Peter Billam's Compositions
Peter Billam's compositions and arrangements are offered to you in Free in PDF format, under particularly generous conditions.
New ! We Who Mourn, 2007
Peter Billam's latest composition is for choir. There are three movements; the first for six voices the second for nine, and the third for six. The score is freely available in PDF format (about 390 Kb).
New ! Guitar Duet, 2006-2007
This duet for two guitars has now grown to three movements. The score is freely available in PDF format (about 710 Kb).
New ! Five Rounds, 1986
The first two of these five rounds were written for singing in school, the next two for an amateur choir, and the last for a more advanced choir. The titles are A.B.C. (2 voices), By Doze is All Blog Dub (4 to 8 voices), The Carbon Cycle (4 voices), The Energy Cycle (7 voices) and In Girum Imus Nocte (4 voices). The score is freely available in PDF format (about 120 Kb).
New ! Go Forth and Multiply and Cover the Face of the Earth and Subdue It, 1986
This piece was written for an amateur SATB choir. The title contrasts with the text: Woe unto them that multiply house upon house and field upon field until there is no more room The score is freely available in PDF format (about 45 Kb).
New ! Five Short Pieces for Guitar, 1979
These five short pieces for guitar (Prelude, Serenade, Mazurka, Jig, and Air) are Peter Billam's first compositions, written when studying classical guitar in Biel, Switzerland, in the late 1970s. The score is freely available in PDF format (about 145 Kb).
Second Solo Suite for flute, 2003
This suite is in three movements, marked Prelude, Air and Dance. The original version for flute can also (just) be played on an alto recorder. Versions for violin, viola and cello are now available. The scores for flute and for violin are for viola are for cello are freely available in PDF format (about 330 Kb each).
Fable for piano, 1987
This earlier composition is in one movement. The score is freely available in PDF format (about 201 Kb).
Three Preludes for piano, 2003
This composition is in three movements, marked Free, clear (2m 30s), Smooth, veiled (1m) and Singing, expressive (3m 20s).
The score is freely available in PDF format (about 390 Kb).
For Four Hands for piano four hands, 2002
This composition is in two movements, marked Impatient and Sustained.
The score is freely available in PDF format (about 580 Kb).
Divisions on an Italian Ground for flute and guitar, is one of Peter Billam's early compositions. It was written in 1980 when he was living in Biel, Switzerland, and actively playing both guitar and flute. It is a set of variations on the theme from Robert Carr's piece of the same name.
The score is freely available in PDF format (about 500 Kb).
Three Duets for flutes or violins, or recorders or other melody instruments, 2001.
The first duet, marked Flowing, is a canon at one crochet distance. The second is marked Sustained and the third is marked Lively. They can also (just) be played on recorders.
The score is freely available in PDF format (about 533 Kb).
Die Gestundete Zeit, for four-part chorus, SATB, 2000.
This chorus on the poem by Ingeborg Bachmann is the second in a series of three choral pieces called Die Zeiten.
The score is freely available in PDF format (about 220 Kb).
Wechsel der Zeiten, for three-part chorus, SAT or SAA or TTB, 2000.
This chorus on the poem by Friedrich Georg Jünger, is the third in a series of three choral pieces called Die Zeiten.
The score is freely available in PDF format (about 225 Kb).
Three Suites 1) For the Solo Line, for flute, violin or other melody instrument, 2000.
In three movements, Running, Singing and Dancing, a total of five pages. Can also be played on recorders.
The score is freely available in PDF format (about 307 Kb).
Three Suites 1) For Cello, also for piano left hand or other bass instrument, 2000.
The score is freely available in PDF format (about 300 Kb).
Three Suites 1) For Viola, 2000.
The score is freely available in PDF format (about 304 Kb).
Three Suites 2) For Piano, 2000.
In three movements, Turbulent, Calm and Luminous, a total of ten pages.
The score is freely available in PDF format (about 490 Kb).
Three Suites 3) For Piano and a Solo Line, 2000.
