(b. 27 December 1945, Kolkata).

Composer, born in India into a family of European descent and culture, of mostly orchestral, chamber, piano, and electroacoustic works that have been performed throughout the world.

Mr. Barlow composed his first works at age eleven and obtained a degree in natural sciences at the University of Calcutta in 1965 and a diploma through the Trinity College of Music in London while still in Kolkata in 1965. He then had his first experiences with European music of the Middle Ages and art music from North India and later studied electronic music at the Hochschule für Musik in Cologne from 1968–73, where he also studied composition with Bernd Alois Zimmermann from 1968–70 and with Karlheinz Stockhausen from 1971–73. He has worked at many electronic studios, including ones in Amsterdam, Chicago, Den Haag, Paris, Stockholm, and Utrecht.

Among his honors are the Kranichsteiner Musikpreis at the Ferienkurse in Darmstadt (1980) and the Förderpreis from the city of Cologne (1981). In addition, he has been a member of the International Academy of Electroacoustic Music in Bourges since 1994.

Mr. Barlow is also active in other positions. He has conducted number-theory experiments with metre and tonality since 1971. He co-founded GIMIK: Initiative Musik und Informatik Köln in 1986 and served as music director of the International Computer Music Conference in Cologne in 1988.

He taught at the Calcutta School of Music from 1966–68. He lectured at the Ferienkurse in Darmstadt from 1982–94 and lectured on computer music at the Hochschule für Musik in Cologne from 1984–2005. He served as artistic director of the Institute of Sonology of the Royal Conservatory in Den Haag from 1990–94, where he taught as Professor of Composition and Sonology from 1994–2006. He has taught as Corwin Professor at the University of California at Santa Barbara since 2006, where he also serves as chair of its composition program.

He has lived in Cologne since 1968 and in Santa Barbara since 2006.

SELECT LIST OF WORKS

ORCHESTRAL:

Concerto No. 1 in D, piano, orchestra, 1961–65

Orchideæ Ordinariæ or the Twelfth Root of Truth, piano, large orchestra, 1989 (two sections may be performed separately: L'Orchidée d'argent, piano; Pandora, piano)

Concerto No. 2, «Aux fins des quelques siècles», piano, orchestra, 1961–98

CHAMBER MUSIC:

String Quartet No. 1 in G, 1961

Divertimento for Winds, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, 1965

11 Pieces, clarinet, bassoon, 1966

String Quartet No. 2, 1966

Trio, mandolin, violin, piano, 1966

Serenade, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, string quartet, double bass, 1967

Canonzetta, violin, piano, 1967

Cheltrovype – Tschelpowisch, trombone, cello, vibraphone, 3 percussion, 1971

variations, any melody instrument (+ voice), 1971 (also versions for [1] trombone, 1973; [2] cello, 1983; [3] cello, 1995)

...until..., any melody instrument, 1972 (also versions for [1] any number of low-pitched melody instruments, 1973; [2] violin, 1973; [3] sārangī, tablā, 1974; [4] variable jazz-ensemble, 1974; [5] piano; [6] clarinet, 1977; [7] guitar, 1981; [8] piccolo, 1981; [9] fixed media [2 tracks])

Relationships, any melody instrument, 1974 (also versions for [1a] any 2 keyboard instruments; [1b] 2 string quartets, double bass, 1974; [1c] violin, cello, piano, 1974; [2] any 2 melody instruments from North India, tablā, 1974; [3] 2 vibraphones, 1976; [4] 2 pianos; [5] player piano; [6] bass clarinet, electric guitar, synthesizer, percussion, 1985)

1981, violin, cello, piano, 1981

Im Januar am Nil, 2 soprano saxophones (1st + clarinet, bass clarinet), piano, percussion, 4 violins, 2 celli, double bass, 1981–84 (also revision of one section, Sachets de la famille, as part of Sachets des Ciseaux Insatiables)

Spright the Diner by Nib Wryter, violin, cello, piano, 1984–86

Fruitti d'Amore, cello, live electronics, 1988

Les Ciseaux de Tom Johnson, alto flute/soprano saxophone, electric guitar, double bass, 1998 (also version for violin, cello, piano, 1998; also revised as part of Sachets des Ciseaux Insatiables)

Felle Hymnus Van Verre, 2 French horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, tuba, timpani, 2001 (section of Jubileum-Fanfare, a collaboration with Louis Andriessen, Gilius van Bergeijk, Martijn Padding, Diderik Wagenaar)

Sachets des Ciseaux Insatiables, flute, clarinet, trumpet, violin, viola, piano, percussion, 2002 (new versions of sections from Im Januar am Nil, Les Ciseaux de Tom Johnson and Four Identical Pieces)

Otodeblu, flute, alto flute, bass flute, 2002 (version of work for player piano/piano 4 hands)

Estudio Siete, flute, alto flute, bass flute, 2002 (version of work for player piano)

Glockenspiel für Jens, 6 percussion, 2004 (version of choral work)

