Below is a list of many of the most important and well-regarded composers of contemporary classical musisauc and their central works in chronological order of their completion date (not counting revisions). By compiling numerous recommendations across internet forums, various books, and other resources (including a drop of my own preferences), I used an arbitrary threshold of positive mentions to determine the key works of each composer. And just to distinguish the most recommended works, I created a couple tiers based on some more arbitrary cutoffs:
⋆⋆⋆ means an essential work, among the most esteemed of the contemporary era
⋆⋆ means a fairly important work, good to know especially if you're interested in that particular composer
Nevertheless, all the following works can be recommended, even though they all obviously won't appeal to everyone. This is still a work in progress and it's obviously not scientific nor perfect by any means, but I hope it provides a good overview of contemporary classical music especially for novices.
- String Quartet No. 1 "10 Preludes" (1973)
- Marchenbilder [ensemble] (1984)
- Six Pieces for Violin, Horn, and Piano (1984)
- Piano Concerto (1999-2000)
- Four Pieces for Orchestra [arr. from 10 Studies for Piano] (2004)
- Schnee [10 canons for 9 instrs.] (2006-08) ⋆⋆⋆
- Wald [large ensemble] (2009)
- Double Concerto [violin, piano & strings] (2011)
- String Quartet No. 4 (2012)
- let me tell you [soprano & orchestra] (2013) ⋆⋆⋆
- Left, alone [piano left-hand & orch.] (2015)
- Christian Zeal and Activity [chamber ensemble] (1973)
- China Gates [piano] (1977) ⋆⋆
- Phrygian Gates [piano] (1977) ⋆⋆
- Common Tones in Simple Time [orch.] (1979) ⋆⋆
- Harmonium [chorus & orch.] (1980) ⋆⋆⋆
- Grand Pianola Music [3 sopranos, 2 pianos, winds, brass & percussion] (1982) ⋆⋆⋆
- Shaker Loops [string septet / string orch. arr.] (1983) ⋆⋆⋆
- The Chairman Dances [orch.] (1985) ⋆⋆⋆
- Harmonielehre [orch.] (1985) ⋆⋆⋆
- Short Ride in a Fast Machine [orch.] (1986) ⋆⋆⋆
- Tromba Lontana [orch.] (1986)
- Nixon in China [opera] (1987) ⋆⋆⋆
- Fearful Symmetries [orch.] (1988) ⋆⋆
- Eros Piano [piano & orch.] (1989)
- The Wound-Dresser [baritone & chamber orch.] (1989) ⋆⋆
- The Death of Klinghoffer [opera] (1991) ⋆⋆
- Chamber Symphony (1992) ⋆⋆
- Violin Concerto (1993) ⋆⋆⋆
- John's Book of Alleged Dances [string quartet] (1994)
- Lollapalooza [orch.] (1995)
- Road Movies [violin & piano] (1995) ⋆⋆
- Gnarly Buttons [clarinet & chamber ensemble] (1996) ⋆⋆
- Hallelujah Junction [2 pianos] (1996) ⋆⋆
- Slonimsky’s Earbox [orch.] (1996)
- Century Rolls [orch.] (1998)
- Naive and Sentimental Music [orch.] (1998) ⋆⋆⋆
- El Niño [opera-oratorio] (2000) ⋆⋆
- American Berserk [piano] (2001)
- On the Transmigration of Souls [chorus, children's chorus, orch. & tape] (2002) ⋆⋆
- My Father Knew Charles Ives [orch.] (2003) ⋆⋆
- The Dharma at Big Sur [electric violin & orch.] (2003) ⋆⋆⋆
- Doctor Atomic [opera] (2005) ⋆⋆
- Son of Chamber Symphony (2007)
- City Noir [orch.] (2009)
- Absolute Jest [string quartet & orch.] (2012)
- Saxophone Concerto (2013)
- Scheherazade.2 [violin & orch.] (2014)
- songbirdsongs [2 piccolos & 3 percussionists] (1974-80)
- The Far Country of Sleep [orch.] (1988)
- Clouds of Forgetting, Clouds of Unknowing [orch.] (1991-95)
- In the White Silence [orch.] (1998) ⋆⋆
- The Light That Fills the World [orch.] (1999-2000)
- The Immeasurable Space of Tones [violin, vibraphone, piano, sustaining keyboard & contrabass instr.] (1998-2001)
- Red Arc/Blue Veil [piano, mallet percussion & processed sounds] (2002)
- The Mathematics of Resonant Bodies [solo percussion & processed sounds] (2002)
- Dark Waves [orch. & electronic sounds] (2007) ⋆⋆
- Inuksuit [9-99 percussionists] (2009) ⋆⋆
- Four Thousand Holes [bells, vibraphone, piano & electronics] (2010)
- The Wind in High Places [string quartet] (2011) ⋆⋆
- Become Ocean [orch.] (2013) ⋆⋆⋆
- Canticles of the Holy Wind [4 choirs & solo voices with percussion] (2013)
- Become Desert [orch.] (2017) ⋆⋆
- Everything That Rises [string quartet] (2017) ⋆⋆
- Darknesse Visible [piano] (1992)
- Living Toys, op. 9 [chamber ensemble] (1993)
- Arcadiana, op. 12 [string quartet] (1994)
- Powder Her Face, op. 14 [opera] (1995) ⋆⋆
- Traced Overhead, op. 15 [piano] (1996)
- Asyla, op. 17 [orch.] (1997) ⋆⋆⋆
- America: A Prophecy, op. 19 [mezzo-soprano, orch. & chorus ad lib] (1999)
- Piano Quintet, op. 20 (2000) ⋆⋆
- The Tempest, op. 22 [opera] (2003-04) ⋆⋆
- Violin Concerto, op. 24 "Concentric Paths" (2005) ⋆⋆⋆
- Tevot [orch.] (2007) ⋆⋆
- In Seven Days [piano & orch.] (2008) ⋆⋆
- The Four Quarters, op. 28 [string quartet] (2010)
- Polaris: Voyage for Orchestra (2010)
- Totentanz [mezzo-soprano, baritone & orch.] (2013) ⋆⋆
- The Exterminating Angel [opera] (2016) ⋆⋆
- Piano Concerto (2018)
- Symphony No. 1 (1969)
- Symphony No. 2 (1970, rev. 1995)
- Symphony No. 3 [violin & orch.] (1971-73)
- Symphony No. 4 (1972-73) ⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 5 (1975-76)
- Quintet for Bassoon and String Quartet (1977)
- Quintet for Flute, Oboe, Violin, Viola and Cello (1977)
- Cello Concerto No. 1 (1983-84)
- Symphony No. 7 "Insect Symphony" (1988) ⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 8 [organ & orch.] (1993)
- Symphony No. 9 [trombone & orch.] (1993-94) ⋆⋆
- Quintet for Saxophone, Bassoon, Viola, Cello and Double Bass (1994)
- Chamber Symphony No. 3 [alto sax & 20 strings] (1995-96)
- Symphony No. 10 (1996)
- Chinese Songs [soprano & orch.] (1997)
- Symphony No. 11 [6 percussionists & orch.] (1997-98)
- Tuba Concerto (2000-01)
- Symphonic Dances, Hommage à Uuno Klami [orch.] (2001) ⋆⋆
- Piano Concerto No. 2 [piano & 20 strings] (2001-02)
- Flute Concerto (2002) ⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 12 "Luosto" [2 orchs.] (2002-03) ⋆⋆
- Concerto for Two Cellos and Orchestra (2003)
- Symphony No. 13 "Symphonic Characterizations" (2003)
- Contrabassoon Concerto (2004-05) ⋆⋆
- Clarinet Concerto (2005) ⋆⋆
- Double Bass Concerto (2005)
- Oboe Concerto (2007)
- Symphony for Organ "Alles Vergängliche" (2007)
- Symphony No. 14 "Rituals" [chamber orch., darabuka, djembe, gongs & tam-tams] (2007)
- Minea [concertante music for orch.] (2008)
- Symphony No. 15 (2009-10)
- Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra "Sieidi" (2010)
- Trombone Concerto (2010)
- Horn Concerto [horn & chamber orch.] (2011)
- Theremin Concerto "Eight Seasons" (2011) ⋆⋆
- Trumpet Concerto [trumpet & wind orch.] (2011)
- Quintet for Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn and Piano (2013)
- Symphony No. 16 [60 strings, 4 percussionists & mezzo-soprano] (2013-14)
- Timpani Concerto (2015)
- De Volharding [piano & winds] (1972)
- Workers Union [chamber ensemble] (1975) ⋆⋆
- De Staat [2 sopranos, 2 mezzo-sopranos & chamber ensemble] (1972-76) ⋆⋆⋆
- Hoketus [mixed ensemble] (1975-76) ⋆⋆
- De Tijd [female chorus, orch. & percussion ensemble] (1979-81) ⋆⋆
- De Snelheid [large ensemble] (1982-83, rev. 1984)
- De Materie [opera] (1984-88) ⋆⋆
- Hout (Wood) [tenor sax, marimba, guitar & piano] (1991)
- M is for Man, Music, Mozart [film score for jazz singer & ensemble] (1991)
- Rosa: The Death of a Composer (A Horse Drama) [opera] (1993-94)
- Trilogie van de Laatste Dag [voices & large ensemble] (1996-97)
- Writing to Vermeer [opera] (1997-99) ⋆⋆
- La Passione [female jazz voice, violin & ensemble] (2000-02)
- La Commedia [opera] (2004-08)
- Mysteriën [orch.] (2013)
- Du [soprano & piano] (1951)
- String Quartet No. 2 (1954) ⋆⋆
- Semi-Simple Variations [piano] (1956)
- All Set [jazz ensemble] (1957) ⋆⋆⋆
- Partitions [piano] (1957)
- Vision and Prayer [soprano & tape] (1961)
- Ensembles for Synthesizer (1964)
- Philomel [soprano, recorded soprano & tape] (1964) ⋆⋆⋆
- Post-Partitions [piano] (1966)
- Sextets [violin & piano] (1966)
- Correspondences [string orch. & tape] (1967)
- Phonemena [soprano & piano/tape] (1969-70)
- String Quartet No. 3 (1970)
- String Quartet No. 4 (1970)
- Occasional Variations [synthesized tape] (1968-71)
- Reflections [piano & tape] (1975)
- A Solo Requiem [soprano & 2 pianos] (1977)
- Images [sax & synthesized tape] (1979)
- Melismata [violin] (1982)
- String Quartet No. 5 (1982)
- Groupwise [flute & 4 instrs.] (1983)
- Composition for Guitar (1984)
- Piano Concerto No. 1 (1985) ⋆⋆
- The Joy of More Sextets [violin & piano] (1986)
- Transfigured Notes [string orch.] (1986)
- Whirled Series [alto sax & piano] (1987)
- Beaten Paths [marimba] (1988)
- Consortini [5 players] (1989)
- None but the Lonely Flute [flute] (1991)
- String Quartet No. 6 (1993)
- Piano Concerto No. 2 (1998)
- Allegro Penseroso [piano] (1999)
- Swan Song No. 1 [flute, oboe, violin, cello, mandolin/guitar & guitar] (2003)
- Ringed by the Flat Horizon [orch.] (1979-80)
- A Mind of Winter [soprano & orch.] (1981)
- At First Light [14 players] (1982)
- Antara [16 players & electronics] (1987)
- Upon Silence [mezzo-soprano & viols/strings] (1990)
- Sudden Time [large orch.] (1989-93)
- Three Inventions [chamber orch.] (1993-95)
- Shadowlines [6 canonic preludes for piano] (2001)
- Palimpsests [orch.] (2000-02)
- Dance Figures [9 choreographic scenes for orch.] (2004)
- Into the Little Hill [opera] (2006)
- Duet [piano & orch.] (2008)
- Written on Skin [opera] (2009-12) ⋆⋆⋆
- Dream of the Song [countertenor, female chorus & orch.] (2014-15)
- Lessons in Love and Violence [opera] (2015-17)
- Concertino [clarinet, violin, celesta, harp & strings] (1949, rev. 1951/70)
- Nones [orch.] (1954)
- Sequenza I [flute] (1958) ⋆⋆⋆
- Thema (Omaggio a Joyce) [tape] (1958) ⋆⋆
- Différences [flute, clarinet, harp, viola, cello & tape] (1959)
- Circles [female voice, harp & 2 percussionists] (1960)
- Epifanie [female voice & orch.] (1961, rev. 1965)
- Visage [tape] (1961) ⋆⋆
- Sequenza II [harp] (1963) ⋆⋆
- Chemins I [harp & orch.] (1964)
- Folk Songs [mezzo-soprano & 7 instrs./orch.] (1964) ⋆⋆⋆
- Sincronie [string quartet] (1964)
- Laborintus II [3 female voices, 8 actors, 1 speaker & instrs.] (1965) ⋆⋆⋆
- Sequenza III [solo voice] (1966) ⋆⋆⋆
- Sequenza IV [piano] (1966) ⋆⋆
- Sequenza V [trombone] (1966) ⋆⋆⋆
- Sequenza VI [viola] (1967) ⋆⋆⋆
- Chemins II [viola & 9 instrs.] (1967)
- Chemins III [viola, 9 instrs. & orch.] (1968)
- Sinfonia [8 solo voices & orch.] (1968-69) ⋆⋆⋆
- Sequenza VII [oboe] (1969) ⋆⋆⋆
- Recital I (for Cathy) [mezzo-soprano & 18 instrs.] (1972)
- Concerto for Two Pianos (1973) ⋆⋆
- points on the curve to find... [piano & 23 instrs.] (1974) ⋆⋆
- A-Ronne [8 voices] (1974-75)
- Chemins IV [oboe & 11 string instrs.] (1975)
- Quattro versioni originali della "Ritirata notturna di Madrid" [orch.] (1975)
- Sequenza VIII [violin] (1975) ⋆⋆⋆
- Coro [40 voices & instrs.] (1976-77) ⋆⋆⋆
- Sequenza IX [clarinet] (1980) ⋆⋆⋆
- Corale [violin, 2 horns & strings] (1981)
- 34 Duetti [2 violins] (1983)
- Requies [chamber orch.] (1984)
- Sequenza X [trumpet & piano resonance] (1984) ⋆⋆
- Un rè in ascolto [opera] (1984) ⋆⋆
- Voci [viola & orch.] (1984) ⋆⋆
- Naturale [viola, percussion & sicilian folk music recordings] (1985)
- Formazioni [orch.] (1987)
- Echoing Curves [piano & orch.] (1988)
- Sequenza XI [guitar] (1988) ⋆⋆⋆
- Continuo [orch.] (1989, rev. 1991)
- Rendering [orch.; based on fragments of Schubert's 10th symphony] (1990) ⋆⋆
- Canticum novissimi testamenti [ballad for 4 clarinets, saxophone quartet & 8 voices] (1989-93)
- Notturno [string quartet] (1993)
- Sequenza XII [bassoon] (1995) ⋆⋆⋆
- Sequenza XIII "Chanson" [accordion] (1995) ⋆⋆
- SOLO [trombone & orch.] (1999)
- Piano Sonata (2001)
- Sequenza XIV [cello] (2002) ⋆⋆
- Stanze [baritone, chorus & orch.] (2003)
- Tragoedia [flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, harp & string quartet] (1965)
- Punch and Judy [opera] (1966-67) ⋆⋆
- Nomos [4 amplified instrs. & orch.] (1967-68)
- Verses for Ensembles [5 woodwind, 5 brass & 3 percussion] (1968-69)
- Nenia: The Death of Orpheus [soprano, 3 bass clarinets, crotales & piano] (1970)
- An Imaginary Landscape [brass, percussion & double basses] (1971)
- The Triumph of Time [orch.] (1971-72) ⋆⋆⋆
- For O, for O, the Hobby-Horse is Forgot [6 percussionists] (1976)
- Silbury Air [chamber ensemble] (1977)
- Carmen Arcadiae Mechanicae Perpetuum [ensemble] (1977-78)
- ...agm... [16 voices & 3 instr. groups] (1978)
- The Mask of Orpheus [opera] (1973-84) ⋆⋆⋆
- Secret Theatre [chamber ensemble] (1984) ⋆⋆
- Earth Dances [orch.] (1985-86) ⋆⋆⋆
- Gawain [opera] (1990-91, rev. 1994 & 1999) ⋆⋆
- Antiphonies [piano & orch.] (1992) ⋆⋆
- The Cry of Anubis [tuba & orch.] (1994)
- Panic [alto sax, jazz drummer, wind, brass & percussion] (1995)
- Pulse Shadows [soprano, 2 clarinets, viola, cello, contrabass & string quartet] (1989-96)
- Nine Movements [string quartet] (1991-96)
- Exody [orch.] (1997)
- Harrison's Clocks [piano] (1997-98)
- The Axe Manual [piano & percussion] (2000)
- The Shadow of Night [orch.] (2001)
- Theseus Game [large ensemble & 2 conductors] (2002) ⋆⋆
- Night's Black Bird [orch.] (2004)
- The Minotaur [opera] (2005-07) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet: The Tree of Strings (2007)
- Violin Concerto (2009-10)
- Gigue Machine [piano] (2011)
- The Moth Requiem [12 female voices, 3 harps & flute] (2012)
- Deep Time [orch.] (2016)
- Donum Simoni MMXVIII [woodwind, brass & percussion] (2018)
- 12 Notations [piano] (1945) ⋆⋆
- Piano Sonata No. 1 (1946) ⋆⋆⋆
- Sonatine [flute & piano] (1946)
- Le visage nuptial [soprano, mezzo-soprano, chorus & orch.] (1946, rev. 1951/88-89)
- Piano Sonata No. 2 (1948) ⋆⋆⋆
- Le soleil des eaux [soprano, chorus & orch.] (1948, rev. 1950/58/65) ⋆⋆
- Livre pour cordes [string quartet / string orch. arr.] (1948, arr. 1968, rev. 1989/2011-12)
- Structures I [2 pianos] (1951-52)
- Le marteau sans maître [alto & 6 instrs.] (1953-55, rev. 1957) ⋆⋆⋆
- Figures-doubles-prismes [orch.] (1957-58, rev. 1964/68)
- Structures II [2 pianos] (1961)
- Pli Selon Pli [soprano & orch.] (1957-62, rev. 1983/89) ⋆⋆⋆
- Piano Sonata No. 3 (1955-57/63) ⋆⋆
- Domaines [clarinet & 6 instr. groups] (1968)
- Éclat/Multiples [ensemble] (1965/70) ⋆⋆
- Cummings ist der Dichter [chorus & ensemble] (1970, rev. 1986)
- ...explosante-fixe... [flute, chamber ensemble & electronics (various versions)] (1971-72, 1973-74, 1986, 1991-93) ⋆⋆⋆
- Rituel in memoriam Bruno Maderna [orch. in 8 groups] (1974) ⋆⋆⋆
