Premiere: Nieuw Ensemble, cond. Lucas Vis, Qanun: Bassem Khouri, Gaudeamus Festival 2005

On Love I  (for Qanun & Ensemble) Extract 1

EMAIL: haddad.saed.1972@gmail.com
NEW SOUNDCLOUD since 2025: https://soundcloud.com/saed-haddad-724159665

Saed Haddad (Dr.): Music composer.
Main Interests: interculturalism, philosophy, memory and oblivion, ethics in music

PUBLICATIONS:

WORKS FOR STAGE
1- A Wintery Spring 
-Co-commission: Opera Frankfurt & Ensemble Modern
-Libretto (English & Arabic): Gibran Khalil Gibran (edition & translation to Arabic by Saed Haddad)
-Duration: 50 min., 2015-16
-Premiere: Oper Frankfurt / Bockenheimer Depot, Ensemble Modern, cond. Frank Ollu, Feb. 2018
-Instrumentation: Solo singers: high sop., alto/mezzo-sop. (pref. Arabic native), bar., vocal ensemble (SATB, 12 members) [Prerecorded or off-stage] 
Ensemble: alto fl. (+fl.+ picc+ b.fl.), eng. hn (+ ob.), bs-hn (+ cl. in A+ cl. in Bb), cb. cl. (+ B. cl.), bsn, hn, Eb tpt (+ flug. + picc. tpt in Bb), b. tbn (+ tbn + alto. tbn+ euph), 2 perc, hp, cel. (+ pno + hpsd), 2 vlns [on-stage], vla, vcl, dbass 

2- BELOVED (Choreographic Cantata for Tenor, Chamber Choir & Orchestra)
-Commission: Musicaeterna 
-Libretto (Arabic): Extracts from Medieval Sufi (edition by Saed Haddad)
-Duration: 20 min., 2018-19
-Premiere: Teodor Currentzis, Musicaeterna, tba
-Instrumentation: tenor/ chamber choir (SATB), fl. (+a.fl.+b.fl.), cl. (+b.hn+b.cl), tpt, tbn (+b. tbn), 3 perc, hp, pno/cel, strings (pref. 10-8-6-4-2)

WORKS FOR ORCHESTRA
1- Alternative World-versions (for Piano & Orchestra) 
-Co-commission: Morgenland Festival Osnabrück & Lucerne Sym. Orch.
-Duration: 10 min., 2007 
-Premiere: Morgenland Festival Osnabrueck, Munich Radio Orchestra, cond. Frank Cramer, pno: Saleem Aboud-Ashkar, Sept. 2008 
-Instrumentation: pno/ 2 fl (1st+picc), 2 ob, 2 b.cl, 2 bsn (2nd+cbsn), 4 fr.hn, 2 tpt, 2 tbn, timp, 3 perc, strings (pref. 12, 10, 8, 6, 4)

2- Rebirth & Estrangements [Mundus Inversus] (for Orchestra) 
-Commission: Heidelberg Philharmonic Orchestra / Deutsche Bank Stiftung 
-Duration: 5 min., 2008-09 
-Premiere (10 min. original version): Stadt Halle Concert Hall- Heidelberg, Heidelberg Phil. Orch., cond. Cornelius Meister, June 2009 
-Instrumentation: 2 fl (1st+ picc), 2 ob (2nd+ eng.hn), 2 cl (2nd+ b.cl), 2 bsn, 4 fr.hn, 2 tpt, 2 tbn, timp, 2 perc, harp, strings (12, 10, 8, 8, 4)

3- Kontra-Gewalt (for Clarinet & large Orchestra)
-Co-commission: Donaueschingen 2011/SWR Orch. & Deutsche Radio Phil. Saarbruecken Kaiserslautern & Kunstfreunde Wiesloch e.V. 
-Duration: 11 min., 2010
-Premiere: Donaueschingen Festival 2011, SWR Orchestra Baden-Baden u. Freiburg, cl: Nina Janssen, cond. Xavier Roth, Oct. 2011 
-Instrumentation: cl/ picc., 2 fl, 3 ob (2nd+ eng.hn), 3 cl, 3 bsn, 4 fr.hn, 3 tpt, 3 tbn, tba, timp, 3 perc, strings (14, 12, 10, 8, 6) 

