One-note compositions

I have been listening to Giacinto Scelsi's "Quattro Pezzi (su una nota sola)" and the idea of building such a complex work with only note fascinated me.

Do you know any other works with this characteristic? Like Musica Ricercata's first movement or Stockhausen's Inori?

Purcell has a Fantasia on one note, which, though the surrounding harmonies/textures change, features a viola playing middle C throughout the whole piece.

Or Arvo Pärt's Fratres for String Quartet that features the second violinist to play an open G-D throughout the piece.

Hans Zimmer wrote The Joker Theme for Dark Knight as one note. It starts off as a solo cello, keeps getting louder, adds in a few guitars and I think starts to slide the note up.

Very cool.

A whole lot of LaMonte Young works fit that bill. And some Arvo Part.

Hans Zimmer wrote The Joker Theme for Dark Knight as one note. It starts off as a solo cello, keeps getting louder, adds in a few guitars and I think starts to slide the note up.

Very cool.

I just heard that a few days ago and I was about to suggest it. Very cool piece.

Lucier's Music on a Long Thin Wire might fit the bill...

I don't know if variations on a door and a sigh has any notes in it, but it only has two intstruments playing about the same thing :mellow:

I have been listening to Giacinto Scelsi's "Quattro Pezzi (su una nota sola)" and the idea of building such a complex work with only note fascinated me.

Do you know any other works with this characteristic? Like Musica Ricercata's first movement or Stockhausen's Inori?

http://naturalismo.wordpress.com/2009/10/07/the-monotone-symphony-by-yves-klein/

^ Yves' monotone silence symphony, it's nothing but one note repeated but it's a beautiful note :)

its not a classical theme, but its a great one note theme.."one note samba"