- Messagesquisse [solo cello & 6 cellos] (1976)
- Notations for Orchestra [5 pieces developed from 12 Notations] (1978/84/97) ⋆⋆⋆
- Répons [2 pianos, harp, vibraphone, xylophone, cimbalom, ensemble & live electronics] (1980, rev. 1982/84) ⋆⋆⋆
- Dérive 1 [flute, clarinet, violin, cello, vibraphone & piano] (1984) ⋆⋆
- Dialogue de l'ombre double [clarinet & electronics] (1985) ⋆⋆
- Mémoriale [flute & ensemble] (1985)
- Dérive 2 [11 instrs.] (1988, rev. 2002/06) ⋆⋆⋆
- Incises [piano] (1994, rev. 2001)
- Anthèmes II [violin & live electronics] (1997) ⋆⋆
- Sur Incises [3 pianos, 3 harps & 3 percussionists] (1996-98) ⋆⋆⋆
- Bacchanale [prepared piano] (1938)
- Imaginary Landscape No. 1 [2 variable speed turntables, frequency records, muted piano & cymbal] (1939)
- First Construction (in Metal) [6 percussionists] (1939) ⋆⋆
- Living Room Music [4 percussionists] (1940)
- Second Construction [4 percussionists] (1940)
- Third Construction [4 percussionists] (1941) ⋆⋆
- Imaginary Landscape No. 2 [5 percussionists] (1942)
- The City Wears a Slouch Hat [4 speakers, 4 percussionists, sound effects & conductor] (1942)
- Credo in Us [4 percussionists] (1942)
- The Wonderful Widow of Eighteen Springs [voice & closed piano] (1942)
- Amores [percussion & prepared piano] (1943)
- A Book of Music [2 prepared pianos] (1944)
- Four Walls [piano & voice] (1944)
- The Perilous Night [prepared piano] (1944)
- Three Dances [2 prepared pianos] (1945)
- The Seasons [piano/orch.] (1947) ⋆⋆
- Sonatas and Interludes [prepared piano] (1946-48) ⋆⋆⋆
- Dream [piano] (1948) ⋆⋆
- In a Landscape [piano/harp] (1948) ⋆⋆⋆
- Suite for Toy Piano [toy piano/piano] (1948) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet in Four Parts (1949-50) ⋆⋆⋆
- Six Melodies [violin & keyboard instrument] (1950)
- Concerto for Prepared Piano and Chamber Orchestra (1950-51) ⋆⋆⋆
- Sixteen Dances [flute, trumpet, 4 percussionists, violin, cello & piano] (1950-51)
- Imaginary Landscape No. 4 (March No. 2) [12 radios, 24 players & conductor] (1951)
- Music of Changes [piano] (1951) ⋆⋆⋆
- 4'33" [any ensemble or number of players] (1952, rev. 1962) ⋆⋆⋆
- Williams Mix [tape] (1952-53) ⋆⋆
- Music for Piano 1-85 [piano or any number of pianos & electronics] (1955-56)
- Winter Music [1-20 pianos] (1957)
- Concert for Piano and Orchestra (1957-58) ⋆⋆
- Fontana Mix [tape] (1958) ⋆⋆
- Aria [voice] (1958)
- Water Walk [1 performer with variety of objects] (1959)
- Cartridge Music [amplified sounds] (1960)
- Variations II [any number of players & any sound producing means] (1961)
- Atlas Eclipticalis [86-piece orch.] (1961-62) ⋆⋆
- Variations IV [any number of players, any sounds produced by any means with or without other activities] (1963)
- HPSCHD [1-7 amplified harpsichords & 1-51 tapes] (1967-69)
- Cheap Imitation [piano/violin] (1969, arr. 1977)
- Song Books (Solos for Voice 3-92) (1970)
- Bird Cage [12 tapes] (1972)
- Etudes Australes [piano] (1974-75) ⋆⋆
- Apartment House 1776 [any number of musicians] (1976)
- Quartets I-VIII [orch.] (1976)
- Freeman Etudes [violin] (1977-80, 1989-90)
- Inlets [4 performers with conch shells & fire sounds] (1977)
- Etudes Boreales [piano/cello] (1978)
- Hymns and Variations [12 amplified voices] (1979)
- Roaratorio: An Irish Circus on Finnegans Wake [voice, tape & Irish musicians] (1979) ⋆⋆⋆
- Souvenir [organ] (1983)
- Ryoanji [voice, flute, oboe, trombone, contrabass, percussion, chamber orch. & 2nd voice ad lib] (1983-85) ⋆⋆
- ASLSP [piano/organ] (1985, arr. 1987)
- Five [any 5 instruments/voices] (1988)
- 101 [orch.] (1988)
- Four [string quartet] (1989) ⋆⋆
- Fourteen [piano & chamber orch.] (1990) ⋆⋆
- Seven2 [bass flute, bass clarinet, bass trombone, 2 percussionists with unspecified instruments, cello & contrabass] (1990) ⋆⋆
- Europeras [5 operas] (1987-91)
- Two4 [violin & piano/shô] (1991)
- 103 [orch.] (1991)
- 108 [orch.] (1991)
- Four4 [percussionists with unspecified instrs.] (1991)
- Four6 [4 performers with any means of producing sounds] (1992)
- Sixty-Eight [orch.] (1992)
- Seventy-Four [orch.] (1992)
- Fifty-Eight [wind orch.] (1992) ⋆⋆
- Thirteen [chamber orch.] (1992)
- Autumn '60 [orch.] (1960)
- February Pieces [piano] (1959-61)
- Octet '61 for Jasper Johns [open instrumentation ensemble] (1961)
- Volo Solo [virtuoso performer on any instr.] (1964)
- Bun No. 1 [orch.] (1965)
- Treatise [open instrumentation ensemble] (1963-67) ⋆⋆⋆
- The Great Learning [7 pieces for various ensembles] (1968-70, rev. 1972) ⋆⋆⋆
- Unintended Piano Music (1970-71)
- Piano Album 1973 (1973)
- Piano Album 1974 (1974)
- Thälmann Variations [piano] (1974)
- We Sing for the Future! [piano] (1979)
- Boolavogue [2 pianos] (1981)
- Elegy for String Orchestra (1943, rev. 1961)
- Piano Sonata (1945-46) ⋆⋆⋆
- Cello Sonata (1948) ⋆⋆⋆
- Woodwind Quintet (1948)
- Eight Etudes and a Fantasy [wind quartet] (1949)
- String Quartet No. 1 (1951) ⋆⋆⋆
- Sonata for Flute, Oboe, Cello and Harpsichord (1952)
- Variations for Orchestra (1954-55) ⋆⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 2 (1959) ⋆⋆⋆
- Double Concerto for Harpsichord and Piano with Two Chamber Orchestras (1959-61) ⋆⋆⋆
- Piano Concerto (1964-65) ⋆⋆⋆
- Concerto for Orchestra (1969) ⋆⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 3 (1971) ⋆⋆⋆
- Brass Quintet (1974)
- Duo for Violin and Piano (1974)
- A Mirror on Which to Dwell [soprano & ensemble] (1975) ⋆⋆
- A Symphony of Three Orchestras (1976) ⋆⋆⋆
- Syringa [mezzo-soprano, bass-baritone, guitar & ensemble] (1978) ⋆⋆
- Night Fantasies [piano] (1980) ⋆⋆⋆
- In Sleep, in Thunder [tenor & 14 instrs.] (1981)
- Triple Duo [flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano & percussion] (1982) ⋆⋆
- Changes [guitar] (1983)
- Four Lauds [violin] (1984)
- Esprit Rude/Esprit Doux [flute & clarinet] (1984)
- Penthode [ensemble] (1985)
- String Quartet No. 4 (1986) ⋆⋆
- Oboe Concerto (1986-87) ⋆⋆
- Enchanted Prelude [flute & cello] (1988)
- Three Occasions for Orchestra (1986-89)
- Tempo e Tempi [soprano, oboe, clarinet, violin & cello] (1998-99)
- Violin Concerto (1990) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 5 (1995) ⋆⋆
- Symphonia: Sum Fluxae Pretium Spei (1993-96) ⋆⋆⋆
- Clarinet Concerto (1996)
- What Next? [opera] (1997)
- Luimen [ensemble] (1997)
- ASKO Concerto [chamber orch.] (2000)
- Cello Concerto (2000) ⋆⋆
- Oboe Quartet [oboe & string trio] (2001)
- Boston Concerto [orch.] (2002)
- Dialogues [piano & chamber orch.] (2003)
- Soundings [piano & orch.] (2005)
- Two Thoughts about the Piano [piano] (2005-06)
- Horn Concerto (2006)
- In the Distances of Sleep [mezzo-soprano & ensemble] (2006)
- Clarinet Quintet (2007)
- Interventions [piano & orch.] (2007)
- Flute Concerto (2008)
- On Conversing With Paradise [baritone & ensemble] (2008)
- Double Trio [trumpet, trombone, percussion, piano, violin & cello] (2011)
- Fasce [orch.] (1959, rev. 1974)
- Spiegel I-VII [cycle for orch.] (1960-72) ⋆⋆⋆
- Monumentum für Karl Prantl [large orch.] (1988-89)
- String Quartet No. 1 "Maqam" (1989)
- String Quartet No. 2 (1989-90)
- String Quartet No. 3 (1991-92)
- Impulses [large orch.] (1992-93)
- Eight Movements after Hölderlin Fragments [string sextet] (1995)
- Cello Concerto (1989/96)
- String Quartet No. 4 (2001)
- Clarinet Quintet (2004)
- Violin Concerto (2004)
- Momente [orch.] (2005)
- Instants [orch.] (2006-07)
- Percussion Concerto (2008) ⋆⋆
- Nacht [orch.] (2012-13)
- Akrostichon-Wortspiel [soprano & ensemble] (1991, rev. 1993) ⋆⋆
- Fantaisie mécanique [trumpet, trombone, 2 percussions & piano] (1994, rev. 1997)
- Piano Concerto (1996-97)
- Xi [ensemble & electronics] (1998) ⋆⋆
- Violin Concerto (2001) ⋆⋆⋆
- Double Concerto [piano, percussion & ensemble] (2002)
- Six Piano Etudes (1995-2003)
- Alice in Wonderland [opera] (2004-07) ⋆⋆
- Rocaná [orch.] (2008) ⋆⋆
- Cello Concerto (2006-09, rev. 2013) ⋆⋆⋆
- Šu [sheng & orch.] (2009)
- Gougalon (Scenes from a Street Theater) [ensemble] (2009, rev. 2011)
- Clarinet Concerto (2013-14)
- Le Silence des Sirènes [soprano & orch.] (2014)
- Le Chant des Enfants des Étoiles [mixed choir, children's choir, organ & orch.] (2015-16)
- Sonata for Solo Cello (1955) ⋆⋆
- Eleven Echoes of Autumn (Echoes I) [alto flute, clarinet, violin & piano] (1965)
- Echoes of Time and the River (Echoes II) [orch.] (1967)
- Songs, Drones, and Refrains of Death [baritone, electric guitar, electric double bass, amplified piano/electric harpsichord & 2 percussionists] (1968)
- Madrigals [soprano & chamber ensemble] (1965-69) ⋆⋆
- Night of the Four Moons [alto, alto flute/piccolo, banjo, electric cello & percussion] (1969)
- Ancient Voices of Children [mezzo- & boy soprano, oboe, mandolin, harp, amplified & toy piano & 3 percussionists] (1970) ⋆⋆⋆
- Black Angels (Images I) [electric string quartet] (1970) ⋆⋆⋆
- Vox Balaenae [electric flute, electric cello & amplified piano] (1971) ⋆⋆⋆
- Dream Sequence (Images II) [violin, cello, piano, percussion & 2 off-stage glass harmonica players] (1976)
- Star-Child [soprano, antiphonal children's voices, male speaking choir, bell ringers, & large orch.] (1977, rev. 1979) ⋆⋆
- Makrokosmos [2 amplified pianos & 2 percussionists] (1972-79) ⋆⋆⋆
- Apparition [soprano & amplified piano] (1979) ⋆⋆
- A Little Suite For Christmas, A.D. 1979 [piano] (1980)
- A Haunted Landscape [orch.] (1984) ⋆⋆
- An Idyll of the Misbegotten (Images III) [amplified flute & 3 percussionists] (1986)
- Zeitgeist [6 tableaux for 2 amplified pianos] (1987)
- Quest [guitar, soprano sax, harp, double bass & 2 percussionists] (1994)
- American Songbooks [7 sets for soprano, baritone, percussion quartet & piano] (2001-10)
- Sinfonia, op. 20 (1962)
- Taverner, op. 45 [opera] (1962-8, rev. 1970)
- St. Thomas Wake, op. 37 [foxtrot for orch. on a pavan by John Bull] (1969)
- Worldes Blis, op. 38 [orch.] (1969) ⋆⋆
- Eight Songs for a Mad King, op. 39 [male voice & instr. ensemble] (1969) ⋆⋆⋆
- Vesalii Icones, op. 42 [music-theatre work for dancer, solo cello & instrumental ensemble] (1969) ⋆⋆
- Hymn to St. Magnus, op. 53 [instr. ensemble with mezzo-soprano obbligato] (1972)
- Ave Maris Stella, op. 63 [instr. ensemble] (1975) ⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 1, op. 71 (1976) ⋆⋆
- Westerlings, op. 73a [4 songs and a prayer, with seascapes for SATB chorus] (1977)
- A Mirror of Whitening Light, op. 75 [orch.] (1976-77)
- The Lighthouse, op. 86 [chamber opera in 1 act with prologue] (1979) ⋆⋆
- Farewell to Stromness, op. 89/1 [piano interlude from The Yellow Cake Revue] (1980) ⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 2, op. 91 (1980)
- Image, Reflection, Shadow, op. 105 [instr. ensemble] (1982)
- Sinfonia Concertante, op. 106 [wind quintet & orch.] (1982)
- Into the Labyrinth, op. 111 [cantata for tenor & chamber orch.] (1983)
- Symphony No. 3, op. 119 (1984) ⋆⋆
- An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise, op. 120a [orch.] (1985) ⋆⋆
- Strathclyde Concerto No. 2, op. 131 [cello & orch.] (1988)
- Trumpet Concerto, op. 132 (1988)
- Strathclyde Concerto No. 4, op. 143 [clarinet & orch.] (1990)
- Strathclyde Concerto No. 7, op. 156 [double bass & orch.] (1992)
- Strathclyde Concerto No. 8, op. 159 [bassoon & orch.] (1993)
- A Spell for Green Corn: The MacDonald Dances, op. 161 [violin & orch.] (1993)
- Symphony No. 5, op. 166 (1994)
- Carolísima, op. 168 [serenade for chamber orch.] (1994)
- Strathclyde Concerto No. 9, op. 170 [6 woodwind instrs. & string orch.] (1994)
- Symphony No. 6, op. 176 (1996) ⋆⋆
- Job, op. 183 [oratorio for SATB Soli, SATB chorus & orch.] (1997)
- Mavis in Las Vegas, op. 184 [theme & variations for orch.] (1997)
- Piano Concerto, op. 188 (1997)
- Symphony No. 7, op. 211 (2000)
- Symphony No. 8, op. 215 "Antarctic" (2001)
- Naxos Quartets, opp. 229, 234, 236, 245, 253, 257, 265, 268, 275, 283 [10 pieces for string quartet] (2002-07)
- Symphony No. 10, op. 327 "Alla ricerca di Borromini" (2013)
- Le soleil des Incas [soprano & chamber ensemble] (1964) ⋆⋆
- Peinture [orch.] (1970)
- Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano (1970)
- Cello Concerto (1972) ⋆⋆
- Sonata for Solo Clarinet (1972)
- Piano Concerto (1974)
- Flute Concerto (1975)
- Sonata for Flute and Guitar (1977)
- Violin Concerto (1977)
- Requiem [soprano, tenor, chorus & orch.] (1980) ⋆⋆
- L'écume des jours [opera] (1981)
- Sonata for Guitar (1981)
- Chamber Symphony No. 1 (1982)
- Concerto for Two Violas, Harpsichord, and Strings (1984)
- Five Paganini Caprices [violin & string orch.] (1985)
- Au plus haut des cieux [soprano & chamber orch.] (1986)
- Oboe Concerto (1986)
- Saxophone Concerto [arr. of Viola Concerto] (1986) ⋆⋆
- Variations on "Es ist genug" [viola & ensemble/chamber orch.] (1986)
- Symphony No. 1 (1987) ⋆⋆
- Clarinet Concerto (1989)
- Chamber Symphony No. 2 (1994)
- Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Cello (1994)
- String Quartet No. 6 (2010) ⋆⋆
- Stabar Mater dolorosa [12 mixed voices, 12 players & live electronics] (2014)
- The Gates [string quartet & orch.] (2016)
- Traumwerk, Book 3 [violin & piano] (2001-02)
- the soadie waste [piano & string quartet] (2002-03)
- Philomela [opera] (2004)
- Piano Concerto "Andromeda" (2006)
- Spleen [piano] (1980)
- Parjanya-Vata [cello] (1981)
- Windows and Canopies [small orch.] (1985)
- helle Nacht [orch.] (1986-87) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 2 (1991)
- ignis noster [orch.] (1991-92) ⋆⋆
- Siorram [viola] (1992)
- Vernal Showers [violin & ensemble] (1992)
- Traumwerk, Book 1 [2 violins] (1995-96)
- Nine Rivers [9 pieces for voices, strings, percussion, live electronics & computer-generated tape] (1982-2000) ⋆⋆
- Violin Concerto (2000)
- The Book of Elements [piano in 5 volumes] (1997-2002) ⋆⋆⋆
- For Grilly [7 performers] (1960)
- Puppenspiel [étude for orch.] (1961)
- Etwas ruhiger im Ausdruck [5 instrs.] (1967)
- Voci [étude for orch.] (1972-73)
- Duo pour Bruno [orch.] (1974-75) ⋆⋆
- Lumen [6 instrs.] (1975)
- Ash [8 instrs.] (1976)
- Portrait [harpsichord & orch.] (1976-77)
- Algo [2 pieces for guitar] (1977)
- Ali [2 pieces for viola] (1977)
- Spiri [6 instrs.] (1977) ⋆⋆
- Arie [female voice & orch.] (1978)
- Argot [2 pieces for violin] (1979)
- Nidi [2 pieces for piccolo] (1979)
- Clair [clarinet] (1980)
- L'Ultima sera [mezzo-soprano & 5 instrs.] (1980)