4- Que la lumière soit (for Trumpet, Trombone, Vibraphone & Orchestra)
-Co-commission: Daniel Barenboim & Lucerne Festival for the West Eastern Divan Orchestra
-Duration: 10 min., 2012-2013 / rev. 2014 
-Premiere: Lucerne Festival, Divan Orch., cond. Daniel Barenboim, Aug. 2013
-Instrumentation: tpt, tbn, vibr/ 2 fl., 2 ob (2nd+ eng.hn), 2 cl, 2 bsn (2nd+ cbsn), 4 fr.hn, 2 tpt, 2 tbn, 1 perc, strings (12, 12, 8, 6, 4) 

5- Melancholie (for chromatic harmonica & orchestra)
Co-commission: Donaueschingen Festival 2019 & Eduard Van Beinum Stichting- The Netherlands 
Duration: 13 min., 2017-18
Premiere: SWR Symphony Orchestra, harmonica: Hermine Deurloo, cond. Tito Cecherrini
Instrumentation: chromatic harm./ 2 fl., 2 ob., 3 cl., 1 bsn, 4 fr. hn, 1 tpt, 2 euph (+2 tbn), tba, timp, 1 perc., cel., strings (14,12,10,8,6) 

6- Different (for 19-tone Marimba & Orchestra)
Commission & Premiere: SWR Symphony Orchestra, Mar. Pedro Carneiro, cond. Gregor Mayrhofer
Duration: 11 min., 2019-2020
Instrumentation: 1/4-tone Mar./ 2 fl. (+a.fl.+b.fl.), 1 ob (+eng. hn), 2 bh. (+b.cl.), 1 bsn (+cbsn), 4 fr. hn (+4 Wgr. tba), 1 tpt, 2 tbn (2.+b.tbn), tba, timp, 3 perc., strings (12,10, 8, 6, 4) 

WORKS FOR ENSEMBLE
1- L’Éthique de la Lumière 
-Written for: Ensemble Modern 
-Duration: 10 min., 2004/ rev. 2007-08 
-Première: Hessische Rundfunk, cond. Franck Ollu, Oct. 2004
-Premiere of Revised-Version: Heidelberg Philharmoniker, cond. Cornelius Meister, Oct. 2008
-Instrumentation: fl(+picc), ob(+eng.hn), cl., bsn(+c.bsn), fr.hn, tpt, tbn, 2 perc, 2 vlns, vla, vcl, dbass 

2- La Mémoire et l'Inconnu (Concerto for ‘Ud (Arabic lute) & Ensemble) 
-Commission: Birmingham Contemporary Music Group 
-Duration: 12 min., 2005/ rev. 2012
-Première: Stockholm Phil. Concert Hall, KammerensembleN, cond. Franck Ollu, Feb. 2008
-Premiere of Revised-Version: Auditorium Marcel Landowski, Ensemble 2e2m, cond. Pierre Roullier, oud: Yousef Zayed, Jan. 2013
-Instrumentation: ‘ud/ a.fl(+picc), ob(+eng.hn), cl(+b.cl), c.bsn, fr.hn, tpt, tbn, 2 perc, hp, 2 vlns, vla, vcl, d.bass 

3- On Love I (for Qanun (Arabic zither) & Ensemble) 
-Commission: Music in ME for Nieuw Ensemble 
-Duration: 12 min., 2005
-Première (original version) : Gaudeamus Festival/ Muziekgebouw aan't IJ, cond. Lucas Vis, qanun : Bassem Al-Khouri, Sept. 2005
-Première of Revised-version: Opéra Bastille -Paris, cond. Gary Walker, qanun: Tawfiq Murkhain, Oct. 2007
-Instrumentation: qanun/ fl(+picc+b.fl), ob, cl(+b.cl), guitar, mandolin, pno, hp, 1 perc, vln, vla, vcl, d.bass 

4- On Love II (for Piano & Ensemble)
-Duration: 11 min., 2006
-Première: Stockholm Phil. Concert Hall, KammerensembleN, cond. Franck Ollu, 
Pno: Andres Kilström, Feb. 2008
-Instrumentation: pno/ fl(+picc), ob(+eng.hn), cl(+b.cl), c.bsn, fr. hn, tpt, tbn, 2 perc, hp, 
2 vlns, vla, vcl, d.bass