Septima de facto, flute, clarinet, trumpet, viola, cello, organ (+ piano), vibraphone (+ timpani), 2006 (also versions for 2 pianos; player piano; ensemble of computer-driven mechanical instruments, 2006)

resonancia flautomática, any melody instrument, live computer, 2008

Pinball Play, 4 Bohlen-Pierce clarinets, 2010

vinte e cinco anéis, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, 2010

Progéthal Percussian for Advanced Beginners, 6 percussion, 2003– (ongoing work)

CHORAL:

Missa Brevis pro Unitatis Ecclesiæ «ut sint unum» (texts from Catholic liturgical sources), mixed chorus, 1967

documissa '87, mixed chorus, 2-track tape, 1987

Glockenspiel für Jens, soprano, alto, 3 tenors, baritone, 2004 (also versions for carillon; 6 percussion)

VOCAL:

Zwei Gesänge (texts by Joseph von Eichendorff, Stefan George), mezzo-soprano, piano, 1968

Haiku (text from phonemes), baritone, clarinet, 1968

Three Owen Songs (text by Wilfred Owen), baritone, piano, 1968

PIANO:

Piano Suite, 1966

12 Variations, piano, fixed media (2 tracks), 1968

Textmusik, 1971 (15 versions, 1972–84, including [7], organ; versions 1–2, 4–6, 6a, 8 realised by computer programme entitled Programm TXMS, 1972)

Stochroma, 1972

...until... (5), 1974 (version of chamber work)

Fugue on the Name Cage after No. 5 from Six Fugues on the Name Bach Op. 60 by Robert Schumann, any keyboard instrument, 1973

Fantasia quasi una Sonata con «Mantra» di Stockhausen, 1973

Relationships (1a), any 2 keyboard instruments, 1974 (version of chamber work)

Relationships (4), 2 pianos, 1976 (version of chamber work)

Çoğluotobüsişletmesi, piano 2 or more hands, 1975–79 (also version for 4 pianos, 2006)

Relationships (5), player piano, 1984 (version of chamber work)

Variazioni e un piano meccanico, player piano, 1986

L'Orchidée d'argent, 1989 (section of Orchideæ Ordinariæ or the Twelfth Root of Truth; may be performed separately)

Pandora, 1989 (section of Orchideæ Ordinariæ or the Twelfth Root of Truth; may be performed separately)

Otodeblu, player piano/piano 4 hands, 1990 (also version for flute, alto flute, bass flute)

Qu'a lieu d'en bas, piano 2–8 hands, 1994

Four Identical Pieces, 1995 (also revision of one section, Elle l'a vue, elle l'a bue, la pomme insatiable, as part of Sachets des Ciseaux Insatiables)

Estudio Siete: A Metamorphosis of Oskar Fischinger's Study No. 6 as well as a short Paraphrase of Conlon Nancarrow's Study No. 6, player piano, 1995 (also version for flute, alto flute, bass flute)

36 Skandierte Gesichtspunkte, 1997

Kuri Suti Bekar, 1998

'...Or a Cherish'd Bard...', 1999

3:4:5, piano/2 pianos, 2004

Ludus Ragalis, 1974–2006 (also version for organ)

Septima de facto, 2 pianos, 2006 (version of chamber work; also version for player piano, 2006)

Tischgeistwalzer, 2 pianos, 2009

Song of DanieL, 2013

Squawking Muzjik's Waveform: Ambidextrously Uncopyrightable, 2013

ORGAN:

Textmusik (7), 1971 (version of work for piano)

Le loup en pierre, Van Hagerbeer mean-tone quarter-comma A = 419 organ (+ Thomas Hill 12 equal temperament A = 440 organ), 2002

Ludus Ragalis, 1974–2006 (version of work for piano)

Für Simon Jonassohn-Stein, MIDI-controlled organ, 2012

CARILLON:

Glockenspiel für Jens, 2004 (version of choral work)

ELECTROACOUSTIC:

Sinophony I, fixed media (4 tracks), 1969–70

Sinophony II, fixed media (8 tracks), 1969–72

Reidosklopädie? Enzykloskoport?, fixed media (2 tracks), 1972–76

CCU, fixed media (8 tracks), 1980

Deutscher Sang, fixed media (2 tracks), 1980

(Stopt niet in de Vink), fixed media (2 tracks), 1991

Talkmaster's Choice (installation for live computer), 1992 (also version as fLvXv$: A Time and Attention Study, or His Master's Voice, fixed media [2 tracks], 1992)

Six Fugues on the Name Cage after Six Fugues on the Name Bach Op. 60 by Robert Schumann, MIDI-keyboard, computer, 1992

Farting Quietly in Church – Vortrag über Haiku (text by the composer), baritone, player piano, computer, 1994

...until... (9), fixed media (2 tracks), 1995 (version of chamber work)

Zero Crossing, fixed media (2 tracks), 2001

Approximating Pi, fixed media (16 tracks), 2007

Four ISIStudies, fixed media (4 tracks), 2003–08 (its four sections may be performed separately: Für Gimik: Vortrag über ISIS, 2003; Eleven Steps in Staying a Kingly Dream, 2004; Untitled/Oil on Metal, Wood, 2007; Ceci n'est pas une œuvre d'art, 2008)

Songbird's Hour, fixed media (1 track), 2011