- Fili [flute & piano] (1981)
- Tema [12 instrs.] (1981) ⋆⋆
- Rima [2 pieces for piano] (1983)
- Cadeau [11 performers] (1984)
- Ombra [2 pieces for contrabass clarinet] (1984)
- In cauda [choir & orch.] (1982-86)
- Eco [chamber orch.] (1985-86)
- Arpège [6 instrs.] (1986) ⋆⋆
- Refrain [8 instrs.] (1986)
- Ave [piccolo, glockenspiel & celesta] (1987)
- Hot [sopranino (or tenor) saxophone & 6 instrs.] (1989) ⋆⋆
- Alfred, Alfred [comic opera in 7 scenes and 6 intermezzos] (1995)
- Rasch II [saxophone quartet, marimba, vibraphone, piano, & percussion] (1995)
- Françoise Variationen [piano] (1983-96) ⋆⋆
- Prom [orch.] (1999)
- ESA (In cauda V) [orch.] (2000) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 1 (1982, rev. 1992-96)
- Roméo et Juliette [opera] (1985-88)
- String Quartet No. 2 "Time Zones" (1988-89) ⋆⋆
- Medeamaterial [opera] (1991)
- String Quartet No. 3 (1993)
- Watt [concerto for trombone & orch.] (1994) ⋆⋆
- Celo [concerto for cello & orch.] (1996)
- Granum Sinapis [mixed chorus] (1992-97)
- String Quartet No. 4 (1997)
- Umbrae Mortis [mixed chorus] (1997)
- Dona eis [mixed chorus & flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone] (1998)
- Galim (requies plena oblectationis) [concerto for flute & strings] (1998)
- Etudes for piano (1997-2001) ⋆⋆
- Perelà uomo di fumo [opera] (1998-2001) ⋆⋆
- À Quia [concerto for piano & orch.] (2001-02)
- Faustus, The Last Night [opera] (2003-04)
- String Quartet No. 5 (2004-05) ⋆⋆
- Passion [opera] (2006-08)
- Seven Solos for Orchestra [Go, Extenso, Apex, Clam, Exeo, Reverso, Uncut] (1992-2009) ⋆⋆
- O Mensch! (Inventaire raisonné de quelques passions Nietzschéennes) [baritone & piano] (2008-09)
- String Quartet No. 6 "Hinterland" [string quartet & orch.] (2009) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 7 "OpenTime" (2009) ⋆⋆
- Aufgang [concerto for violin & orch.] (2011) ⋆⋆
- Penthesilea [opera; concert suite arr. as Wenn du dem Wind] (2011-14)
- Outscape [concerto for cello & orch.] (2014-15)
- Sonatine [flute & piano] (1943) ⋆⋆
- Piano Sonata (1947-48) ⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 1 (1951) ⋆⋆
- Le Loup [ballet for orch.] (1953)
- Symphony No. 2 "Le Double" (1959) ⋆⋆⋆
- Métaboles [orch.] (1964) ⋆⋆⋆
- Cello Concerto "Tout un monde lointain" (1970) ⋆⋆⋆
- String Quartet "Ainsi la nuit" (1976) ⋆⋆⋆
- Timbres, espace, mouvement "La nuit etoilée" [orch.] (1978) ⋆⋆⋆
- Trois strophes sur le nom de Sacher [cello] (1976-82)
- Violin Concerto "L'arbre des songes" (1985) ⋆⋆⋆
- Trois Préludes [piano] (1973-88)
- Mystère de l'instant [orch.] (1989) ⋆⋆
- Les Citations [oboe, harpsichord, double bass & percussion] (1985-91, rev. 2010)
- The Shadows of Time [3 children's voices & orch.] (1997) ⋆⋆
- Sur le même accord [violin & orch.] (2002)
- Correspondances [soprano & orch.] (2003) ⋆⋆
- Le temps l'horloge [soprano & orch.] (2007-09)
- Stay On It [open instrumentation ensemble incl. voice, piano, percussion] (1973)
- Femenine [chamber ensemble] (1974) ⋆⋆
- Evil Nigger [any number of similar instrs., commonly 4 pianos] (1979) ⋆⋆
- Crazy Nigger [any number of similar instrs., commonly 4 pianos] (ca. 1980) ⋆⋆
- Gay Guerilla [any number of similar instrs., commonly 4 pianos] (ca. 1980) ⋆⋆
- The Holy Presence of Joan d'Arc [10 cellos] (1981) ⋆⋆
- Kosmos [solo piano/2 pianos] (1961, rev. 1999)
- Windsequenzen [ensemble] (1975, rev. 1987/2002)
- Intervalles-intérieurs [ensemble & electronics] (1981)
- Chinese Opera [orch.] (1986)
- Psychokosmos [zymbalon concerto] (1993)
- Atlantis [solo baritone, boy soprano, zymbalom, virtual choir & orch.] (1995)
- Shadows [flute, clarinet & ensemble] (1996)
- Three Sisters [opera] (1996-97) ⋆⋆⋆
- Replica [viola concerto] (1998)
- zeroPoints [orch.] (1999)
- Paris-Dakar [trombone solo & big band] (2000)
- Jet Stream [trumpet concerto] (2002)
- Angels in America [opera] (2002-04)
- CAP-KO [concerto for piano, keyboard & orch.] (2005)
- Seven (Violin Concerto No. 1) (2006) ⋆⋆
- Levitation [2 clarinets & string orch.] (2007)
- Love and Other Demons [opera] (2008)
- DoReMi (Violin Concerto No. 2) (2012)
- Der goldene Drache [opera] (2013/14)
- Senza sangue [opera] (2015)
- Piano Three Hands (1957)
- Piece for Four Pianos (1957)
- Durations [5 pieces for various chamber ensembles] (1960-61)
- For Franz Kline [soprano, horn, chimes, piano, violin & cello] (1962)
- The King of Denmark [solo percussion] (1964)
- The Possibility of a New Work for Electric Guitar (1966, reconstructed 2013)
- Madame Press Died Last Week at Ninety [chamber ensemble] (1970)
- The Viola in My Life [4 pieces for viola & various ensembles] (1970-71)
- Rothko Chapel [soprano, alto, choir, percussion, celesta & viola] (1971) ⋆⋆⋆
- Cello and Orchestra (1972) ⋆⋆
- Five Pianos (1972)
- String Quartet and Orchestra (1973)
- Piano and Orchestra (1975)
- Oboe and Orchestra (1976)
- Neither [opera in 1 act for soprano & orch.] (1977) ⋆⋆
- Flute and Orchestra (1978)
- Why Patterns? [flute, percussion & piano] (1978) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 1 (1979)
- Violin and Orchestra (1979)
- For John Cage [violin & piano] (1980)
- Principal Sound [organ] (1980)
- Trio [violin, cello & piano] (1980)
- Turfan Fragments [orch.] (1980)
- Patterns in a Chromatic Field [cello & piano] (1981) ⋆⋆
- Triadic Memories [piano] (1981) ⋆⋆⋆
- Three Voices [soprano (2 pre-recorded parts & 1 live) / 3 sopranos] (1982) ⋆⋆
- Clarinet and String Quartet (1983)
- Crippled Symmetry [flute, percussion & piano] (1983) ⋆⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 2 (1983) ⋆⋆⋆
- For Philip Guston [flute, percussion & piano/celesta] (1984) ⋆⋆⋆
- Coptic Light [orch.] (1985) ⋆⋆⋆
- For Bunita Marcus [piano] (1985) ⋆⋆
- Piano and String Quartet (1985) ⋆⋆⋆
- Violin and String Quartet (1985)
- For Christian Wolff [flute & piano/celesta] (1986)
- For Stefan Wolpe [choir & 2 vibraphones] (1986)
- Palais de Mari [piano] (1986) ⋆⋆
- For Samuel Beckett [23 instrs.] (1987) ⋆⋆
- Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello (1987)
- Sonatas for String Quartet (1967) ⋆⋆
- Missa Brevis [12 voices] (1968-69)
- Firecycle Beta [2 pianos & orch. with 5 conductors] (1969-71)
- Cassandra's Dream Song [flute] (1970-71)
- Transit [solo voices & ensemble] (1972-75) ⋆⋆
- Unity Capsule [flute] (1975-76)
- Time and Motion Study II [cello & electronics] (1973-76)
- Time and Motion Study I [bass clarinet] (1971-77)
- La Terre est un Homme [orch.] (1979) ⋆⋆
- Funérailles I-II [7 strings & harp] (1969-77, 1969-80) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 2 (1980) ⋆⋆⋆
- Lemma-Icon-Epigram [piano] (1982) ⋆⋆
- Carceri d'Invenzione [7 pieces for ensemble; incl. Études Transcendentales, Mnemosyne] (1981-87) ⋆⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 3 (1987) ⋆⋆
- La Chute d'Icare [clarinet & chamber ensemble] (1988) ⋆⋆⋆
- Kurze Schatten II [solo guitar] (1983-89)
- String Quartet No. 4 (1989-90) ⋆⋆
- Bone Alphabet [solo percussion] (1991) ⋆⋆
- Terrain [violin & chamber ensemble] (1992) ⋆⋆⋆
- String Trio (1994-95)
- Allgebrah [oboe & 9 solo strings] (1996)
- Incipits [viola, obbligato percussion & 6 instrs.] (1996)
- Flurries [piccolo, clarinet, horn, violin, cello & piano] (1997)
- Shadowtime [opera] (1999-2004) ⋆⋆
- no time (at all) [5 post-pieces for 2 guitars] (2004)
- O Lux [ensemble] (2005)
- Plötzlichkeit [large orch.] (2006)
- String Quartet No. 5 (2006) ⋆⋆
- Exordium [string quartet] (2008)
- String Quartet No. 6 (2010) ⋆⋆
- Liber Scintillarum [flute/piccolo, oboe/cor anglais, clarinet/bass clarinet, violin, viola & cello] (2012)
- Inconjunctions [ensemble] (2014)
- Étude aux accidents [musique concrète] (1958)
- Visage V [musique concrète] (1958-59)
- Hétérozygote [tape] (1963-64) ⋆⋆
- Interrupteur [cor anglais, clarinet, low clarinet, horn, trumpet, violin, viola, cello & 2 percussions] (1967)
- Société II, et si le piano était un corps de femme [piano, 3 percussions & 16 instrs.] (1967)
- Music Promenade [tape] (1964-69)
- Tautologos III ou Vous plairait-il de tautologuer avec moi? [any group of instrs.] (1969) ⋆⋆
- Presque rien No. 1, le lever du jour au bord de la mer [tape] (1967-70) ⋆⋆⋆
- Unheimlich Schön [tape] (1971)
- Danses organiques [tape] (1971-73) ⋆⋆
- Petite symphonie intuitive pour un paysage de printemps [tape] (1973-74) ⋆⋆⋆
- Éphémère I [tape/played with various instrs.] (1974)
- Cellule 75, Force du Rythme et Cadence Forcée [piano, percussion & tape] (1975)
- Éphémère II [tape/played with various instrs.] (1975) ⋆⋆
- Et tournent les sons dans la garrigue - Réflexion sur l'écriture No. 1 [tape & free instrumentation] (1977)
- Place des Abbesses [tape music for a film by Erika Magdalinski] (1977)
- Presque rien No. 2, ainsi continue la nuit dans ma tête multiple [tape] (1977) ⋆⋆
- Histoire du plaisir et de la désolation [orch.] (1979-81)
- Dialogue ordinaire avec la machine [tape] (1984)
- Et si tout entière maintenant [tape] (1986-87)
- Presque rien avec filles [tape] (1989) ⋆⋆
- L'escalier des aveugles [tape] (1991)
- Presque rien No. 4, la remontée du village [memorized sounds] (1990-98)
- Symphonie Déchirée [17 amplified instrs. & memorized sounds] (1994-98)
- Far West News [radiophonic piece in 3 parts] (1998-99)
- Archives Génétiquement Modifées [memorized sounds solo] (2000)
- Les Anecdotiques - Exploitation des Concepts No. 6 [radiophonic piece] (2001-02)
- Les Arhythmiques [electroacoustic] (2003)
- Didascalies [viola, piano & memorized sound on media] (2004)
- Les Protorythmiques [two DJs; with eRikm & Thomas Lehn] (2004-05)
- Snowdrift [piano] (1972)
- English Country Tunes [piano] (1977, rev. 1982-85) ⋆⋆⋆
- Piano Concerto No. 3 (1978)
- Piano Concerto No. 4 [solo piano] (1978, rev. 1996)
- Câtana [9 instrs.] (1984)
- Contretänze [flute, oboe, clarinet, percussion, violin & cello] (1985-86)
- String Trio (1986)
- Gershwin Arrangements [piano] (1975-88)
- Red Earth [orch.] (1987-88) ⋆⋆
- Seven Sacred Motets [chorus/4 solo voices] (1991)
- Folklore II [piano] (1993-94)
- The History of Photography in Sound [piano; incl. North American Spirituals, Etched Bright with Sunlight] (1995-2001) ⋆⋆⋆
- This Church [mezzo-soprano, baritone, narrators, chorus & ensemble] (2001)
- Verdi Transcriptions [piano] (1972-2005)
- Second String Quartet (2006-07)
- Third String Quartet [with pre-recorded birdsong] (2007-09)
- Retour an Dich [violin, cello & piano] (1984)
- Voicelessness. The Snow Has No Voice [piano] (1986)
- Gaspra [ensemble] (1988)
- Stimmen [chorus & 4 percussionists] (1995)
- Nuun [2 pianos & orch.] (1996)
- Presto (con fuoco) [flute & piano] (1997)
- spur [piano & string quartet] (1998) ⋆⋆
- Still [ensemble] (1998)
- Begehren [opera] (2001)
- Orpheus' Bücher [choir & orch.] (2001)
- Phasma [piano] (2002)
- String Quartet No. 3 (2004)
- FAMA [opera] (2004) ⋆⋆⋆
- Lotófagos I [soprano & double bass] (2006)
- Piano Concerto (2007) ⋆⋆⋆
- Enigma I-VI [mixed choir a cappella] (2006-13)
- String Quartet No. 1 (1966)
- Piece in the Shape of a Square [2 flutes] (1967)
- Two Pages [piano/electric organ] (1968)
- Music in Contrary Motion [electric organ] (1969)
- Music in Fifths [ensemble] (1969)
- Music in Similar Motion [ensemble/orch.] (1969)
- Music with Changing Parts [ensemble] (1970) ⋆⋆
- Music in Twelve Parts [chamber ensemble] (1971-74) ⋆⋆⋆
- Another Look at Harmony, Part IV [chorus & organ] (1975)
- Einstein on the Beach [opera] (1975-76) ⋆⋆⋆
- North Star [film score] (1977)
- Satyagraha [opera] (1978-79) ⋆⋆⋆
- Dance [5 pieces for ensemble] (1979) ⋆⋆
- Mad Rush [piano/electric organ] (1979) ⋆⋆
- Koyaanisqatsi [film score] (1981) ⋆⋆⋆
- Glassworks [ensemble] (1982) ⋆⋆⋆
- The Photographer [chamber opera] (1982) ⋆⋆
- Akhnaten [opera] (1983) ⋆⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 2 "Company" [also arr. for string orch.] (1983) ⋆⋆
- the CIVIL warS: A Tree Is Best Measured When It Is Down, Act V: The Rome Section [opera] (1984)
- Mishima [film score] (1985) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 3 "Mishima" (1985) ⋆⋆
- A Descent into the Maelström [ballet] (1986)
- Songs from Liquid Days [voice & chamber ensemble] (1986) ⋆⋆⋆
- Powaqqatsi [film score] (1987) ⋆⋆
- The Light [orch.] (1987)
- Violin Concerto No. 1 (1987) ⋆⋆⋆
- 1000 Airplanes on the Roof [chamber opera for voice & ensemble] (1988)
- Metamorphosis [piano] (1988) ⋆⋆
- Monsters of Grace [chamber opera] (1998)
- Itaipu [symphonic portrait for chorus & orch.] (1989)
- String Quartet No. 4 "Buczak" (1989) ⋆⋆
- Hydrogen Jukebox [chamber opera, incl. Wichita Vortex Sutra] (1990)
- Passages [chamber orch.; co-written with Ravi Shankar] (1990) ⋆⋆
- Anima Mundi [film score] (1991)
- Orphée [chamber opera] (1991)
- String Quartet No. 5 (1991) ⋆⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 1 "Low" (1992) ⋆⋆
- Aguas de Amazonia [7 or 8 pieces for a ballet] (1993) ⋆⋆⋆
- La Belle et la Bête [chamber opera] (1994) ⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 2 (1994)
- Concerto for Saxophone Quartet (1995)
- Saxophone Quartet (1995)
- Symphony No. 3 (1995) ⋆⋆
- Les Enfants Terribles [dance opera for voices & 3 pianos] (1996)
- Symphony No. 4 "Heroes" (1996) ⋆⋆
- Days and Nights in Rocinha [orch.] (1997)
- Kundun [film score] (1997) ⋆⋆
- Dracula [film score for string quartet] (1999) ⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 5 "Requiem, Bardo, Nirmanakaya" (1999)
- Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists and Orchestra (2000)
- Piano Concerto No. 1 "Tirol" (2000)
- Cello Concerto No. 1 (2001)
- Harpsichord Concerto (2002)
- Naqoyqatsi [film score] (2002)
- The Hours [film score] (2002) ⋆⋆
- The Fog of War [film score] (2003)
- Orion [sitar, pipa, didgeridoo, kora, violin & ensemble] (2004)
- Symphony No. 8 (2005) ⋆⋆
- Notes on a Scandal [film score] (2006)
- The Illusionist [film score] (2006)
- Songs and Poems for Solo Cello (2005-07)
- Kepler [opera] (2009)
- Violin Concerto No. 2 "The American Four Seasons" (2009) ⋆⋆
- Partita for Solo Violin (2010-11)
- Symphony No. 9 (2011)
- Etudes [2 volumes for piano] (1994-95, 2012)
- Three Pieces in Old Style [string orch.] (1963)
- Symphony No. 2, op. 31 "Copernican" [chorus & orch.] (1972) ⋆⋆
- Amen, op. 35 [chorus a cappella] (1975)
- Symphony No. 3, op. 36 "Symphony of Sorrowful Songs" [soprano & orch.] (1976) ⋆⋆⋆
- Beatus Vir, op. 38 [chorus & orch.] (1979) ⋆⋆