5- The Sublime 
-Co-commission: Donaueschingen Festival 08 & Freunde des Ensemble Modern e.V.
-Duration: 12 min., 2007 / rev. 2014
-Premiere: Donaueschingen Festival, Ensemble Modern, cond. Franck Ollu, Oct. 2008
-Instrumentation: picc, cl(+b.cl), b.cl, fr.hn, tpt, tbn, 2 perc, cel, hpsd(+pno), vln, vla, vcl, dbass

6- In Contradiction (for Ensemble & 2 soloistic Cellos) 
-Co-commission: Kronberg Academy & Ensemble Modern / Mr. Ulrich Fischer
-Duration: 13 min., 2009 / rev. 2012
-Premiere: Cello Festival Kontrapunkte, Kronberg Stadthalle, Ensemble Modern, vcli: Eva Boecker & Michael M. Kaspar, cond. Ilan Volkov, Oct. 2009 
-Premiere of Revised-Version: Ensemble 2e2m, cond. Pierre Roullier, Auditorium Marcel Landowski- Paris, Mars 2013
-Instrumentation: 2 vcl/ piccb(+b.fl), obb(+eng.hn), Eb clb(+b.cl+cb.cl), bsnb(+c.bsn), fr.hn, Eb tpt(+flg.hn), b. tbn, 1 perc, hp, cel, hpsd, 2 vln, vla, dbass

7- Funérailles (for Concertino & Ensemble)
-Commission: Ensemble Modern with the generous support of Mr. Ulrich Fischer 
-Duration: 10 min., 2009-10 / rev. 2012, 2015
-Premiere: Alte Oper- Frankfurt, Ensemble Modern, cond. Brad Lubman, March 2010
-Instrumentation: Concertino: cl(+cb.cl), vla, eng.hn, fr.hn, dbass; Ensemble: picc, bsn, 
Eb tpt(+Bb picc.tpt), C tpt(+flg.hn), alto tbn, 2 perc, cel, hpsd(+pno), 2 vln, 2 vcl

8- Entre l’Émotion et la Raison (for 3 Singers & Ensemble)
-Co-commission: French government & support of Ministry of Culture- Niedersachsen 
-Text (English): Lord Byron & Gibran Khalil Gibran
-Duration: 10 min., 2012
-Premiere: Ensemble 2e2m, Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart, cond. Pierre Roullier, Auditorium Marcel Landowski, May 2013
-Instrumentation: high soprano, baritone, bass, eng hn, b.cl(+cb. cl), cbsn, hn, b. tbn, 1 perc., hp, cel., vln, vla, vcl, dbass

9- A Winter Card (for Ensemble) 
Written for the 40th anniversary of Ensemble Modern
Duration: 2 min., 2019
Instrumentation: fl. ob. cl., cbsn, Fr. hn, tpt, tbn, 2 perc., pno, cel., 2 vlns, vla, 2 vc, dbass

10- Melancholie II (for chromatic Harmonica & Ensemble)
Co-commissioned by SWR for the Donaueschingen Festival & the Eduard Van Beinum Foundation- The Netherlands; supported by a fellowship at the Rockfeller Foundation at the Bellagio Center - Italy
Duration: 13 min., 2019
Instrumentation: chrom. harm./ fl., ob., 2 cl., bsn, fr. hn, tpt, euph, tba, 1 perc., cel, 2 vlns, vla, vc, dbass 

11- Sombre (for 13 musicians)
Commission: Daniel Barenboim Foundation - Berlin
Duration: 18 min., 2019
Premiere: Boulez Ensemble,. Boulez Saal - Berlin, cond. Thomas Guggeis
Instrumentation: eng. hn (+heckl), bsn (+cbsn), fr. hn, tba, 3 perc., hp, 2 vln, vla, vc, dbass 

12- Different II (for 1/4-tone Marimba & Ensemble)
Commission & Premiere: 
Duration: 11 min., 2022
Instrumentation: 1/4-tone Marimba/ fl., ob., cl., bsn., fr. hn, tpt, tbn, tba, timp, 3 perc., 2 vln, vla, vc, dbass 

CHAMBER MUSIC
SOLO:
1- Les Deux Visages de l'Orient 
-Commission: partially for the 25th anniversary of Ensemble Modern
-Duration: 16 min., 2006
-Premiere: Ulrike Stortz, Eclat festival, Feb. 2008 
-Instrumentation: vln

