Hannes Taljaard (b.1971)

List of Works

Cannot be Counted (2012)

Instrumentation: Alto saxophone and piano

 

Programmatic information:

 

Obtained from the score:

 

Commissioned by the SAMRO endowment for the National Arts (SENA) 2012 to serve as prescribed works in the SAMRO Overseas Scholarships Competition for instrumentalists 2012 for the (1) Intermediate Round and (2) Final Round.

 

Note from composer (in score): 

The title of this composition and of a composition of mine for Clarinet and Piano are based on a
quote which is usually attributed to Alfred Einstein: “Not everything that can be counted counts,
and not everything that counts can be counted.”

Doesn't Count (2012)

Instrumentation: Alto saxophone and piano

 

Programmatic information:

Obtained from the score:

Commissioned by the SAMRO endowment for the National Arts (SENA) 2012 to serve as prescribed works in the SAMRO Overseas Scholarships Competition for instrumentalists 2012 for the (1) Intermediate Round and (2) Final Round.

 

Note from composer (in score): 

The title of this composition and of a composition of mine for Clarinet and Piano are based on a
quote which is usually attributed to Alfred Einstein: “Not everything that can be counted counts,
and not everything that counts can be counted.”

Riturnelli, Libro Primo - Gli Montanardi (2014)

Instrumentation: Flute, saxophone and guitar

 

Programme notes and notes from the composer can be found by clicking the file link below:

Riturnelli Title page and composer’s notes PDF

Creatures they observed at the River (2019)

Instrumentation: Alto Saxophone and Cello

 

Duration: 8:20

 

Programmatic information:

 

Three movement work:

 

1] While Swinging from Branches

2] While Walking On Wobbly Stones

3] While Swimming

4] When Diving into Water (Long and short versions available)

5] While Drifting with the Sun

Source: Meyer, 2021/2022: 11

About the composer...

Hannes Taljaard is a South African composer born in Venda. He began composing at the young age of seven after several recorder lessons. At school he had piano, organ and recorder lessons as well as harmony and counterpoint.

In 1993, Taljaard completed a BMus degree in Music Theory and Composition together with an Honours Degree in French Literature. Both degrees were awarded cum laude. In 1997, Taljaard obtained his MMus (composition and music analysis pedagogy). 

In 2005, Taljaard obtained his doctorate in Music from the North-West University. He had been lecturing harmony, counterpoint, analysis, aural training, composition and orchestration at the same university since 1994.

Taljaard has had masterclasses with George Crumb as well as attending classes by Karlheinz Stockhausen, Wolfgang Rihm, Luca Lombardi, Younghi Pagh-Paan, Toshio Hoskokawa and Klaus Huber.

Taljaard was the editor for the magazine The South African Music Teacher which is associated with the South African Society for Music Teachers (SASMT).

In 2019, Taljaard moved to Vienna Music and Movement (Rhythmik) at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst, Wien.

Up until 2020, Taljaard was Associate Professor in Music at the School of Music and Conservatory of the North-West University. Here he lectured Music Theory, Music Analysis, Composition, Aural Training as well as supervising postgraduate students.

Sources:

Taljaard, Hannes. SA Composers [Online]. Available: https://www.up.ac.za/sacomposers/article/2756874/taljaard-hannes [2023, 6 September].

Meyer, J. 2021/2022. “Content Cluster I: Hannes Taljaard at 50”. SAMUS [Electronic], 41/42: 10-18. Available: https://www.ajol.info/index.php/samus/article/view/241866 [2023, 16 September].

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