- Szeroka Woda, op. 39 [chorus a cappella] (1979)
- Harpsichord Concerto, op. 40 (1980) ⋆⋆
- Miserere, op. 44 [chorus a cappella] (1981) ⋆⋆
- O Domina Nostra, op. 55 [soprano & organ] (1985)
- Lerchenmusik, op. 53 [clarinet, cello & piano] (1986) ⋆⋆
- Totus Tuus, op. 60 [chorus a cappella] (1987)
- String Quartet No. 1, op. 62 "Already it is Dusk" (1988)
- String Quartet No. 2, op. 64 "Quasi una fantasia" (1991)
- Concerto-Cantata, op. 65 [flute & orch.] (1992)
- Kleines Requiem für eine Polka, op. 66 [piano & 13 instrs.] (1993)
- Dérives [2 orch. groups] (1973-74)
- Jour, contre-jour [electric organ, 14 musicians & tape] (1978-79)
- Anubis-Nout [2 pieces for contrabass clarinet] (1983)
- Les chants de l'amour [12 voices & tape] (1982-84)
- Les Espaces Acoustiques [cycle of 6 pieces for various ensembles] (1974-85) ⋆⋆⋆
- Talea [flute, clarinet, violin, cello & piano] (1986)
- Le temps et l'écume [4 percussionists, 2 synthesizers & chamber orch.] (1988-89)
- Le noir de l'étoile [6 percussionists, tape & live electronics; incl. Tempus ex Machina] (1989-90) ⋆⋆
- L'icône paradoxale [2 female voices & large orch.] (1992-94)
- Vortex Temporum [flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello & piano] (1994-96) ⋆⋆⋆
- Quatre chants pour franchir le seuil [soprano & ensemble] (1997-98) ⋆⋆⋆
- Chaconne [piano] (1963)
- Piano Sonata (1965)
- Musical Toys [14 piano pieces for children] (1969)
- String Quartet No. 1 (1971)
- Ten Preludes [cello] (1974)
- Concerto for Bassoon and Low Strings (1975) ⋆⋆
- Concerto for Symphony Orchestra and Jazz Band (1976)
- Duo Sonata [2 bassoons] (1977)
- De Profundis [bayan] (1978)
- Introitus [concerto for piano & chamber orch.] (1978) ⋆⋆
- In Croce [cello & organ/bayan] (1979, arr. 1991) ⋆⋆
- Garten von Freuden und Trauigkeiten [flute, viola & harp] (1980)
- Offertorium [concerto for violin & orch.] (1980, rev. 1982/86) ⋆⋆⋆
- Perception [soprano, baritone & 7 string instrs.] (1981, rev. 1983/86)
- Rejoice! [sonata for violin & cello] (1981)
- Sieben Worte [cello, bayan & strings] (1982) ⋆⋆⋆
- Quasi Hoquetus [viola, bassoon & piano] (1984)
- Stimmen... Verstummen... [symphony in 12 movements] (1986) ⋆⋆
- Hommage à T.S. Eliot [soprano & octet] (1987)
- String Quartet No. 2 (1987)
- String Quartet No. 3 (1987) ⋆⋆
- String Trio (1988)
- Pro et Contra [orch.] (1989)
- Silenzio [bayan, violin & cello] (1991)
- String Quartet No. 4 [with tape] (1993) ⋆⋆
- Music for Flute, Strings, and Percussion (1994)
- Viola Concerto (1996) ⋆⋆⋆
- Sonnengesang (Canticle of the Sun) [cello, 2 percussionists & chorus] (1997) ⋆⋆⋆
- Two Paths: A Dedication to Mary and Martha [concerto for 2 violas & orch.] (1998)
- Johannes-Passion [soloists, double chorus, organ & orch.] (2000) ⋆⋆⋆
- The Rider on the White Horse [large orch. & organ] (2002)
- The Lyre of Orpheus [violin, percussion & string orch.] (2006)
- In Tempus Praesens [concerto for violin & orch.] (2007) ⋆⋆⋆
- Glorious Percussion [concerto for percussion ensemble & orch.] (2008)
- Repentance [arr. of Ravvedimento for 3 guitars, cello & double bass] (2008)
- Fachwerk [bayan, percussion & string orch.] (2009)
- Triple Concerto [violin, cello, bayan & orch.] (2016)
- String Quartet No. 1 (1997)
- Violin Concerto (1998)
- String Quartet No. 2 (1999)
- Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich [percussion & ensemble] (1999)
- in vain [24 instrs.] (2000) ⋆⋆⋆
- de terrae fine [violin] (2001)
- String Quartet No. 3 "In iij. Noct." (2001) ⋆⋆
- Natures mortes [large orch.] (2003)
- Cello Concerto (2004)
- Hyperion [concerto for light & orch.] (2005) ⋆⋆
- ....... [viola & 6 voices] (2006)
- Guitar Quartet (2007)
- Piano Concerto (2007)
- ...und... [chamber ensemble & electronics] (2008)
- Baritone Saxophone Concerto (2008)
- Atthis [soprano & 8 instrs.] (2009)
- limited approximations [6 micro-tonally tuned pianos & orch.] (2010) ⋆⋆⋆
- Bluthaus [opera] (2010-11)
- String Quartet No. 7 [with electronics] (2011)
- dark dreams [orch.] (2013)
- Concerto Grosso No. 1 [4 alphorns & orch.] (2014)
- Concerto Grosso No. 2 [chamber ensemble & orch.] (2014)
- String Quartet No. 8 (2014)
- Morgen und Abend [opera] (2014-15)
- String Quartet No. 9 (2016)
- Solstices [10 instrs. in total darkness] (2019)
- Mortuos Plango, Vivos Voco [8-track tape] (1980) ⋆⋆⋆
- Bhakti [chamber ensemble & quadraphonic tape] (1982) ⋆⋆
- Song Offerings [soprano & chamber ensemble] (1985)
- Madonna of Winter and Spring [orch., synthesizers & electronics] (1986)
- Cello Concerto (1990)
- Advaya [cello, electronic keyboard & electronics] (1994)
- Tombeau de Messiaen [piano & tape] (1994)
- Tranquil Abiding [chamber orch.] (1998)
- Bird Concerto with Pianosong [piano & orch.] (2001)
- String Quartet No. 4 [with live electronics] (2003) ⋆⋆
- ...towards a pure land [orch.] (2005)
- Body Mandala [orch.] (2006)
- Wagner Dream [opera] (2007)
- Speakings [large orch. & electronics] (2007-08) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 1 (1947)
- Symphony No. 1 (1947, rev. 1963/91/2005)
- Violin Concerto No. 1 (1947)
- Symphony No. 2 (1949)
- Symphony No. 3 (1949-50)
- Boulevard Solitude [opera] (1951) ⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 4 (1955)
- Undine [ballet] (1956-57) ⋆⋆⋆
- Drei Tentos [guitar; from Kammermusik 1958] (1958)
- Elegy for Young Lovers [opera] (1959-61) ⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 5 (1962) ⋆⋆
- Being Beauteous [coloratura soprano, harp & 4 cellos] (1963)
- Cantata della fiaba estrema [soprano, chamber chorus & 13 instrs.] (1963)
- Der junge Lord [opera] (1964)
- The Bassarids [opera] (1964-65) ⋆⋆
- Double Concerto [oboe, harp & strings] (1966)
- Piano Concerto No. 2 (1967) ⋆⋆
- Versuch über Schweine [baritone & orch.] (1968)
- Symphony No. 6 (1969, rev. 1994)
- Der langwierige Weg in die Wohnung der Natascha Ungeheuer [show for 17 performers] (1970)
- El Cimarrón [opera] (1970-71)
- Das Floß der Medusa [oratorio for soprano, baritone, speaker, chorus, boys' voices & orch.] (1971) ⋆⋆
- Violin Concerto No. 2 (1971, rev. 1991)
- Tristan [preludes for piano, orch. & tape] (1972-73)
- Voices [mezzo-soprano, tenor & orch.] (1973) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 4 (1976)
- String Quartet No. 5 (1976)
- Il Vitalino raddoppiato [chaconne for violin & chamber orch.] (1977)
- Royal Winter Music [2 sonatas for guitar] (1975-79) ⋆⋆
- Barcarola [orch.] (1979)
- The English Cat [opera] (1980-83, rev. 1990)
- Symphony No. 7 (1983-84) ⋆⋆⋆
- Das verratene Meer ("Gogo no Eiko") [opera] (1986-89)
- Requiem [9 sacred concertos, for piano, trumpet & orch.] (1990-93) ⋆⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 8 (1992-93) ⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 9 (1995-97) ⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 10 (1997-2000)
- L'Upupa und der Triumph der Sohnesliebe [opera] (2000-03)
- Phaedra [opera] (2007)
- Renka I [soprano & guitar] (1986)
- Utsurohi [shô & harp] (1986)
- Landscape I [string quartet] (1992)
- Landscape III [violin & orch.] (1993)
- Landscape V [shô & string quartet] (1993)
- In die Tiefe der Zeit [cello & accordion / with string orch.] (1994, rev. 1996)
- New Seeds of Contemplation [Mandala for shômyô & gagaku ensemble] (1995) ⋆⋆
- Ferne Landschaft II [orch.] (1996)
- Voyage I [violin & ensemble] (1997)
- Saxophone Concerto (1998)
- Silent Flowers [string quartet] (1998)
- Cloudscape [organ] (2000)
- Voiceless Voice in Hiroshima [requiem for choir, orchestra, soloists & speakers] (1989/2001)
- Serenade [guitar] (2003)
- Hanjo [opera] (2003-04)
- Circulating Ocean [orch.] (2005) ⋆⋆
- Lotus under the moonlight [concerto for piano & orch.] (2006)
- Blossoming [string quartet] (2007)
- Cloud and Light [shô & orch.] (2008)
- Blossoming II [orch.] (2011)
- Matsukaze [opera] (2011)
- Stilles Meer [opera] (2015)
- Anagrama [soloists, speaking chorus & chamber ensemble] (1957)
- Transición II [piano, percussion & 2 tape recorders] (1958)
- Sur Scène [chamber music theater piece] (1959-60)
- Antithese [play for 1 performer with electronic & enviro. sounds] (1962)
- Match [2 cellists & percussionist-umpire] (1964) ⋆⋆
- Music for Renaissance Instruments [23 players] (1965) ⋆⋆⋆
- String Quartet I (1967)
- String Quartet II (1967)
- Hallelujah [film score for 16 voices] (1967-68)
- Der Schall [5 players on 54 plucked-string, percussion, and wind instrs.] (1968)
- Staatstheater [opera] (1967-70)
- Acustica [experimental sound producers, loudspeakers & 2 to 5 players] (1968-70) ⋆⋆
- Ludwig Van [film score] (1970) ⋆⋆
- 1898 [children's chorus & ensemble] (1972) ⋆⋆
- Exotica [non-European instrs.] (1972)
- Kantrimiusik [pastoral for voices & instrs.] (1973)
- MM 51 [piano] (1976)
- An Tasten [piano] (1977)
- Dressur [trio for wood percussion] (1977)
- Aus Deutschland [opera] (1979)
- Vox Humana? [cantata for solo loudspeaker, women's voices & orchestra] (1979)
- Rrrrrr... [radio fantasy in 41 pieces for various voices & instruments; also arr. for 2 pianos] (1980)
- Finale [chamber ensemble] (1981)
- Szenario [string orch. & tape; accompanies Buñuel's Un Chien Andalou] (1983)
- Piano Trio I (1984)
- Sankt-Bach-Passion [soloists, chorus & orchestra] (1985)
- Die Stücke der Windrose [salon orch.] (1988) ⋆⋆⋆
- String Quartet III (1988)
- Les Idées fixes [rondo for orch.] (1989)
- Music for Keyboard Instruments and Orchestra (1989)
- Liturgien [soloists, double chorus & orchestra] (1990)
- Serenade [3 players] (1994)
- L'art bruit [solo percussion & assistant] (1995)
- Playback Play: News from the Music Fair [radio piece] (1996-97)
- Duodramen [soprano, baritone & orch.] (1998)
- Doppelsextett [ensemble] (2000)
- Piano Trio II (2002)
- Piano Trio III (2006)
- Symphony No. 2 "Songs" (1970)
- Symphony No. 3 (1973)
- Symphony No. 4 "To the Memory of Michelangelo" (1974) ⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 5 "To the Memory of My Parents" (1977) ⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 6 (1978-80) ⋆⋆
- Vom Winde beweint (Mourned by the Wind) [liturgy for viola/cello & orch.] (1989) ⋆⋆
- Morning Prayers [chamber orch. & tape; from A Life without Christmas] (1990)
- Evening Prayers [8 altos & orch.; from A Life without Christmas] (1991)
- Caris Mere [soprano & viola] (1994)
- Exil [soprano, flute, violin, viola, cello & double bass] (1994)
- Lament [concerto for violin, soprano & orch.] (1994)
- Trauerfarbenes Land [orch.] (1994)
- Night Prayers [string quartet; from A Life without Christmas] (1992-95)
- ...à la Duduki [brass quintet & orch.] (1995)
- Simi "Joyless Thoughts" [cello & orch.] (1995)
- Time... and Again [violin & piano] (1996)
- Diplipito [cello, counter-tenor & chamber orch.] (1997)
- Styx [viola, mixed choir & orch.] (1999) ⋆⋆
- Twilight [2 violins (or violin & viola) & orch.] (2004)
- Amao Omi [choir & sax quartet] (2005)
- Chiaroscuro [string quartet] (2011)
- String Quartet, op. 1 (1959) ⋆⋆
- The Sayings of Péter Bornemisza, op. 7 [concerto for soprano & piano] (1963-68)
- Splinters, op. 6c/d [cimbalom/piano] (1973/78)
- Hommage a András Mihály (12 Microludes), op. 13 [string quartet] (1977-78) ⋆⋆⋆
- Messages of the Late Miss R.V. Troussova, op. 17 [soprano & chamber ensemble] (1976-80) ⋆⋆⋆
- Songs of Despair and Sorrow, op. 18 [mixed choir & instrs.] (1980-94)
- Scenes from a Novel, op. 19 [soprano, violin, double bass & cimbalom] (1981-82)
- Kafka Fragments, op. 24 [soprano & violin] (1985-86) ⋆⋆⋆
- ...quasi una fantasia..., op. 27/1 [piano & chamber ensemble] (1987-88) ⋆⋆
- Officium breve in memoriam Andreae Szervánszky, op. 28 [string quartet] (1988-89) ⋆⋆⋆
- Grabstein für Stephan, op. 15c [guitar & instr. groups] (1989) ⋆⋆
- Double Concerto, op. 27/2 [piano, cello & 2 spatialized instr. groups] (1989-90)
- Hommage à R. Sch., op. 15d [clarinet, viola & piano] (1990) ⋆⋆
- Samuel Beckett: What Is the Word, op. 30b [narrator, mixed voices & chamber ensemble] (1990-91)
- Neun Stücke [viola] (1987-94)
- Stele, op. 33 [orch.] (1994) ⋆⋆⋆
- Hölderlin-Gesänge, op. 35a [baritone & instrs.] (1993-97)
- ...pas à pas - nulle part..., op. 36 [baritone, string trio & percussion] (1993-98)
- ...concertante..., op. 42 [violin, viola & orch.] (2003)
- Hipartita, op. 43 [violin] (2000-04)
- Six Moments musicaux, op. 44 [string quartet] (2005) ⋆⋆
- Zwiegespräch [string quartet & electronics; co-written with György Kurtág Jr.] (1999-2006)
- Colindă-Baladă, op. 46 [tenor, chorus & chamber ensemble] (2000-07)
- Fin de Partie [opera] (2010-18) ⋆⋆
- Játékok [9 volumes for piano, 4-hand piano & 2 pianos] (1973-) ⋆⋆⋆
- Signs, Games, and Messages [viola/cello] (1989-) ⋆⋆
- Consolations I-II [12 voices & percussion; 16 voices] (1967, 1968)
- Air [orch. & percussion solo] (1968-69)
- Pression [cello] (1969-70, rev. 2010) ⋆⋆
- Dal niente (Interieur III) [clarinet] (1970)
- Kontrakadenz [large orch.] (1970-71)
- Gran Torso [string quartet] (1972) ⋆⋆⋆
- Klangschatten - mein Saitenspiel [3 pianos & string ensemble] (1972)
- Fassade [large orch.] (1973)
- Schwankungen am Rand [sheet metal & strings] (1974-75) ⋆⋆
- Accanto [clarinet & orch.] (1975-76)
- Salut für Caudwell [2 guitarists] (1977)
- Tanzsuite mit Deutschlandlied [string quartet & orch.] (1979-80)
- Ein Kinderspiel [7 little pieces for piano] (1980)
- Harmonica [tuba & large orch.] (1981-83)
- Mouvement (-vor der Erstarrung) [ensemble] (1982/84) ⋆⋆⋆
- Ausklang [piano & orch.] (1984-85)
- Allegro sostenuto [clarinet, cello & piano] (1986-88) ⋆⋆
- Reigen seliger Geister [string quartet] (1989) ⋆⋆
- "...zwei Gefühle…", Musik mit Leonardo [speaker & ensemble] (1992)
- Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern [opera] (1988-96) ⋆⋆⋆
- SerYnade [piano] (1998)
- NUN [flute, trombone, male choir & orch.] (1999)
- Grido [string quartet] (2001) ⋆⋆⋆
- Schreiben [orch.] (2003) ⋆⋆
- Double (Grido II) [string orch.] (2004)
- Concertini [large ensemble] (2005) ⋆⋆⋆
- Concert Românesc [orch.] (1951)
- Sonata for Solo Cello (1948, 1953)
- Musica Ricercata [11 pieces for piano; 6 pieces transcribed as Six Bagatelles for Wind Quintet] (1951-53, arr. 1953) ⋆⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 1 "Métamorphoses nocturnes" (1953-54) ⋆⋆⋆
- Artikulation [tape] (1958)
- Apparitions [orch.] (1958-59)
- Atmosphères [large orch.] (1961) ⋆⋆⋆
- Volumina [organ] (1961-62, rev. 1966) ⋆⋆
- Aventures [3 voices & 7 instrs.] (1962) ⋆⋆