2- Etudes Mystérieuses (I-VII) 
-Duration: 11 min., 2007 
-Premiere: Noriko Kawai, Festival PARKMUSIK Neue Ho(e)rizonte, Aug. 2010 
-Instrumentation: pno 

3- In Memoriam Escher I 
-Duration: 4 min., 2011
-Premiere: Carin Levine, Spring Contemporary Music Festival- Weimar, April 2013 
-Instrumentation: Alto flute

4- In Memoriam Escher II 
-Commission: Deutsche Ensemble Akademie e.V.
-Duration: 2 min., 2011
-Premiere: tba
-Instrumentation: French horn (a version for Bass Clarinet also exists)

5- In Memoriam Escher III 
-Duration: 2 min., 2011
-Premiere: tba
-Instrumentation: English horn

6- In Memoriam Escher IV
-Commission: Volker Hemken
-Duration: 2 min., 2011-12
-Premiere: Heilbronn Perspektiven Festival, Dec. 2012
-Instrumentation: Bass Clarinet

7- Nuages funebres 
Commission: Yael Weiß for the 32 Bright Clouds Project
Duration: 2 min., 2018
Premiere: Yael Weiß, USA, 2019
Instrumentation: pno

DUO:
1- Quelques Essais sur 'je ne sais pas quoi' 
-Commission: Eduard van Beinum Foundation - Netherlands
-Duration: 10 min., 2006
-Premiere: duo Amuse-Oreille, Porgy & Bess - Netherlands, Feb. 2008 
-Instrumentation: mandolin & guitar

2- Memoires oubliees 
Supported generously by the Kone Foundation & a fellowship at the Saari Residence - Finland
Duration: 10 min., 2018
Premiere: tba (open to co-commissioners)
Instrumentation: Violin & Cimbalom

TRIO:
Le Contredésir
-Duration: 14 min., 2004
-Premiere: Ensemble Modern, Centre Pompidou - Paris, Dec. 2005 
-Instrumentation: cl, fr.hn, vcl

QUARTET:
Mirage, Mémoire, Mystère
-Co-commission: GMEM - Marseille & Ensemble Ictus & support of Ministry of Culture- Niedersachen 
-Duration: 12 min., 2011-12
-Premiere: Ictus String Quartet, GMEM- Marseille, April 2013
-Instrumentation: String Quartet

QUINTET:
Stabat Mater
-Commission: The Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival
-Text (Hebrew): Extracts from Lamentations & Song of Solomon- Old Testament 
-Duration: 8 min., 2014-15
-Premiere: Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival (sop: C. Meghnagi, cl: S. Brill, vln: A. Matathias, vla: L. Chang, vcl: T. Park, cond. Y. Zorn), YMCA- Jerusalem, Sept. 2015
-Instrumentation: Soprano, cl. in A, vln, vla, vcl

SEXTET:
...Kein Anfang. Kein Ende... 
-Commission: ha'atelier fuer Kunst u. Philosophie / Robert-Bosch-Stiftung
-Text (German): Paul Celan & Mahmoud Darwish.
-Duration: 6 min., 2008 / rev. 2012
-Premiere: Beirout Festival, Ensemble Courage, cond. Manuel Nawri, mezzo-sop. lyrical: Uta Buchheister, Haus 13/Pfefferberg- Berlin, Sept. 2008 
-Instrumentation: alto (singer), al.fl(+ picc), fr.hn, 1 perc, vla, dbass

SEPTET:
Love Requiem 
-Commission: Neue Vocalsolisten 
-Text (Latin): an adaptation of the ‘Requiem’
-Duration: 10 min., 2008 
-Premiere: Neue Vocalsolisten, Eclat festival, Theater Haus- Stuttgart, Feb. 2010 
-Instrumentation: high soprano, mezzo-soprano (or lyrical soprano), alto (or mezzo-soprano), counter-tenor [off-stage or pre-recorded], tenor, baritone, bass

OCTET:
Ibtasim (Smile)
2 ob, 2 fr. hn, 2 bar., 2 dbass (17 Min.)2 ob, 2 fr. hn, 2 bar., 2 dbass (17 Min.)
Supported generously by Musikfonds Berlin 2022
Poem (Arabic): Ilya Abu Madi
Premiere: tba 2028 (open to co-commissioners)

NONET:
Mo(u)rning (for viola solo, 6 winds & 2 percussion)
Supported by Musikfonds Berlin 2021
Duration: 15 min., 2020
Premiere: Ensemble Modern, Frankfurt LAB, vla: Megumi Kasakawa, cond. Susanne Blumenthal
Instrumentation: Viola / fl, cl, bsn, fr. hn, tpt, b. tbn, 2 perc. 

