Duodecet
In music, a duodecet—sometimes duodectet, or duodecimette—is a composition which requires twelve musicians for a performance, or a musical group that consists of twelve people. In jazz, such a group of twelve players is sometimes called a "twelvetet". The corresponding German word is Duodezett. The French equivalent form, douzetuor, is virtually unknown. Unlike some other musical ensembles such as the string quartet, there is no established or standard set of instruments in a duodecet.
History
Of the ensemble types named according to the number of musicians in the group, the decet, undecet, duodecet, tredecet, etc., are names less common in music than smaller groupings. In the eighteenth century, twelve-part ensembles were most often encountered in the genre of the wind serenade, divertimento, nocturne, or partita—for example, Josef Reicha's Parthia ex D, for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 3 horns, 2 bassoons, and double bass, and the partitas for the same instrumentation by Reicha's colleague Johann Georg Feldmayr. In fact, the titles "serenade" and "suite" continue through the 19th century to be the preferred term for ensembles of twelve or thirteen instruments, especially winds. The word "duodecet" remains rare as a genre title in the 20th century, where works for twelve instruments or singers most often are given either a true title, or a genre title describing the form, often followed by a designator such as "for twelve instruments".The three "twelve-part inventions", variations 3, 5, and 11, in Stravinsky's ''Variations: Aldous Huxley in memoriam''
Vocal duodecets
- Sylvano Bussotti. Siciliano, a francesco agnello, for twelve male voices
String duodecets
- Julius Klengel. Hymnus für zwölf Violoncelli, Op. 57
- . Prelude, Lied and Scherzo for 12 violoncellos
- Anne Boyd. Bencharong, for string ensemble of twelve players, violins, violas, cellos and double bass.
- Cesar Bresgen. Metamorphosis I, for twelve strings: 7 violins, 2 violas, 2 violoncellos, and double bass
- Barbara Buczek. Duodecet for strings
- James Dillon. Introitus, for twelve strings, tape, and live electronics
- Helmut Eder. Concerto a dodici per archi, Op. 38
- György Ligeti. Ramifications, for string orchestra or 12 solo strings
- Bogusław Schaeffer. Monophonie V, for 12 cellos
- Bogusław Schaeffer. Duodecet, for 12 cellos
- Thomas Simaku. Plenilunio, for twelve solo strings
- James Tenney. For 12 Strings , for 4 violins, 3 violas, 3 violoncellos, 2 double basses
- Ronald Tremain. Five Epigrams, for twelve solo strings
Wind duodecets
- Milton Babbitt. Fanfare for 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, and tuba
- Wilhelm Berger. Serenade, Op. 102, for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 4 horns, and 2 bassoons
- Gordon Jacob. Old Wine in New Bottles, for double wind quintet with 2 trumpets
- Wilfred Josephs. Concerto a dodici, opus 21. Concerto for twelve wind instruments, flute, piccolo, oboe, cor anglais, clarinet, bassoon, double bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone and tuba
- Karl Kohn. Concert Music for 12 wind instruments
- Felix Mendelssohn. Nocturno, Op. 24, for flute, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns, 2 bassoons, trumpet, and "corno inglese di basso"
- Max Reger. Serenade for 12 wind instruments
- David Van Vactor. Double sextette for 12 trombones
Mixed duodecets
- Milton Babbitt. Composition for Twelve Instruments, for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, harp, celesta, violin, viola, cello, and double bass
- Niccolò Castiglioni. Masques: a Book of Dances, Chorales, Symphonies and Phantasies, for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, piano, harmonium, 2 violins, viola, and cello.
- George Enescu. Chamber Symphony in E major, Op. 33, for flute, oboe, English horn, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, violin, viola, cello, contrabass, and piano
- Roman Haubenstock-Ramati. Musik für 12 Instrumente
- Hans Werner Henze. In memoriam: die Weisse Rose, Doppelfuge, for flute, English horn, bass clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, 2 violins, viola, cello, and double bass
- Paul Hindemith. Kammermusik No. 1 with Finale 1921, Op. 24, No. 1, for flute, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, percussionist, harmonium, piano, 2 violins, viola, cello, and double bass
- Tom Johnson. Voicings, for flute, oboe, clarinet, alto saxophone, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, violin, viola, violoncello, and double bass
- Walter Kaufmann. Eight Pieces for Twelve Instruments, for piccolo, flute, oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, contrabassoon, harp, celesta, piano, percussion, and double bass
- Steve Reich. Double Sextet, for 2 flutes, 2 clarinets, 2 pianos, 2 vibraphones, 2 violins and 2 cellos; or flute, clarinet, piano, vibraphone, violin, cello and pre-recorded tape
- Josef Reicha. Parthia ex D, for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 3 horns, and double bass
- Igor Stravinsky. Concertino, for flute, oboe, English horn, clarinet, 2 bassoons, 2 trumpets, tenor trombone, bass trombone, violin, and cello
- Iannis Xenakis. Epicycle, for solo cello, flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, 2 violins, viola, and double bass