- Poème symphonique [100 metronomes] (1962)
- Nouvelles Aventures [3 voices & 7 instrs.] (1962-65) ⋆⋆
- Requiem [soprano, mezzo-soprano, 2 choruses & orchestra] (1963-65) ⋆⋆⋆
- Cello Concerto (1966) ⋆⋆
- Lontano [orch.] (1967) ⋆⋆⋆
- Lux Aeterna [16 unaccompanied voices] (1966) ⋆⋆⋆
- Continuum [harpsichord] (1968) ⋆⋆
- 10 Pieces for Wind Quintet (1968)
- String Quartet No. 2 (1968) ⋆⋆⋆
- Ramifications [12 strings/string orch.] (1968-69)
- Chamber Concerto [13 instrs.] (1969) ⋆⋆⋆
- Melodien [orch./chamber orch.] (1971) ⋆⋆
- Clocks and Clouds [female voices & orchestra] (1972) ⋆⋆⋆
- Double Concerto [flute, oboe & orch.] (1972) ⋆⋆
- San Francisco Polyphony [orch.] (1973-74) ⋆⋆
- Le Grand Macabre [opera] (1975-77, rev. 1996) ⋆⋆⋆
- Hungarian Rock (Chaconne) [harpsichord] (1978)
- Trio for Violin, Horn, and Piano (1982) ⋆⋆⋆
- Piano Concerto (1985-88) ⋆⋆⋆
- Nonsense Madrigals [6 male voices] (1988-93)
- Violin Concerto (1989-93) ⋆⋆⋆
- Sonata for Solo Viola (1991-94) ⋆⋆
- Hamburg Concerto [horn & chamber orch. with 4 obbligato natural horns] (1998-99, rev. 2002)
- Síppal, dobbal, nádihegedüvel [mezzo-soprano & percussion esemble] (2000) ⋆⋆
- Études pour piano [18 pieces in 3 books] (1985, 1988-94, 1995-2001) ⋆⋆⋆
- Action-Situation-Signification [small ensemble & electronics] (1982)
- Ablauf [clarinet & percussion] (1983)
- Kraft [small solo ensemble & orch.] (1983-85) ⋆⋆
- Kinetics [orch.] (1988-89)
- Joy [ensemble & electronics] (1989-90)
- Clarinet Quintet (1992)
- Corrente [chamber ensemble] (1992)
- Piano Concerto No. 1 (1991/94) ⋆⋆
- Aura (In memoriam Witold Lutosławski) [orch.] (1994) ⋆⋆⋆
- Engine [chamber orch.] (1996)
- Feria [orch.] (1995-97)
- Fresco [orch.] (1997)
- Related Rocks [2 pianos, percussion & electronics] (1997)
- Cantigas [orch.] (1998-99)
- Cello Concerto No. 1 (1999)
- Gran Duo [winds & brass] (1999-2000)
- Clarinet Concerto (2001-02) ⋆⋆⋆
- Concerto for Orchestra (2003)
- Mano a Mano [guitar] (2004)
- Sculpture [orch.] (2005)
- Violin Concerto No. 1 (2006) ⋆⋆⋆
- Seht die Sonne [orch.] (2007)
- Clarinet Trio (2008)
- Graffiti [chamber chorus & orch.] (2008-09)
- EXPO [orch.] (2009)
- Al largo [orch.] (2010)
- Piano Concerto No. 2 (2011-12)
- Era [orch.] (2012)
- Cello Concerto No. 2 (2013)
- Violin Concerto No. 2 (2015)
- Piano Sonata (1934)
- Symphonic Variations (1936-38)
- Twenty Polish Christmas Carols [voice & piano / female chorus & orch.] (1946, arr. 1984-89)
- Symphony No. 1 (1941-47)
- Little Suite [chamber orch. / orch.] (1950, arr. 1951)
- Silesian Triptych [soprano & orch.] (1951)
- Concerto for Orchestra (1950-54) ⋆⋆⋆
- Dance Preludes [clarinet & piano/chamber orch.] (1954, arr. 1955)
- Five Songs [soprano & piano/orch.] (1957, arr. 1958)
- Musique funèbre [string orch.] (1954-58) ⋆⋆⋆
- Jeux vénitiens [chamber orch.] (1960-61) ⋆⋆
- Three Postludes [orch.] (1958-63)
- Trois poèmes d'Henri Michaux [chorus & orch.] (1961-63) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet (1964) ⋆⋆
- Paroles tisées [tenor & chamber orch.] (1965)
- Symphony No. 2 (1965-67) ⋆⋆
- Livre pour orchestre (1968) ⋆⋆⋆
- Cello Concerto (1969-70) ⋆⋆⋆
- Preludes and Fugue [13 solo strings] (1970-72)
- Les espaces du sommeil [baritone & orch.] (1975) ⋆⋆
- Mi-parti [orch.] (1975) ⋆⋆⋆
- Variations on a Theme by Paganini [piano & orch.] (1978) ⋆⋆
- Novelette [orch.] (1978-79)
- Double Concerto [oboe, harp & chamber orch.] (1979-80) ⋆⋆
- Grave [cello & piano/string orch.] (1981, arr. 1982)
- Symphony No. 3 (1974-83) ⋆⋆⋆
- Partita [violin & piano/orch.] (1984, arr. 1988)
- Chain II [dialogue for violin & orch.] (1984-85) ⋆⋆
- Chain III [orch.] (1986) ⋆⋆
- Piano Concerto (1987-88) ⋆⋆⋆
- Interlude [orch.] (1989)
- Chantefleurs et Chantefables [soprano & orch.] (1989-90) ⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 4 (1988-92) ⋆⋆⋆
- Cryptophonos [piano] (1974)
- Jupiter [midi-flute & live electronics] (1986-87, rev. 1992, 1996) ⋆⋆
- Le Livre des claviers [6 percussionists] (1987-88) ⋆⋆
- Pluton [midi-piano & live electronics] (1988, rev. 1989) ⋆⋆
- La Partition du Ciel et de l’Enfer [midi-flute, piano, midi-piano, ensemble & live electronics] (1989)
- Michigan Trio [clarinet, violin & piano] (1992)
- En écho [soprano & live electronics] (1993-94)
- Passacaille pour Tokyo [piano & 17 instruments] (1994)
- Métal [6 sixxens] (1995)
- 60e Parallèle [opera] (1995-96)
- Last [bass clarinet & marimba] (1997)
- Fragments pour un portrait [30 musicians] (1998) ⋆⋆
- Toccata [piano] (1998)
- Sound and Fury [109 musicians] (1998-99)
- K... [opera] (2000-01)
- La ville [piano] (2001-02)
- Partita I [viola & live electronics] (2006) ⋆⋆
- Trakl Gedichte [mixed choir] (2006)
- Stringendo [string quartet] (2010)
- Tensio [string quartet & live electronics] (2010) ⋆⋆
- Echo-daimónon [piano, orch. & live electronics] (2011-12)
- In situ [group of soloists, string orch. & eight spatialized orch. groups] (2013)
- Melancolia (d’après Dürer) [string quartet] (2013)
- Le temps, mode d’emploi [2 pianos & live electronics] (2014) ⋆⋆
- Kein Licht [opera] (2017)
- 16 Millimeter Earrings [voice, guitar & tape] (1966)
- Key [album of invisible theatre for solo voice, electronic organ, vocal quartet, percussion & Jew's harp] (1967-70)
- Vessel: An Opera Epic [75 voices, electronic organ, dulcimer & accordion] (1971)
- Our Lady of Late [solo voice & wine glass] (1972)
- Education of the Girlchild: An Opera [6 voices, electric organ & piano] (1972-73)
- Quarry: An Opera [38 voices, 2 pump organs, 2 soprano recorders & tape] (1976)
- Songs from the Hill [unaccompanied solo voice] (1976)
- Tablet [4 voices, 4-hand piano & 2 soprano recorders] (1976)
- Dolmen Music [6 voices, cello & percussion] (1979) ⋆⋆⋆
- Turtle Dreams [4 voices & 2 electric organs] (1980) ⋆⋆
- The Games [16 voices, synthesizer, keyboards, Flemish bagpipes, bagpipes, Chinese horn & rauschpfeife] (1983)
- Book of Days [film score for 25 voices, synthesizer & piano / 7 voices, synthesizer] (1985) ⋆⋆
- Facing North [2 voices & tape] (1990)
- Atlas: An Opera in Three Parts [18 voices & large ensemble] (1991) ⋆⋆
- Volcano Songs [2 voices / solo voice, voice with taped voices & piano] (1993-94)
- mercy [7 voices, 2 keyboards, percussion, multiple woodwinds & violin] (2001)
- Stringsongs [string quartet] (2004)
- impermanence [8 voices, chamber ensemble & bicycle wheel] (2004/06)
- Songs of Ascension [vocal ensemble, woodwinds, percussion, shrutis & string quartet] (2006) ⋆⋆⋆
- On Behalf of Nature [8 voices, violin, keyboards, winds, vibraphone, marimba & percussion] (2013)
- Les Nuages de Magellan [2 ondes Martenots, electric guitar & percussion] (1973)
- C'est un jardin secret, ma sœur, ma fiancée, une fontaine close, une source scellée [viola] (1976)
- Territoires de l'Oubli [piano] (1977) ⋆⋆
- Tellur [guitar] (1977) ⋆⋆
- Ethers [flute & ensemble] (1978)
- Treize couleurs du soleil couchant [flute, clarinet, piano, violin & cello] (1978)
- Les courants de l'espace [ondes Martenot & small orch.] (1979)
- Gondwana [orch.] (1980) ⋆⋆⋆
- Désintégrations [magnetic tape & 17 instrs.] (1982) ⋆⋆⋆
- Vampyr! [electric guitar; from Random Access Memory] (1984)
- Cloches d’adieu, et un sourire... (in memoriam Olivier Messiaen) [piano] (1992)
- Serendib [large ensemble] (1992)
- L'esprit des dunes [ensemble & electronics] (1994) ⋆⋆
- Le Partage des eaux [large orch.] (1996)
- Winter Fragments [ensemble & electronics] (2000) ⋆⋆
- Le Lac [ensemble] (2001)
- Les Travaux et les Jours [piano] (2002)
- Terre d'ombre [large orch. & electronic sounds] (2004)
- Les Sept Paroles [orch., chorus & electronics] (2010) ⋆⋆
- Portulan [cycle of 7 pieces for 8 musicians] (1998-2011)
- Le désenchantement du monde [piano & orch.] (2011)
- String Quartet No. 1 (1945)
- Study No. 3 "Boogie-Woogie Suite" [player piano] (1948-49) ⋆⋆
- Study No. 1 [player piano] (1949-50)
- Study No. 2a [player piano] (ca. 1950)
- Study No. 5 [player piano] (between 1948 and 1960)
- Study No. 6 [player piano] (between 1948 and 1960)
- Study No. 7 [player piano] (between 1948 and 1960) ⋆⋆
- Study No. 8 [player piano] (between 1948 and 1960)
- Study No. 11 [player piano] (between 1948 and 1960) ⋆⋆
- Study No. 12 "Flamenco" [player piano] (between 1948 and 1960)
- Study No. 15 [player piano] (between 1948 and 1960)
- Study No. 21 (Canon X) [player piano] (between 1948 and 1960) ⋆⋆⋆
- Study No. 24 [canon for player piano] (between 1948 and 1960) ⋆⋆
- Study No. 25 [player piano] (between 1948 and 1960) ⋆⋆
- Study No. 27 [canon for player piano] (between 1948 and 1960)
- Study No. 20 "Cloud" [player piano] (probably ca. 1965)
- Study No. 32 [canon for player piano] (between 1965 and 1969)
- Study No. 33 [canon for player piano] (ca. 1968) ⋆⋆
- Study No. 36 [canon for player piano] (ca. 1970) ⋆⋆⋆
- Study No. 37 [canon for player piano] (1969) ⋆⋆⋆
- Study No. 40 "Transcendental" [2 canons for player piano; combined for 2 synchronized player pianos] (ca. 1975) ⋆⋆
- Study No. 41 [2 canons for player piano; combined for 2 synchronized player pianos] (completed between 1969 and 1977) ⋆⋆
- Study No. 48 [2 pieces for player piano; combined for 2 player pianos] (1975-77) ⋆⋆
- Study No. 42 [player piano] (1981)
- Study No. 43 [canon for player piano] (1981)
- Study No. 44 "Aleatoric Canon" [player piano] (1981)
- Study No. 45 "Betty Freeman Suite (Boogie-Woogie Suite No. 2)" [player piano] (1982-83)
- Study No. 47 [canon for player piano] (prior to 1984)
- Piece No. 2 [small orch.] (1985)
- String Quartet No. 3 (1987) ⋆⋆
- Three Canons for Ursula [piano] (1989)
- Akroate Hadal [string quartet] (1995)
- Vampyrotheone [3 soloists & 3 ensemble formations] (1995)
- Quasare/Pulsare [violin & piano] (1995-96)
- Hooloomooloo [3-part ensemble & CD player] (1996-97)
- ...?risonanze!... [viola d'amore] (1996-97)
- Bählamms Fest [music theatre in 13 pictures] (1997-98)
- Clinamen/Nodus [orch.] (1999)
- settori [string quartet] (1999)
- Der Tod und das Mädchen II [voices & tape piece for ballet] (1999)
- The Long Rain [video opera with surround-screens for 4 soloists, ensemble & live electronics; adaptation of Ray Bradbury's story] (1999-2000)
- Construction in Space [4 soloists, 4 ensemble groups & live electronics] (2000)
- incidendo/fluido [piano & CD player] (2000)
- torsion: transparent variation [bassoon & ensemble] (2001)
- Lost Highway [opera for 6 soloists, ensemble & live electronics; adaptation of David Lynch's film] (2003) ⋆⋆⋆
- Marsyas [piano] (2004)
- ...miramondo multiplo... [trumpet & orch.] (2006)
- Remnants of Songs... an Amphigory [viola & orch.] (2009)
- Le Encantadas o le avventure nel mare delle meraviglie [6 ensembles distributed around the space, samples & live electronics] (2014-15) ⋆⋆
- Variazioni canoniche sulla serie dell'op. 41 di Arnold Schoenberg [orch.] (1950)
- Polifonica - Monodia - Ritmica [ensemble] (1951)
- Il canto sospeso [cantata for soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, chorus & orch.] (1955-56) ⋆⋆⋆
- Sarà dolce tacere [8 vocal soloists] (1960)
- Intolleranza 1960 [opera] (1961)
- Canti di vita e amore: Sul Ponte di Hiroshima [soprano, tenor & orch.] (1962)
- La fabbrica illuminata [voice & tape] (1964) ⋆⋆
- A floresta é jovem e cheja de vida [oratorio for soprano, 3 voices, clarinet, percussion & tape] (1965-66)
- Ricorda cosa ti hanno fatto in Auschwitz [tape] (1966)
- Contrappunto dialettico alla mente [tape] (1967-68) ⋆⋆
- Como una ola de fuerza y luz [soprano, piano, orch. & tape] (1971-72) ⋆⋆⋆
- Al gran sole carico d'amore [opera for soloists, choruses, orchestra & tape] (1972-74) ⋆⋆
- .....sofferte onde serene... [piano & tape] (1975-77) ⋆⋆⋆
- Con Luigi Dallapiccola [percussion & live electronics] (1979)
- Fragmente - Stille, an Diotima [string quartet] (1979-80) ⋆⋆⋆
- Io, frammento dal Prometeo [3 sopranos, small chorus, flute, clarinet, bass & live electronics] (1981)
- Quando stanno morendo. Diario polacco No. 2 [4 female voices, bass flute, cello & live electronics] (1982)
- Das atmende Klarsein [small chorus, bass flute, live electronics & tape] (1980-83)
- Guai ai gelidi mostri [2 altos, flute, clarinet, tuba, viola, cello, bass & live electronics] (1983)
- Omaggio a György Kurtág [contralto, flute, clarinet, tuba & live electronics] (1983)
- Prometeo, Tragedia dell’ascolto [opera] (1981-84) ⋆⋆⋆
- A Carlo Scarpa, architetto, ai suoi infiniti possibili [orch. in microintervals] (1984)
- A Pierre. Dell'azzurro silenzio, inquietum [bass flute, clainet, double bass & live electronics] (1985)
- Caminantes... Ayacucho [alto, flute, organ, 2 choruses, orch. in 3 parts & live electronics] (1986-87)
- No hay caminos, hay que caminar... Andrej Tarkowskij [orch. in 7 groups] (1987) ⋆⋆
- La lontananza nostalgica utopica futura [violin & 8 magnetic tapes] (1988-89) ⋆⋆⋆
- "Hay que caminar" soñando [2 violins] (1989) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 1 "Quartetto Breve" (1952)
- Symphony No. 1 "Sinfonia Austera" (1953-55)
- Piano Sonata No. 2 (1957)
- String Quartet No. 2 "Quartetto Briso" (1958)
- String Quartet No. 3 "Three Miniatures" (1959)
- Iris [large orch.] (1966)
- Luna [4 phases for orch.] (1967)
- Voyage into the Golden Screen [chamber orch.] (1968) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 4 "Dreamscape" (1969) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 5 "Inscape" (1969)
- Symphony No. 2 (1970) ⋆⋆
- Gilgamesh [opera] (1972)
- Libra [tenor, 2 choruses & guitar] (1973)
- Spell [clarinet, cello & piano] (1973)
- Turn [piano] (1973)
- Singe die Gärten, mein Herz [chorus & 8 instrs] (1974)
- Symphony No. 3 [2 choruses & orch.] (1972-75) ⋆⋆⋆
- Dream Play [orch.] (1975)
- Nova Genitura [soprano/chorus, violin, recorder, harpsichord, lute & viola da gamba] (1975)
- Twilight [orch.] (1976-77)
- Wie ein Kind [chorus] (1979-80)
- Zwei Wölfli-Lieder [chorus] (1980)
- Drømmesange [women's voices & percussion ad lib] (1981)
- Symphony No. 4 (1981) ⋆⋆
- I Ching [solo percussion] (1982)
- Achilles and the Tortoise [piano] (1983)
- Violin Concerto No. 1 "Helle Nacht" (1986-87) ⋆⋆
- Babette's Feast [film score] (1987)
- King, Queen, and Ace [concertino for harp & 13 instrs.] (1988)
- Symphony No. 5 (1990) ⋆⋆
- Fugitive Summer [string orch.] (1992)
- The Secret Melody [sonata for solo violin] (1993)
- String Quartet No. 7 (1993-94) ⋆⋆
- Concerto in due tempi (1994-95) ⋆⋆
- Nuit des Hommes [opera] (1996)
