for a solo instrument and live-electronics
• Listen Thing (2008 ff.) - palindromic Christmas canon in 4 parts
• Pandora's Secret (2009) - performance for punch-tape controlled music box and live-electronics
• 7x7 (2006-2009) - musical mobiles for instrumental quartets
• whatever shall be (2010) - for toy piano, gadgets and live-electronics
• blurred (2007/2011) - for alto flute, vibraphone, cello and live-electronics
• Sterbebett mit Pappendeckeln (2010/2011) - music for a theater piece by Andreas Okopenko
• LABoratorio (2010/2011) - mixed-media performance for viola, percussions, live-electronics, dancers and video
• Hypostasis (2010) - for three percussion players
• Si! (2012) - for tenor tuba and live-electronics
• Take the C Train (2009) - for grand piano, claves and E-bow
• Pachinko (2013) - for toy piano and computer
• Herbecks Versprechen (2014) - electronic sound performance upon a poem by Ernst Herbeck
• imagination (2015) - Soundtrack für ein Papiertheaterstück von Ulrich Chmel
• Autumn's Leaving (2015) - for pipa and live-electronics
• exit*glue (2016) - for electric guitar and trombone
• Some Way Up (2017) - electronic sound performance
• Puzzle of Purcell (2017) - mezzo soprano & electric guitar
• Licht.Stück.Bad.Fabrik (2018) - generative sound environment for an abandoned textile factory
• Trois Cent Notes (2019) - piano, toy piano or vibraphone
• Prends le Fa (2019) - piano solo
• unbestimmt (2020) - organ solo
• tenet opera rotas (2020) - organ solo
• Trois Cent Drones (2021) - toy piano and live-electronics
• spuren... (2023) - sound environment for an art installation by Tanja Prušnik
• Gesualdo-Fragmente (2023) - sound performance on Carlo Gesualdo, Principe da Venose

Releases

• Rudiments. Works 1986 - 1993
• ©RUDE. Electronic Live Musik (2001)
• stryngebite - da braccio (2004)
• SNDT®X Electronic Music (2007)
• Gold.Berg.Werk interpretation of J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations for string trio and electronics (2008)
• ESSL.BURGER live! free improvisations for brass and electronics (2009), featuring Klaus Burger
• OUT OF THE BLUE free improvisations for voice and electronics (2010), featuring Agnes Heginger
• Mental Mess free improvisations for endangered guitar and electronics (2012), featuring Hans Tammen
• whatever shall be music for toy instruments and electronics (2013)
• Wagneriana three deconstructions on Richard Wagner (2013)
• ruderals free improvisations for zither and electronics, featuring Martin Mallaun (2014)
• ORGANO/LOGICS Wolfgang Kogert plays all organ works by Karlheinz Essl (2023)
• Studies for No-Input Mixer by Karlheinz Essl (2023)
• Bist du bereit? free improvisations for electronics by Karlheinz Essl and Andrew Levine (2024)
• Los Modulinos Karlheinz Essl and Otto Wanke live on modular electronics (2025)

Projects

• Next Generation - composer's portrait of Karlheinz Essl (Salzburg Festival 1997)
• Lexikon-Projekt - multimedia installation for the Klangturm St. Pölten (DER STANDARD, 16 Aug 1998)
• Chicago Concert 1999 - portrait concert at the Chicago Cultural Center (Chicago Reader, 18 Apr 1999)
• Komponisten im Netz: Karlheinz Essl (NZfM, 05/2004)
• IM FOKUS: Karlheinz Essl - Portraitkonzert Karlheinz Essl im Wiener Porgy & Bess (ÖMZ, 6-7/2005)
• expanded voice - Workshop für Stimme und Elektronik an der Hochschule für Musik Mainz (Deutschlandfunk, 2 Nov 2008)
• Komponistenportrait Karlheinz Essl @ KlangZeit festival Münster, 12 Feb 2010 (Allgemeine Zeitung, 14 Feb 2010)
• Anmerkungen zum CAGE-Projekt Wolfgang Gratzer (ÖMZ 3/2012)
• World-Wide Webern - a global event commemorating the 70th anniversary of Anton Webern's death (2015)
• Sequitur_caleidoscopia - dance performance by Andrea Nagl with music by Karlheinz Essl (2018-2019)
• LamenToys - dance performance by Andrea Nagl with music by Karlheinz Essl (2019)
• K.O.P.F. - radiophones Kunstkopf-Hörbuch in Zusammenarbeit mit Erwin Uhrmann et al. (2021)
• ONE ON ONE - modular synth duo with Luc Döbereiner & Karlheinz Essl (2024)
• Los Modulinos - Otto Wanke & Karlheinz Essl onb modular electronics (2025)

Software

• RTC-lib (1992-2015) Real Time Composition Library for Max
• WebernUhrWerk (2005-2015) algorithmic music for computer-controlled carillon
• Amazing Maze (1996-2014) interactive realtime composition for sampled sound particles
• fLOW (1998-2013) ambient sound scape generator
• REplay PLAYer (2000-2013) generative sound file shredder
• FontanaMixer (2004-2012) generative sound environment
• Lexikon-Sonate (1992-2016) algorithmic music generator
• m@ze°2 (1992-2016) modular algorithmic zound environment

Updated: 27 Jan 2026