In three movements, Fluent, Broad and Wild, a total of 25 pages. The solo part is ideal for violin, flute, or other melody instrument.
The score is freely available in PDF format (note: this is a big file, about 1 Mb).
Piano Study, for piano, 1994.
Three pages long, not too athletic, flowing, exercises the hands as they expand and contract between the octave and the smaller intervals.
The score is freely available in PDF format (about 121 Kb).
Four Dances for Recorder Quartet, 1995.
A Reel in 8/8, a Slip Jig in 9/8, a Hornpipe in 10/8 and a Jig in 12/8. Duration just over 9 minutes.
The score (about 847 Kb) and parts (about 905 Kb) are freely available in PDF format. Note that these are big files.
Two Recorder Duets, for alto and tenor recorders, or other melody instruments, 1991.
An Allegro of 74 bars and an Andante of 48 bars. Duration about 4 min 30 sec.
The score is freely available in PDF format (about 201 Kb).
A Suite of Curves, for trombone (or horn) and piano, 1990.
The piano part (16 pages) comes with two solo parts; one in tenor clef for the trombone, and one in treble clef for the Horn in F. You may be interested in the program note.
The score and parts are freely available in PDF format (about 620 Kb).
Three Violin Duets, 1987.
Not difficult. Two pages each, total duration about 6 min.
The score is freely available in PDF format (about 290 Kb).
Trombone Quintet, for trombone, flute, piano, bass, and percussion (marimba, tympani, crotales or triangle), 1994.
As twice brodcast by ABC Classic FM. Duration about 7 min. You may be interested in the program note or a radio interview.
The score (about 620 Kb) and parts (about 623 Kb) are freely available in PDF format.
Four Dances for String Quartet, 1995.
A Reel in 8/8, a Slip Jig in 9/8, a Hornpipe in 10/8 and a Jig in 12/8. Duration just over 9 minutes.
The score (note - it's a big file, about 852 Kb) and parts (note - it's a big file, about 902 Kb) are freely available in PDF format.
Tres Casidas del Diván del Tamarit, on three poems by Federico García Lorca, for voice and piano, 1997, 2005.
From García Lorca's great last collection of poems, this is Casida del llanto, Casida de la rosa and Casida de las palomas oscuras.
The score is freely available in PDF format (about 750 Kb).
Three Songs, for voice and piano, 1994, 2005.
For copyright reasons, only the first and third are available: From the 228th Chorus of Mexico City Blues on a poem by Jack Kerouac, and In my craft or sullen art on a poem by Dylan Thomas. The setting offered here is a 2005 revision of the original 1994 composition.
The score is freely available in PDF format (about 391 Kb).
The Poet in the Clouds, on a poem by S. T. Coleridge, for SATB choir, 1995, 2005.
The poem is titled Fancy in Nubibus, and subtitled The Poet in the Clouds. The setting offered here is a 2005 revision of the original 1995 composition. Duration about 4 min.
The score is freely available in PDF format (about 163 Kb).
Peter Billam's output of compositions also includes the following pieces which are not yet in print. Let us know if you are keen to see one of these become available:
De Profundis and Nacht, on poems by Lama Anagarika Govinda, voice and piano, 1980.
Concert Study for Piano (4 hands), 1980.
Die Frage, on a poem by Lama Anagarika Govinda, for soprano, flute, bass clarinet, violin, viola, piano and inside piano, 1981.
Drei Sätze für Klavier, 1981.
Choral Works, Wheels Within Wheels, SAB, 1986, Decision, SSAATTBB, 1990.
To Erich Jantsch, for SAATTB recorders, 1988.
Handwriting, for ten brass instruments in two groups of five: 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, tuba; flugelhorn, 4 horns, 1993. Described by Sir Yehudi Menuhin as "certainly an intelligent composition and well conceived".
Solo Suite, for flute or violin, or viola, cello or guitar, 1994.
Trombone Quintet, arranged for two pianos, 1994.
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