- String Quartet No. 8 ''Night Descending Like Smoke'' (1995/97) ⋆⋆⋆
- Bach to the Future [concerto for 2 percussionists & orch.] (1997)
- Unendlicher Empfang [2 pianos & 4 metronomes] (1997)
- Symphony No. 6 "At the End of the Day" (1998-99) ⋆⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 9 "Into the Source" (2000-01) ⋆⋆
- Terrains Vagues [orch.] (2000-01) ⋆⋆
- Violin Concerto No. 2 "Borderlines" (2002)
- gennem torne... [harp & ensemble] (2003)
- String Quartet No. 10 "Harvest Timeless" (2005) ⋆⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 7 (2006) ⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 8 (2011) ⋆⋆
- Bell Set No. 1 [multiple metal percussion] (1974)
- 1-100 [4 or more pianos] (1976)
- In Re Don Giovanni [large ensemble] (1977)
- The Draughtman's Contract [film score] (1982) ⋆⋆
- Water Dances [large ensemble; score to Making a Splash] (1984) ⋆⋆
- A Zed and Two Noughts [film score] (1985)
- The Kiss [2 voices & band] (1985)
- And Do They Do [large ensemble] (1986)
- The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat [opera] (1986)
- Drowning by Numbers [film score] (1988) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 2 (1988)
- The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover [film score] (1989) ⋆⋆
- Monsieur Hire [film score] (1989)
- Out of the Ruins [chorus] (1989)
- Six Celan Songs [contralto & orchestra] (1990)
- String Quartet No. 3 (1990)
- Prospero's Books [film score] (1991) ⋆⋆
- Where the Bee Dances [soprano sax & orch.] (1991)
- The Convertibility of Lute Strings [harpsichord] (1992)
- MGV: Musique à Grande Vitesse [band & orch.] (1993) ⋆⋆⋆
- Noises, Sounds & Sweet Airs [opera-ballet] (1993)
- The Piano [film score] (1993) ⋆⋆
- The Piano Concerto (1993) ⋆⋆
- À la folie (Six Days, Six Nights) [film score] (1994)
- Carrington [film score] (1995)
- Anne no Nikki (The Diary of Anne Frank) [film score] (1995)
- After Extra Time [ensemble] (1996)
- Enemy Zero [video game score] (1996)
- Gattaca [film score] (1997) ⋆⋆
- Practical Magic [film score] (1998)
- The End of the Affair [film score] (1999) ⋆⋆
- Ravenous [film score; co-written with Damon Albarn] (1999) ⋆⋆
- Wonderland [film score] (1999) ⋆⋆
- The Claim [film score] (2000) ⋆⋆
- Facing Goya [opera] (2000)
- The Libertine [film score] (2005)
- Eight Lust Songs: I Sonetti Lussuriosi [soprano & ensemble] (2007)
- Symphony No. 11 "Hillsborough Memorial" (2014)
- Sound Patterns [a cappella chorus] (1961)
- Bye Bye Butterfly [tape] (1965) ⋆⋆
- Mnemonics III [tape] (1964-66)
- Beautiful Soop [tape] (1966)
- I of IV [tape] (1966) ⋆⋆
- Alien Bog [tape] (1967)
- A Little Noise in the System [Moog synthesizer & electronic instr.] (1967)
- To Valerie Solanas and Marilyn Monroe in Recognition of their Desperation [any group or groups of instrs.] (1970) ⋆⋆
- Tuning Meditation [voice & audience] (1971)
- Horse Sings From Cloud [voice & accordion] (1982) ⋆⋆
- Rattlesnake Mountain [accordion] (1982) ⋆⋆
- The Wanderer [22 accordions & 5 percussionists] (1982)
- The Beauty of Sorrow [small accordion tuned in just intonation & Lexicon delay processors] (1987)
- The Roots of the Moment [accordion & electronics] (1987)
- Tara's Room [accordion] (1987)
- Deep Listening [accordion, trombone, didgeridoo, voice, conch shell, metal pieces, garden hose, whistling & metal pipes; as part of Deep Listening Band] (1989) ⋆⋆⋆
- Crone Music [accordion & electronics; with Panaiotis] (1989-90) ⋆⋆
- Troglodyte's Delight [ensemble; as part of Deep Listening Band] (1990)
- The Ready Made Boomerang [voice & instrs.; as part of Deep Listening Band] (1991)
- Non-Stop Flight [ensemble; as part of Deep Listening Band] (1996)
- Primordial/Lift [accordion, cello, electric cello, harmonium, violin, sampler & oscillator] (1998) ⋆⋆
- Six for New Time [electric guitars & percussion] (1999)
- Sound Geometries [chamber orch., expanded instr. system & 5.1 surround system] (2003)
- Accordion Koto [accordion & koto; with Miya Masaoka] (2007)
- Perpetuum mobile [orch.] (1963)
- Solfeggio [chorus] (1964, rev. 1996)
- Pro et Contra [concerto for cello & orch.] (1966)
- Symphony No. 2 (1966)
- Credo [chorus, piano & orch.] (1968)
- Symphony No. 3 (1971) ⋆⋆
- Fratres [chamber ensemble (various versions)] (1976) ⋆⋆⋆
- Für Alina [piano] (1976) ⋆⋆⋆
- Pari Intervallo [in 4 parts without fixed instrumentation, arr. for various ensembles] (1976, arr. 1980/95/2002/08/10)
- Wenn Bach Bienen gezüchtet hätte [wind quintet, piano, string orch. & percussion] (1976, rev. 2001)
- Arbos [4 trumpets, 4 trombones & percussion] (1977, rev. 1981/2001)
- Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten [string orch. & bell] (1977) ⋆⋆⋆
- Missa syllabica [chorus & organ] (1977, rev. 1996)
- Sarah Was Ninety Years Old [soprano, 2 tenors, organ & percussion] (1977, rev. 1990)
- Summa [chorus, arr. for various ensembles] (1977, arr. 1990/91, rev. 1996) ⋆⋆
- Tabula Rasa [concerto for 2 violins/violin & viola, prepared piano & string orch.] (1977) ⋆⋆⋆
- Variations for the Healing of Arinuschka [piano] (1977)
- Spiegel im Spiegel [violin/viola/cello & piano] (1978) ⋆⋆⋆
- Annum per annum [organ] (1980)
- De Profundis [male chorus, percussion & organ] (1980) ⋆⋆⋆
- Passio Domini Nostri Jesu Christi secundum Joannem [soloists, vocal ensemble, choir & instr. ensemble] (1982) ⋆⋆⋆
- Es sang vor langen Jahren [countertenor/alto, violin & viola] (1984)
- Wallfahrtslied [male chorus & string orch.] (1984, rev. 2001)
- Te Deum [2 choruses, strings, prepared piano & tape] (1984-85, rev. 1992) ⋆⋆⋆
- Stabat Mater [soprano, alto, tenor, violin, viola & cello] (1985) ⋆⋆⋆
- Festina Lente [string orch. & harp] (1988, rev. 1990) ⋆⋆
- Magnificat [chorus] (1989) ⋆⋆⋆
- Miserere [soloists, chorus, instr. ensemble & organ] (1989, rev. 1992) ⋆⋆⋆
- The Beatitudes [chorus & organ] (1990)
- Beatus Patronius [double chorus & 2 organs/orch.] (1990)
- Berliner Messe [SATB soloists/chorus with organ/string orch.] (1990, rev. 1992) ⋆⋆⋆
- Seven Magnificat Antiphones [chorus] (1991)
- Trisagion [string orch.] (1992)
- Litany [ATTB soloists, chorus & orch.] (1994) ⋆⋆
- Psalom [string orch.] (1985/95)
- I Am the True Vine [chorus] (1996)
- Kanon Pokajanen [chorus] (1997) ⋆⋆⋆
- Como cierva sedienta [soprano, chorus & orch.] (1998)
- My Heart's in the Highlands [countertenor/alto & organ] (2000)
- Orient & Occident [string orch.] (2000)
- Nunc Dimittis [chorus] (2001)
- Salve Regina [chorus & organ/orch.] (2001)
- Lamentate [piano & orch.] (2002) ⋆⋆
- In Principio [chorus & orch.] (2003)
- Da Pacem Domine [chorus & orch.] (2004) ⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 4 "Los Angeles" (2008) ⋆⋆
- Adam's Lament [mixed choir & string orch.] (2009)
- Psalms of David [chorus, strings & percussion] (1958)
- Anaklasis [string orch. & percussion] (1959) ⋆⋆
- Emanations [2 string orchs. tuned a semitone apart] (1959)
- String Quartet No. 1 (1960) ⋆⋆
- Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima [52 strings] (1960) ⋆⋆⋆
- Fonogrammi [flute & chamber orch.] (1961)
- Polymorphia [48 strings] (1961) ⋆⋆⋆
- Fluorescences [orch.] (1961-62) ⋆⋆
- Canon [52 strings & tape delay] (1962)
- Stabat Mater [3 choruses] (1962)
- Capriccio [oboe & 11 strings] (1964)
- The Saragossa Manuscript [electronic film score] (1965)
- St. Luke Passion [3 voices, narrator, choruses & orch.] (1965) ⋆⋆⋆
- De Natura Sonoris No. 1 [orch.] (1966) ⋆⋆⋆
- Capriccio [violin & orch.] (1967) ⋆⋆
- Dies Irae [oratorio for soloists, chorus & orch.] (1967) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 2 (1968)
- The Devils of Loudun [opera] (1968-69) ⋆⋆⋆
- Kosmogonia [4 soloists, chorus & orch.] (1970) ⋆⋆
- Utrenja [5 soloists, boy's choir, 2 mixed choirs & orch.] (1969-71) ⋆⋆⋆
- De Natura Sonoris No. 2 [orch.] (1971) ⋆⋆⋆
- Partita [harpsichord, electric guitar, bass guitar, harp, double bass & orch.] (1971, rev. 1991) ⋆⋆
- Cello Concerto No. 1 (1972) ⋆⋆⋆
- Canticum Canticorum Salominis [chorus & orch.] (1970-73)
- Symphony No. 1 (1973) ⋆⋆⋆
- Magnificat [bass, 7 men's voices, boys' chorus, chorus & orch.] (1973-74)
- The Dream of Jacob [orch.] (1974) ⋆⋆
- Violin Concerto No. 1 (1976-77, rev. 1987) ⋆⋆
- Paradise Lost [opera] (1975-78)
- Te Deum [4 soloists, 2 choruses & orch.] (1979) ⋆⋆
- Lacrimosa [soprano, chorus & orch.] (1980)
- Symphony No. 2 "Christmas" (1980)
- Cello Concerto No. 2 (1982) ⋆⋆
- Viola Concerto (1983)
- Polish Requiem [4 soloists, chorus & orch.] (1980-84, rev. 1993/2005) ⋆⋆⋆
- Song of Cherubim [chorus] (1986)
- Symphony No. 4 "Adagio" (1989)
- Symphony No. 5 "Korean" (1991-92)
- Clarinet Quartet (1993)
- Symphony No. 3 (1988-95) ⋆⋆
- Violin Concerto No. 2 "Metamorphosen" (1992-95) ⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 7 "Seven Gates of Jerusalem" (1996) ⋆⋆⋆
- Hymne an den heiligen Daniel [chorus & orch.] (1997)
- Credo [soloists, boys' choir, chorus & orch.] (1997-98)
- Sextet [clarinet, horn, violin, viola, cello & piano] (2000)
- Concerto Grosso No. 1 [3 cellos & orch.] (2000-01)
- Piano Concerto "Resurrection" (2001-02, rev. 2007)
- Symphony No. 8 "Lieder der Vergänglichkeit" (2004-05, rev. 2008)
- Horn Concerto "Winterreise" (2008)
- String Quartet No. 3 "Leaves of an Unwritten Diary" (2008)
- Powiało na mnie morze snów... [soprano, mezzo-soprano, baritone, chorus & orch.] (2010)
- Iubiri, op. 43 [16 players & taped sound icons] (1980-81)
- Clepsydra, op. 47 [16 players with sound icons] (1983)
- Astray, op. 50 [2 duos of 1 player with 6 saxes & 1 player with sound icon] (1983/84)
- Das Andere, op. 49 [cello/viola] (1984) ⋆⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 4, op. 33 "infinite to be cannot be infinite, infinite anti-be could be infinite" [9 string quartets] (1976-87) ⋆⋆⋆
- Byzantine Prayer, op. 74 [40 flautists with 72 flutes] (1988)
- Piano Sonata No. 2, op. 82 "being and non-being create each other" (1991)
- Inner Time II, op. 42 [7 clarinets] (1993)
- Piano Sonata No. 4, op. 92 "like a well... older than God" (1993)
- String Quartet No. 5, op. 89 "before the universe was born" (1990-95) ⋆⋆⋆
- Piano Concerto, op. 90 "The Quest" (1996) ⋆⋆
- Piano Sonata No. 3, op. 86 "you will endure forever" (1992/99)
- Lux Animae II, op. 97 [viola] (2000)
- Intimate Rituals XI, op. 63 [scordatura viola & sound icons] (2003) ⋆⋆
- Piano Sonata No. 5, op. 106 "settle your dust, this is the primal identity" (2003)
- Cinerum, op. 108 [4 voices and ensemble with period instruments] (2005)
- Piano Sonata No. 6, op. 110 "Return to the Source of Light" (2007)
- A Requiem in Our Time, op. 3 [brass] (1953)
- Symphony No. 3, op. 20 (1961) ⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 4 "Arabescata" (1962)
- Anadyomene "Adoration of Aphrodite" [orch.] (1968)
- Cello Concerto No. 1, op. 41 (1968)
- Etydit, op. 42 [piano] (1969)
- Piano Concerto No. 1, op. 45 (1969) ⋆⋆⋆
- Pano Sonata No. 2, op. 64 "The Fire Sermon" (1970)
- Vigilia [solists & chorus] (1971-72, rev. 1996) ⋆⋆
- Cantus Arcticus, op. 61 [concerto for taped birdsong & orch.] (1972) ⋆⋆⋆
- Lorca Suite [mixed or children's choir] (1973)
- Flute Concerto, op. 63 "Dances with the Winds" (1975)
- Organ Concerto "Annunciations" (1976–77)
- Violin Concerto (1976-77) ⋆⋆
- Marjatta, matala neiti [mystery play in 1 act] (1977)
- Angels and Visitations [orch.] (1978) ⋆⋆
- Double Bass Concerto "Angel of Dusk" (1980, rev. 1993)
- Playgrounds for Angels [4 trumpets, 4 trombones, horn & tuba] (1981)
- Thomas [opera] (1982-85)
- Symphony No. 5 (1985-86)
- Vincent [opera] (1986-87)
- Piano Concerto No. 2 (1989)
- Auringon talo [chamber opera] (1990)
- Symphony No. 6 "Vincentiana" [based on Vincent] (1992) ⋆⋆
- Die erste Elegie [chorus] (1993)
- Symphony No. 7 "Angel of Light" (1994) ⋆⋆⋆
- Isle of Bliss [orch.] (1995) ⋆⋆
- Aleksis Kivi [opera] (1995-96)
- On the Last Frontier [fantasy for chorus & orch.] (1997)
- String Quintet "Unknown Heavens" (1997)
- Piano Concerto No. 3 "Gift of Dreams" (1998) ⋆⋆
- Autumn Gardens [orch.] (1999)
- Symphony No. 8 "The Journey" (1999) ⋆⋆⋆
- Harp Concerto (2000) ⋆⋆
- Clarinet Concerto (2001)
- Rasputin [opera] (2001-03)
- Percussion Concerto "Incantations" (2008)
- Cello Concerto No. 2 "Towards the Horizon" (2008-09)
- Missa a cappella [chorus] (2010-11)
- Fantasia [violin & orch.] (2015)
- It's Gonna Rain [tape] (1965) ⋆⋆
- Come Out [tape] (1966) ⋆⋆
- Piano Phase [2 pianos] (1967) ⋆⋆
- Violin Phase [violin & tape] (1967)
- Four Organs [4 electric organs & maracas] (1970)
- Drumming [2 female voices, piccolo, 4 pairs of bongos, 3 marimbas & 3 glockenspiels] (1970-71) ⋆⋆⋆
- Clapping Music [2 musicians clapping] (1972) ⋆⋆
- Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices, and Organ (1973) ⋆⋆
- Music for Pieces of Wood [5 pairs of tuned claves] (1973)
- Six Pianos / Six Marimbas (1973, arr. 1986) ⋆⋆⋆
- Music for 18 Musicians (1974-76) ⋆⋆⋆
- Music for a Large Ensemble (1978) ⋆⋆
- Eight Lines [chamber orch.; revision of Octet] (1979, rev. 1983) ⋆⋆⋆
- Variations for Winds, Strings, and Keyboards (1979)
- Tehillim [3 sopranos, alto, winds, strings, percussion & keyboards] (1981) ⋆⋆⋆
- Vermont Counterpoint [flute & tape] (1982)
- The Desert Music [small chorus & large orch.] (1983) ⋆⋆⋆
- Sextet [percussion, piano & synthesizers] (1984)
- New York Counterpoint [clarinet & tape] (1985)
- Electric Counterpoint [electric guitar & tape] (1987) ⋆⋆⋆
- The Four Sections [orch.] (1987)
- Different Trains [string quartet & tape] (1988) ⋆⋆⋆
- The Cave [4 voices, ensemble & video] (1993)
- Nagoya Marimbas [2 marimbas] (1994)
- City Life [amplified ensemble] (1995) ⋆⋆
- Proverb [3 sopranos, 2 tenors, 2 vibes & 2 organs] (1995) ⋆⋆
- Triple Quartet [string quartet & tape / 3 string quartets] (1998)
- Three Tales [digital documentary opera] (1998-2002)
- You Are (Variations) [chorus & ensemble] (2004)
- Daniel Variations [chorus & chamber ensemble] (2006)
- Double Sextet [2 flutes, 2 clarinets, 2 violins, 2 cellos, 2 vibraphones & 2 pianos (or one sextet & tape)] (2007)
- Mallet Quartet [2 marimbas & 2 vibraphones] (2009)
- WTC 9/11 [string quartet & tape] (2010)
- Quartet [2 vibraphones & 2 pianos] (2013)
- Runner [large ensemble] (2016)
- Symphony No. 1 (1969)
- Morphonie [string quartet & orch.] (1972)
- Dis-Kontur [orch.] (1974, rev. 1984)
- Sub-Kontur [orch.] (1974-75)
- Symphony No. 2 (1975)
- Lichtzwang [violin & orch.] (1975-76)