10-12 MUSICIANS:
1- On Vulgarity & Transcendence
-Commission: Ensemble C Barré 
-Duration: 6 min., 2012 
-Premiere: Ensemble C Barré, cond. Sébastien Boin, Salle Musica-treize-Marseille, Dec. 2012 
-Instrumentation: b.cl(+cb. cl.), alto sax.(+sop. sax.), picc. tpt, mandoline(+banjo), guitar(+ electric guitar), hp, 1 perc., bayan/accordion, vcl, dbass

2- On Silence (OR  The conquest of Silence)(for Basso profondo & Ensemble)
-Co-commission: The Koussevitzky Foundation- Library of Congress & French Government 
-Text (English): Quotations from philosophers, scientists and poets
-Duration: 13 min., 2014
-Premiere: Ensemble C Barré, bass: Jean-Manuel Candenot, cond. Sébastien Boin, Théatre de la Criée- Marseille, May 2015 
-Instrumentation: basso profondo, 2 sax.(+sop.+ten.+bar.+bass), cbsn(+electric bsn), C tpt
(+picc. tpt+flg.hn), guitar, hp, steel drums [2 players], bayan/accordion, dbass

3-- Divertimento babelico 
-Co-commission: Festival Format Raisins supported by Le Prix of the Foundation Coupleux Lassalle & Ensemble Musica Nova funded by The Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation & The French Ministry of Culture and Communication 2015-16
-Text (Latin + other languages)
-Duration: 20 min., 2015
-Instrumentation: 2 canti (or soprano & mezzo), 2 alti (or 2 tenors), 2 tenori (or 2 baritones), 2 bassi, Arabic traditional singer, Qanun (or any other instrument of similar timbre and technical possibilities)

ARRANGEMENT:
Um Kulthum's Inta Omri (the Musical Introduction) 
Commission & Premiere: 
Duration: 5 Min.  (A shorter version exists: 3 min.)
Instrumentation: fl, ob., cl., bsn., 2 fr. hn., tpt, 3 perc., hp, cel. strings (10-8-6-4-2) 

DISCOGRAPHY
Les Deux Visages de l'Orient/ Etudes Mystérieuses/ Le Contredésir/ The Sublime/ On love I/ On love II
Ensemble Modern / Nina Janßen: clarinet / Saar Berger: horn / Michael M. Kasper: violoncello / Bassem Alkhouri: qanun / Hermann Kretzschmar: piano / Ulrike Stortz: violin / Noriko Kawai: piano / Franck Ollu: conductor/ Martyn Brabbins: conductor
WERGO WER 65782

Quelques Essais sur « je ne sais pas quoi » 
Duo Amuse-Oreille
Private Label: http://www.niteq.nl/amoreille

Kontra-Gewalt
Donaueschingen Musiktage 11: SWR Orchestra Baden Baden und Freiburg, cl. Nina Janssen, dir. François-Xavier Roth
NEOS 11214-16

The Sublime
Donaueschingen Musiktage 08: Ensemble Modern, dir. Franck Ollu
NEOS 10942

Les Deux Visages de l'Orient [5th fragment only]
Edition Zeitgenössische Musik - Collection 6: Ulrike Stortz
WER 65912

L’éthique de la lumière (original version, 2004)
Ensemble Modern
CDEM-021

Que la lumière soit (VIDEO)- Unitel classica
A955500010000: West Eastern Divan Orchestra, cond. Daniel Barenboim, Lucerne Festival 2013 

BOOKS
Saed Haddad: Entre les milieux
Authors: Szpirglas, Bruneau-Boulmier, Albertson 
Edition: Ensemble 2e2m- Collection: A la ligne, 2013
Languages: French & English
ISBN: 978-2-913734-09-8
www.ensemble2e2m.com