- String Quartet No. 3 "Im Innersten" (1976) ⋆⋆⋆
- Musik für drei Streicher [violin, viola & cello] (1977)
- Jakob Lenz [chamber opera] (1977-78) ⋆⋆
- La musique creuse le ciel [2 pianos & orch.] (1977-79)
- String Quartet No. 4 (1980-81)
- Wölfli-Lieder [baritone & orch.; revision of Wölfli-Liederbuch] (1980-81, rev. 1981-82)
- Tutuguri [ballet for large orch.] (1980-82) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 5 "Ohne Tiel" (1981-83) ⋆⋆
- Schwarzer und Roter Tanz [orch.] (1982-83)
- Fremde Szenen I-III [violin, cello & piano] (1982-84) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 6 "Blaubuch" (1984)
- String Quartet No. 7 "Veränderungen" (1985)
- Die Hamletmaschine [opera] (1983-86)
- Klangbeschreibung I-III [4 voices & orch.] (1982-87)
- Chiffre-Zyklus [18 musicians] (1982-88)
- String Quartet No. 8 (1987-88)
- Frau/Stimme [2 sopranos & orch.] (1989)
- Die Eroberung von Mexico [opera] (1987-91) ⋆⋆
- Gesungene Zeit [violin & small orch.] (1991-92)
- Phantom und Eskapade [violin & piano] (1993-94)
- Vers une symphonie fleuve III [orch.] (1992-95)
- IN-SCHRIFT [orch.] (1995)
- String Quartet No. 10 (1993-97)
- Styx und Lethe [cello & orch.] (1997-98)
- Ende der Handschrift [female voice/tenor & piano] (1999)
- Deus Passus (St. Luke Passion) [soli, mixed choir & orch.] (1999-2000) ⋆⋆
- Concerto "Dithyrambe" [string quartet & orch.] (2000)
- Jagden und Formen [small orch.] (1995-2001) ⋆⋆⋆
- Astralis [small chorus, cello & 2 tympani] (2001)
- Gejagte Form [small orch.] (1995-2002)
- Sphäre um Sphäre [2 pianos & ensemble] (1992/2003)
- Fetzen [8 pieces for accordion & string quartet] (2000-04)
- Sieben Passions-Texte [6 voices] (2001-06)
- Vigilia [6 voices & ensemble] (2006)
- String Quartet No. 11 (1998-2007)
- Et Lux [vocal quartet & string quartet] (2009)
- Lichtes Spiel [violin & small orch.] (2009)
- Dionysos [opera] (2009-10) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 13 (2011)
- Symphonie "Nähe Fern" [baritone & orch.] (2011-12)
- IN-SCHRIFT 2 [orch.] (2013)
- Gedicht des Malers [violin & orch.] (2014)
- Piano Concerto No. 2 (2014)
- Requiem-Strophen [soli, mixed choir & orch.] (2015-16)
- Music for the Gift [tape-looped jazz quartet] (1963)
- Bird of Paradise [tape collage] (1964)
- In C [unspecified performers] (1964) ⋆⋆⋆
- Dorian Reeds [soprano sax, harmonium & tape] (1965)
- Keyboard Studies (1965)
- Reed Streams [reed organ] (1965)
- Poppy Nogood and the Phantom Band [soprano sax, electronic keyboard & tape delay] (1967) ⋆⋆
- You're No Good [tape collage & synthesizer] (1967) ⋆⋆
- A Rainbow in Curved Air [electric piano, dumbak & tambourines (partially improvised)] (1968) ⋆⋆⋆
- Persian Surgery Dervishes [electric keyboard] (1971) ⋆⋆⋆
- Les yeux fermés [film score] (1972)
- Le Secret de la Vie [film score] (1974)
- Descending Moonshine Dervishes [electric keyboard (partially improvised)] (1975)
- Shri Camel [electronic organ & tape delay] (1975-76) ⋆⋆⋆
- G Song [string quartet] (1980)
- Sunrise of the Planetary Dream Collector [string quartet & synthesizer (originally for electric keyboard)] (1980)
- Cadenza on the Night Plain [string quartet] (1983) ⋆⋆
- Salome Dances for Peace [5 pieces for string quartet] (1985-86) ⋆⋆
- The Harp of New Albion [piano] (1986) ⋆⋆⋆
- Requiem for Adam [string quartet with sound collage] (1997) ⋆⋆
- The Cusp of Magic [string quartet & pipa] (2004)
- Natura morta con fiamme [string quartet & electronics] (1991)
- La sabbia del tempo [6 performers] (1991)
- EnTrance [soprano, ensemble & electronics] (1995)
- The Nameless City [strings & bells ad libitum] (1997)
- Domeniche alla periferia dell'impero [4 instrs.] (1995-96/2000)
- Professor Bad Trip [ensemble & electronics] (1998-2000) ⋆⋆⋆
- Blood on the Floor, Painting 1986 [ensemble] (2000)
- Amok Koma [ensemble & electronics] (2001)
- Flowing down too slow [string orch., percussion & bells] (2001)
- Trash TV Trance [electric guitar] (2002)
- An Index of Metals [video opera for soprano, ensemble, multiple projections & electronics] (2003) ⋆⋆⋆
- Dead City Radio (Audiodrome) [orch.] (2003) ⋆⋆
- Les Moutons de Panurge [any number of melody instrs.] (1968)
- Coming Together [speaker & variable ensemble] (1971) ⋆⋆
- Attica [speaker & variable ensemble] (1972)
- The People United Will Never Be Defeated! [36 variations for piano] (1975) ⋆⋆⋆
- Four Pieces [piano] (1977)
- Squares [piano] (1978)
- North American Ballads [piano] (1978-79) ⋆⋆
- The Turtle and the Crane [piano] (1988)
- De Profundis [piano] (1992)
- The Road [piano] (1995-2003)
- Hard Cuts [piano & ensemble] (2011)
- Verblendungen [orch. & tape] (1984)
- Lichtbogen [2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, percussion, piano, flute, harp & electronics] (1986) ⋆⋆
- Io [orch, tape & live electronics] (1986-87)
- Nymphéa (Jardin secret III) [string quartet & electronics] (1987) ⋆⋆⋆
- Petals [cello (electronics ad libitum)] (1988)
- Grammaire des rêves [soprano, contralto, 2 flutes, harp, viola & cello] (1988-89)
- Du Cristal...à la fumée [alto flute, cello, orch. & live electronics] (1989-90) ⋆⋆
- Amers [cello, ensemble & electronics] (1992)
- Près [cello & electronics] (1992)
- Graal Théâtre [violin & orch.] (1994) ⋆⋆
- Six Japanese Gardens [percussion & electronics] (1994) ⋆⋆
- Château de l'Âme [5 songs for solo soprano, 4 sopranos, 4 mezzo-sopranos & orch.] (1995)
- Lonh [soprano & electronics] (1996)
- Cendres [alto flute, cello & piano] (1998)
- Oltra Mar [orch. & chorus] (1999)
- L'Amour de loin [opera] (2000) ⋆⋆⋆
- Sept Papillons [cello] (2000) ⋆⋆⋆
- L'Aile du Songe [flute & orch.] (2000-01)
- Nymphéa Reflection [string orch.] (2001)
- Orion [orch.] (2002) ⋆⋆⋆
- Vent Nocturne [viola & electronics] (2006)
- Notes on Light [cello & orch.] (2006) ⋆⋆
- La Passion de Simone [oratorio for soprano, chorus, orch. & electronics] (2006)
- Terra Memoria [string quartet] (2007)
- Laterna Magica [orch.] (2008) ⋆⋆
- D'Om le Vrai Sens [clarinet & orch.] (2010) ⋆⋆
- Émilie [opera] (2010)
- Circle Map [orch. & electronics] (2012)
- Molly's Song 3 - shades of crimson [alto flute, viola, steel-stringed guitar, 4 radios & music box] (1995)
- dichroic seventeen [piano, 2 percussionists, 2 double basses, accordion & electric guitar] (1996) ⋆⋆
- QUARTET [piano, B-flat clarinet/bass clarinet, double bass & accordion] (1998) ⋆⋆
- vermillion [clarinet, electric guitar & cello] (2003)
- blaauw [double-bell trumpet] (2004)
- Choler [piano duo] (2004)
- Miniata [accordion, piano, choir & orch.] (2004)
- Crimson [piano] (2004-05)
- Blue and Gray [2 double basses] (2005)
- Stirrings Still I [alto flute, oboe, clarinet, piano & bowed crotales] (2007) ⋆⋆
- chroma IX [chamber groups in several spaces] (2003-08)
- murmurs [collage for 10 players] (2009)
- Fury II [concert for double bass & ensemble] (2010)
- Stasis I [special collage for 16 soloists] (2011)
- Still [violin & orch.] (2011)
- Fletch [string quartet] (2012)
- Ire [concerto for cello, strings & percussion] (2012)
- Shadow [piano] (2013)
- Void [2 percussionists & chamber orch.] (2013-14) ⋆⋆
- Alba [trumpet & orch.] (2014)
- Skin [soprano & ensemble] (2016) ⋆⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 0 (1957)
- Nagasaki [oratorio for mezzo-soprano, chorus & orch.] (1958)
- Piano Concerto (1960)
- Violin Sonata No. 1 (1963)
- Violin Sonata No. 2 "Quasi una sonata" (1968) ⋆⋆
- Labyrinths [ballet] (1971)
- Suite in the Old Style [violin & piano/harpsichord] (1972) ⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 1 (1969-74) ⋆⋆⋆
- Agony [film score] (1974)
- Requiem [music to Schiller's drama "Don Carlos", for soloists, mixed chorus & instr. ensemble] (1974-75) ⋆⋆⋆
- Piano Quintet [also orchestrated as In Memoriam] (1972-76) ⋆⋆⋆
- Clowns und Kinder [film score] (1976)
- Concerto Grosso No. 1 [2 violins, prepared piano, harpsichord & 21 strings] (1977) ⋆⋆⋆
- Moz-Art à la Haydn [2 violins & string orch.] (1977)
- The Story of an Unknown Actor [film score] (1977)
- Cello Sonata No. 1 (1978) ⋆⋆⋆
- Violin Concerto No. 3 (1978)
- Four Hymns [chamber ensembles] (1974-79)
- Concerto for Piano and Strings (1979) ⋆⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 2 "St. Florian" (1979) ⋆⋆⋆
- Gogol Suite [music from The Dead Souls Register, orchestrated by Rozhdestvensky] (1980)
- Minnesang [52 voices] (1981)
- String Quartet No. 2 (1981) ⋆⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 3 (1981) ⋆⋆
- Concerto Grosso No. 2 [violin, cello & orch.] (1981-82) ⋆⋆⋆
- Septet [flute, 2 clarinets, violin, viola, cello & harpsichord/organ] (1981-82)
- A Paganini [violin] (1982)
- Seid Nüchtern und Wachtet (Faust Cantata) [soloists, chorus & orch.] (1982) ⋆⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 3 (1983) ⋆⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 4 (1983) ⋆⋆
- Three Sacred Hymns [chorus] (1983-84)
- Violin Concerto No. 4 (1984) ⋆⋆
- Choir Concerto [soprano & chorus] (1984-85) ⋆⋆⋆
- Ritual [orch.] (1984-85)
- Concerto Grosso No. 3 [2 violins, harpsichord, celesta, piano & 14 strings] (1985)
- (K)ein Sommernachtstraum [orch.] (1985) ⋆⋆
- String Trio [also arr. as Piano Trio] (1985) ⋆⋆⋆
- Viola Concerto (1985) ⋆⋆⋆
- Cello Concerto No. 1 (1985-86) ⋆⋆⋆
- Klingende Buchstaben [cello] (1988)
- Peer Gynt [ballet] (1988) ⋆⋆⋆
- Psalms of Repentance [chorus] (1988)
- Symphony No. 5 (Concerto Grosso No. 4) (1988) ⋆⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 4 (1989)
- Cello Concerto No. 2 (1990) ⋆⋆
- Madrigal in Memoriam Oleg Kagan [violin/cello] (1990)
- Concerto Grosso No. 5 [violin, piano & orch.] (1990-91)
- Life with an Idiot [opera] (1992)
- Symphony No. 6 (1992) ⋆⋆
- Cello Sonata No. 2 (1994)
- Concerto Grosso No. 6 [piano, violin & string orch.] (1993)
- Symphony No. 7 (1993) ⋆⋆
- Concerto for Three [violin, viola, cello & string orch.] (1994)
- Historia von D. Johann Fausten [opera] (1994)
- Symphony No. 8 (1994) ⋆⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 9 (1997; compl. by Raskatov 2006)
- De la nuit [piano] (1971)
- Tre notturni brillanti [viola] (1974)
- Variazioni [cello & orch.] (1974)
- Piano Sonata No. 1 (1976)
- Sei Capricci [violin] (1976) ⋆⋆
- Ai limiti della notte [viola/cello] (1979)
- Aspern Suite [soprano voice & ensemble] (1979)
- Un'immagine di Arpocrate [piano & orch.] (1979)
- Anamorfosi [piano] (1980)
- Fauno che fischia a un merlo [flute & harp] (1980)
- Efebo con radio [voice & orch.] (1981)
- Introduzione all'oscuro [ensemble] (1981)
- Vanitas [voice, cello & piano] (1981)
- Piano Sonata No. 2 (1983)
- Lohengrin [opera] (1982-84) ⋆⋆
- Allegoria della notte [violin & orch.] (1985)
- Canzona di ringraziamento [flute] (1985)
- Lo spazio inverso [flute, clarinet, violin, cello & celesta] (1985)
- Piano Sonata No. 3 (1987)
- Piano Trio No. 2 (1987)
- Sui poemi concentrici I-III [cello & orch. (I); flute, clarinet, cello & orch. (II); flute, violin, viola d'amore & orch. (III)] (1987)
- Fra i testi dedicati alle nubi [flute] (1989)
- L'orizzonte luminoso di Aton [flute] (1989)
- Perduto in una città d'acque [piano] (1991)
- Piano Sonata No. 4 (1992)
- Sei quartetti brevi [string quartet] (1992)
- Piano Sonata No. 5 "Sonata con 5 finali diversi" (1994)
- Luci mie traditrici [opera] (1996-98) ⋆⋆⋆
- Infinito nero [opera] (1998)
- Le voci sottovetro [mezzo-soprano & ensemble; arr. from Gesualdo] (1998)
- Recitativo oscuro [piano & orch.] (1999)
- String Quartet No. 7 (1999)
- Studi per l'intonazione del mare [voice, 4 flutes, 4 saxes, percussion & orch. of 100 flutes] (2000) ⋆⋆
- Macbeth [opera] (2002) ⋆⋆
- Quaderno di strada [voice & orch.] (2003) ⋆⋆
- Da gelo a gelo [opera] (2006)
- 12 Madrigali [chorus] (2007)
- La porta della legge [opera] (2006-08)
- String Quartet No. 8 (2008)
- Irkanda IV [violin, strings & percussion] (1961)
- Sun Music I-IV [orch.] (1965-69) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 8 (1969) ⋆⋆
- Small Town [oboe, 2 trumpets, strings & timpani] (1976)
- Port Essington [string trio & string orch.] (1977)
- Mangrove [orch.] (1979)
- Requiem for Cello Alone (1979)
- Piano Concerto (1983) ⋆⋆
- Djilile [piano / various arrs.] (1986, arr. 1990/95/96/2000/01/03/08)
- Earth Cry [didgeridoo & orch.] (1986) ⋆⋆⋆
- Kakadu [orch.] (1988) ⋆⋆⋆
- Nourlangie [guitar, strings & percussion] (1989)
- String Quartet No. 11 "Jabiru Dreaming" [with optional didgeridoo] (1990)
- Memento Mori [orch.] (1993) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 12 "From Ubirr" (1994)
- String Quartet No. 13 "Island Dreaming" [with mezzo-soprano] (1996)
- Cello Dreaming [cello & ensemble] (1998)
- Great Sandy Island [orch.] (1998)
- String Quartet No. 14 "Quamby" [with optional didgeridoo] (1998)
- Quamby [chamber orch. (with optional didgeridoo)] (2000)
- Requiem [chorus, didgeridoo & orch.] (2004)
- String Quartet No. 16 [with optional didgeridoo] (2005) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 18 [with optional didgeridoo] (2010)
- Riverina [piano] (2011)
- Symphony No. 2 [flute, piano, 2 percussion & string orch.] (1965)
- Cantata [soprano & small orch.] (1973)
- String Quartet No. 1 (1974)
- Piano Sonata No. 2 (1975)
- Symphony No. 4 (1976)
- Silent Songs [baritone & piano] (1974-77) ⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 5 (1980-82) ⋆⋆⋆
- Stufen [voice & piano] (1981-82)
- Four Songs after Osip Mandelstam [baritone & piano] (1982)
- Cello Sonata (1983)
- Postludium [piano & orch.] (1984) ⋆⋆
- Dedication [symphony for violin & orch.] (1990-91)
- Post Scriptum [sonata for violin & piano] (1990-91)
- Metamusik [piano & orch.] (1992)
- Symphony No. 6 (1994-95, rev. 2002)
- Diptych [mixed chorus] (1995)
- Der Bote [piano] (1996-97)
- Requiem for Larissa [mixed chorus & orch.] (1997-99) ⋆⋆
- Bagatellen [13 pieces for piano] (2005-06) ⋆⋆
- Kreuzspiel [oboe, bass clarinet, piano, and 3 percussionists] (1951) ⋆⋆
- Etude [musique concrète] (1952)
- Klavierstück I [piano] (1952) ⋆⋆
- Klavierstück II [piano] (1952)
- Klavierstück III [piano] (1952)
- Klavierstück IV [piano] (1952)
- Punkte [orch.] (1952, rev. 1962/66/93) ⋆⋆
- Schlagtrio [piano & 2 x 3 timpani] (1952)
- Kontra-Punkte [10 instrs.] (1952-53) ⋆⋆
- Studie I [electronic music] (1953)
- Studie II [electronic music] (1954)
- Klavierstück V [piano] (1954-55)
- Klavierstück VI [piano] (1954-55)
- Klavierstück VII [piano] (1954-55)
- Klavierstück VIII [piano] (1954-55)
- Gesang der Jünglinge [electronics & taped boy's voice] (1955-56) ⋆⋆⋆
- Zeitmaße [oboe, flute, cor anglais, clarinet & bassoon] (1955-56)
- Klavierstück XI [piano] (1956) ⋆⋆⋆
- Gruppen [3 orchs.] (1955-57) ⋆⋆⋆
- Refrain [piano, vibes, celesta/synthesizer & sound projector] (1959)
- Zyklus [solo percussion] (1959) ⋆⋆
- Kontakte [piano, percussion & electronic sounds] (1958-60) ⋆⋆⋆
- Carré [4 choirs & orchs.] (1959-60) ⋆⋆
- Klavierstück IX [piano] (1961) ⋆⋆⋆
- Klavierstück X [piano] (1961) ⋆⋆⋆
- Mikrophonie I [tam-tam, microphones & 2 filters with potentiometers] (1964) ⋆⋆
- Mixtur [small orch., 4 sinewave generators & 4 sound mixers] (1964)
- Mikrophonie II [12 singers, Hammond organ/synthesizer, 4 ring modularors & tape] (1965) ⋆⋆
- Telemusik [electronic & musique concrète] (1966) ⋆⋆
- Hymnen [electronic & musique concrète] (1966-67) ⋆⋆⋆
- Prozession [6 players with live electronics] (1967)
- Aus den Sieben Tagen [15 text compositions for "intuitive" music] (1968) ⋆⋆
- Kurzwellen [6 players with live electronics; also arr. as Opus 1970] (1968)
- Spiral [soloist with shortwave receiver] (1968)
- Stimmung [6 vocalists] (1968) ⋆⋆⋆
- Momente [soprano, 4 choruses & 13 instrumentalists] (1962-64/69) ⋆⋆⋆
- Ceylon [small ensemble; from Für kommende Zeiten] (1970)
- Mantra [2 pianos with percussion & electronics] (1970) ⋆⋆⋆
- Sternklang [park music for 21 singers & instrumentalists in 5 groups] (1971) ⋆⋆
- Trans [orch.] (1971) ⋆⋆
- Ylem [19 players] (1972)
- Inori [1 or 2 soloists & orch.] (1973-74) ⋆⋆
- Tierkreis [12 music boxes/ensemble; various versions] (1974-75, rev. 1974/77/81/83/2003) ⋆⋆
- Harlekin [clarinet] (1975)
- Jubiläum [orch.] (1977)
- Donnerstag aus Licht [opera; incl. Michaels Reise um die Erde] (1978-80) ⋆⋆⋆
- Samstag aus Licht [opera; incl. Luzifers Tanz, Luzifers Abscheid] (1981-83) ⋆⋆⋆
- Montag aus Licht [opera] (1984-88) ⋆⋆
- Dienstag aus Licht [opera; incl. Oktophonie] (1977-91) ⋆⋆⋆
- Freistag aus Licht [opera] (1991-94) ⋆⋆
- Mittwoch aus Licht [opera; incl. Welt-Parlament, Orchester-Finalisten, Helikopter-Streichquartett] (1992-98) ⋆⋆⋆
- Strahlen [percussion & 10-channel sound recording] (2002)
- Sonntag aus Licht [opera] (1998-2003) ⋆⋆
- Himmelfahrt [organ/synthesizer, soprano & tenor; from Klang] (2004-05)
- Freude [2 harps & voices; from Klang] (2005) ⋆⋆
- Natürliche Dauern [24 pieces for piano; from Klang] (2005-06)
- Harmonien [bass clarinet/flute/trumpet; from Klang] (2006)
- Cosmic Pulses [electronic music; from Klang] (2006-07) ⋆⋆⋆
- Hoffnung [violin, viola & cello; from Klang] (2007)
- Erwachen [soprano sax, trumpet & cello; from Klang] (2007)
- Distance de fée [violin & piano] (1951, rev. 1989)
- Requiem for String Orchestra (1957) ⋆⋆⋆
- Coral Island [soprano & orch.] (1962)
- Kwaidan [film score] (1964)
- Woman in the Dunes [film score] (1964)
- The Dorian Horizon [17 strings] (1964) ⋆⋆
- Valeria [violin, cello, guitar & 2 bandoneons] (1965, rev. 1969)
- Arc [piano & orch.] (1963-66, rev. 1976)
- Eclipse [biwa & shakuhachi] (1966) ⋆⋆
- Green [orch.] (1967)
- November Steps [biwa, shakuhachi & orch.] (1967) ⋆⋆⋆
- Asterism [piano & orch.] (1968)
- Munari by Munari [solo percussion] (1967-71)
- Cassiopeia [solo percussion & orch.] (1971)
- Stanza II [harp & tape] (1971)
- Autumn [biwa, shakuhachi & orch.] (1973)
- In an Autumn Garden [gagaku orch.] (1973, rev. 1979) ⋆⋆
- Folios [guitar] (1974)
- Garden Rain [brass ensemble] (1974)
- Gitimalya [marimba & orch.] (1974)
- Quatrain [clarinet, violin, cello, piano & orch.] (1974-75)
- Bryce [flute, 2 harps & 2 percussionists] (1976)
- Marginalia [orch.] (1976)
- A Flock Descends into the Pentagonal Garden [orch.] (1977) ⋆⋆⋆
- Waterways [violin, cello, clarinet, piano, 2 harps & 2 vibraphones] (1977-78)
- Les yeux clos [piano] (1979)
- A Way a Lone [string quartet] (1980)
- Rain Tree [3 percussionists/3 keyboard players] (1981)
- Toward the Sea [alto flute & guitar/harp] (1981) ⋆⋆⋆
- Rain Coming [chamber orch.] (1982)
- Rain Spell [flute/alto flute, clarinet, harp, piano & vibraphone] (1982) ⋆⋆
- Rain Tree Sketch [piano] (1982) ⋆⋆
- To the Edge of Dream [guitar & orch.] (1983)
- Orion and Pleiades [cello & orch.] (1984)
- Riverrun [piano & orch.] (1984) ⋆⋆⋆
- Dream/Window [orch.] (1985)
- Ran [film score] (1985) ⋆⋆
- Gémeaux [oboe, trombone & 2 orchs.] (1971-86)
- All in Twilight [guitar] (1987) ⋆⋆
- I Hear the Water Dreaming [flute & orch.] (1987)
- Nostalghia [violin & string orch.] (1987)
- Tree Line [chamber orch.] (1988) ⋆⋆
- Twill by Twilight [orch.] (1988) ⋆⋆
- Les yeux clos II [piano] (1988)
- A String Around Autumn [viola & orch.] (1989) ⋆⋆⋆
- Litany [piano] (1989)
- From Me Flows What You Call Time [5 percussionists & orch.] (1990) ⋆⋆⋆
- Fantasma/Cantos [clarinet & orch.] (1991)
- How Slow the Wind [orch.] (1991) ⋆⋆
- Quotation of Dream [2 pianos & orch.] (1991) ⋆⋆
- And Then I Knew 'Twas Wind [flute, viola & harp] (1992) ⋆⋆
- Rain Tree Sketch II [piano] (1992) ⋆⋆
- Archipelago S. [21 players in 5 groups] (1993)
- Between Tides [violin, cello & piano] (1993)
- Equinox [guitar] (1993)
- Rising Sun [film score] (1993)
- A Bird Came down the Walk [viola & piano] (1994)
- Spirit Garden [orch.] (1994) ⋆⋆
- Air [flute] (1995)
- In the Woods [3 pieces for guitar] (1995)
- Concerto for Piano, String Orchestra, and Timpani (1946) ⋆⋆
- Piano Sonata No. 1 (1947)
- Piano Sonata No. 2 (1949)
- Trio for Clarinet, Violin, and Piano (1949)
- Octet [2 oboes, 4 violins, timpani & piano] (1949-50)
- Piano Sonata No. 3 (1952)
- Violin Sonata (1952)
- Twelve Preludes [piano] (1953)
- Symphony No. 1 [orch. & 2 boy voices] (1955)
- Piano Sonata No. 4 (1957)
- Grand Duet [cello & piano] (1959) ⋆⋆
- Duet [violin & piano] (1964)
- Composition No. 1 "Dona nobis pacem" [piccolo, tuba & piano] (1970-71)
- Composition No. 2 "Dies irae" [8 double basses, piano & cube] (1972-73) ⋆⋆
- Composition No. 3 "Benedictus, qui venit" [4 flutes, 4 bassoons & piano] (1974-75)
- Symphony No. 2 "True And Eternal Bliss" (1979)
- Symphony No. 3 "Jesus Messiah, Save Us!" (1983) ⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 4 "Prayer" [mezzo-soprano, trumpet, piano & tam-tam] (1985-87)
- Piano Sonata No. 5 (1986) ⋆⋆
- Piano Sonata No. 6 (1988) ⋆⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 5 "Amen" (1989-90)
- One [chamber opera for soprano, video & soundtrack] (2002)
- Here Trilogy [3 pieces for soprano, chamber orch. & soundtrack] (2001-03)
- Second Self [orch. & soundtrack] (2004)
- Imprint [baroque orch.] (2005)
- After Life [opera for soloists, ensemble, video & soundtrack] (2005-06, rev. 2009)
- The Book of Disquiet [music theatre for actor, ensemble & film] (2008)
- Up-close [cello, string orch. & film] (2010) ⋆⋆
- Sunken Garden [opera] (2011-13)
- Hysteresis [clarinet, ensemble & soundtrack] (2013)
- Violin Concerto (2014)
- Blank Out [chamber opera for soprano & film] (2015) ⋆⋆
- The Book of Sand [digital, interactive song cycle] (2015)
- Grāmata Čellam (The Book) [cello solo] (1978)
- Cantabile [string orch.] (1979)
- Baltā ainava (White Scenery) [piano/organ] (1980)
- Musica Dolorosa [string orch.] (1983)
- String Quartet No. 2 "Sommerweisen (Summer Tunes)" (1984)
- Episodi e canto perpetuo [violin, cello & piano] (1985)
- Lauda [orch.] (1986)
- Cor Anglais Concerto (1989)
- Symphony for Strings "Stimmen (Voices)" (1990-91)
- Pater Noster [choir & string orch.] (1991)
- Cello Concerto (1993-94) ⋆⋆
- String Quartet No. 3 (1995)
- Dona nobis pacem [mixed choir & string orch./organ] (1996)
- Violin Concerto "Tālā gaisma (Distant Light)" (1996-97) ⋆⋆⋆
- Symphony No. 2 (1998-99)
- String Quartet No. 4 (1999) ⋆⋆
- Piano Quartet (2001)
- Līdzenuma ainavas (Plainscapes) [mixed choir, violin & cello] (2002)
- Viatore [organ/string orch.] (2002)
- Missa [mixed choir & string orch./organ] (2001/05)
- Sala [symphonic elegy for orch.] (2006)
- Flute Concerto (2007-08, rev. 2011)
- Vox Amoris [violin & string orch.] (2008-09)
- Credo [orch.] (2010)
- Musik für das Ende [20 voices & percussion] (1971)
- Siddhartha [orch.] (1976)
- Journal [voices & percussionist] (1977)
- Shiraz [piano] (1977)
- Greeting Music [flute, oboe, percussion, piano & cello] (1978)
- Kopernikus [opera] (1979)
- Orion [orch.] (1979) ⋆⋆
- Cinq Chansons [percussion] (1980)
- Lonely Child [soprano & orch.] (1980) ⋆⋆⋆
- Zipangu [string orch.] (1980) ⋆⋆⋆
- Bouchara [soprano & chamber orch.] (1981) ⋆⋆
- Et je reverrai cette ville étrange [chamber ensemble] (1981)
- Prologue pour un Marco Polo [13 instrs., 4 voices & narrator] (1981) ⋆⋆
- Wo bist du Licht! [mezzo-soprano, orch. & tape] (1981)
- Trois airs pour un opéra imaginaire [soprano & ensemble] (1982)
- Glaubst du an die Unsterblichkeit der Seele [voices & ensemble] (1983; unfinished)
- Time's Encomium [electronic work for processed synthesized sounds] (1969) ⋆⋆
- Grand Bamboula [string orch.] (1971)
- On Alligators [flute/piccolo, oboe, clairnet, bassoon & string quartet] (1972)
- Speculum Speculi [chamber ensemble] (1972)
- A Reliquary for Igor Stravinsky [orch.] (1975)
- Percussion Symphony (1976)
- Fast Fantasy [cello & piano] (1977)
- Two-Part Symphony (1978)
- Second String Quartet (1979)
- The Blue Bamboula [piano] (1980)
- Horn Trio (1981) ⋆⋆
- Trio for Bass Instruments (1981)
- Mass for the Restoration of St Luke's [chamber choir, violin, 3 trombones & organ] (1982) ⋆⋆
- New York Notes [chamber ensemble] (1982)
- Third Piano Concerto (1983) ⋆⋆
- Spinoff [contrabass, violin & conga drums] (1983)
- Double Solo [horn, violin & piano] (1985)
- Horn Trio Continued (1985)
- Trombone Trio (1985)
- The Golden Dance [piano & orch.] (1986)
- Five [concerto for amplified cello & orch.] (1987)
- Third String Quartet (1987)
- Sonata for Violin and Piano (1988)
- Genesis [oratorio for chorus & orch.] (1989) ⋆⋆
- String Sextet (1989)
- Microsymphony [orch.] (1992)
- Percussion Quartet (1994)
- Piano Quintet (1994)
- Lepton [celeste, harp & piano] (1999)
- Fourth String Quartet (1999)
- Fourth Piano Concerto (2003)
- Ashberyana [voice, trombone, string quartet & piano] (2004)
- Eighth Symphony (Theologoumena) (2006)
- Second Piano Quintet (2008)
- Trio for Flute, Bass Clarinet, and Piano (2008)
- Brokeback Mountain [opera] (2008-12)
- Zyia [soprano, male chorus, flute & piano] (1952)
- Metastasis [orch.] (1953-54) ⋆⋆⋆
- Pithoprakta [orch.] (1955-56) ⋆⋆⋆
- Diamorphoses [2-track tape & at least 4 loudspeakers] (1957-58)
- Concret PH [2-track tape & at least 4 loudspeakers] (1958)
- Syrmos [string orch.] (1959)
- Orient-Occident [film music for 2-track tape & 4 loudspeakers] (1960) ⋆⋆
- Herma [piano] (1961)
- ST/4, 1-080262 [string quartet; arr. of ST/48, 1-240162] (1956-62)
- Bohor [electro-acoustic tape] (1962) ⋆⋆
- Polla ta Dhina [children's choir & orch.] (1962)
- Eonta [2 trumpets, 3 trombones & piano] (1963-64) ⋆⋆
- Hiketides: Les suppliantes d'Eschyle [suite for brass instrument & string orch.] (1964)
- Akrata [wind orch.] (1964-65)
- Nomos Alpha [cello] (1965-66) ⋆⋆⋆
- Oresteïa [children's chorus, chorus & 12 musicians] (1965-66) ⋆⋆
- Terretektorh [orch. scattered throughout audience] (1966)
- Achorripsis [21 musicians] (1956-67)
- Medea [male chorus, hand-held cymbals & 5 musicians] (1967)
- Nomos Gamma [orch. scattered throughout audience] (1967-68)
- Nuits [12 voices] (1967-68) ⋆⋆
- Kraanerg [ballet for orch. & tape] (1968) ⋆⋆
- Synaphaï [piano & orch.] (1969) ⋆⋆
- Hibiki Hana Ma [8-channel tape] (1969-70)
- Antikhthon [ballet for orch.] (1971)
- Persepolis [8-channel tape] (1971) ⋆⋆⋆
- Polytope de Cluny [8-channel tape] (1972)
- Evryali [piano] (1973)
- Cendrées [chorus & orch.] (1973-74)
- Erikhthon [piano & orch.] (1974)
- Gmeeoorh [organ] (1974)
- Noomena [orch.] (1974)
- Empreintes [orch.] (1975)
- N'shima [2 amplified voices, 2 amplified horns, 2 tenor trombones & amplified cello] (1975)
- Persephassa [solo percussion] (1975) ⋆⋆
- Phlegra [flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, violin, viola, cello & double bass] (1975)
- Psaphha [solo percussion] (1975) ⋆⋆
- Theraps [double bass] (1975-76)
- Khoaï [harpsichord] (1976)
- Jonchaies [orch.] (1977) ⋆⋆⋆
- Kottos [cello] (1977)
- La légende d'Eer [8-channel tape] (1977) ⋆⋆⋆
- Ikhoor [string trio] (1978)
- Pléïades [6 percussionists] (1978) ⋆⋆⋆
- Anémoessa [SATB chorus of 42 or 84 voices & orch.] (1979)
- Dikhthas [violin & piano] (1979)
- Palimpsest [cor anglais, bass clarinet, bassoon, horn, percussion, piano & string quintet] (1979)
- Aïs [amplified baritone, solo percussion & orch.] (1980)
- Komboï [percussion & harpsichord] (1981)
- Mists [piano] (1981)
- Nekuïa [choir & orch.] (1981)
- Lichens [orch.] (1983)
- Shaar [large string orch.] (1983) ⋆⋆
- Tetras [string quartet] (1983) ⋆⋆⋆
- Naama [amplified harpsichord] (1984)
- Thalleïn [piccolo, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, piccolo trumpet, trombone, percussion, piano & string quintet] (1984)
- A l'Ile de Gorée [amplified harpsichord & 12 musicians] (1986)
- Akea [piano & string quartet] (1986)
- Horos [orch.] (1986)
- Keqrops [piano & orch.] (1986) ⋆⋆
- Keren [trombone] (1986)
- Ata [orch.] (1987)
- Jalons [15 musicians] (1987)
- Tracées [orch.] (1987)
- XAS [saxophone quartet] (1987)
- Rebonds [solo percussion] (1988) ⋆⋆
- Waarg [piccolo, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba & string quintet] (1988)
- Échange [bass clarinet & 13 musicians] (1989)
- Voyage absolu des Unari vers Andromède [2-track tape & 4 loudspeakers] (1989)
- Tetora [string quartet] (1990)
- Roáï [orch.] (1991)
- Troorkh [trombone & orch.] (1991)
- Trio for Strings [also in various arr.] (1958, rev. 1983-84)
- Composition 1960 #7 [any number & combination of instrs.] (1960)
- B-Flat Dorian Blues [arr. for sopranino sax, voice drone, viola, percussion & bowed guitar] (c. 1960 or 1961)
- The Second Dream of The High Tension Line Stepdown Transformer [arr. for 8 trumpets; from The Four Dreams of China] (1962, rev. 1984)
- Pre-Tortoise Dream Music [sopranino sax, soprano sax, vocal drone, violin, viola & sine waves] (1964)
- The Well-Tuned Piano [prepared piano (more than 60 realizations to date)] (1964, rev. 1973/81) ⋆⋆⋆
- Dream House 78' 17" [trombone, trumpet, voice & sine waves] (1973)
- Chronos Kristalla [string quartet] (1990)
- Just Charles & Cello in the Romantic Chord [cello, pre-recorded cello drones & light design] (2002-03)