(b. 2 July 1946, Bern).
Swiss composer of mostly orchestral, chamber and vocal works that have been performed throughout the world; he is also active as a conductor.
Mr. Darbellay studied clarinet at the Musikschule Konservatorium Bern and composition with Cristóbal Halffter and Dimitri Terzakis. He then attended masterclasses with Heinz Holliger and Klaus Huber in Lucerne, as well as with Edison Denisov. He attended seminars with Pierre Boulez in Paris and classes in conducting with Franco Ferrara in Bern, with whom he also studied privately.
Among his honours are the Publikumspreis in the jubilee competition of the Berner Symphonieorchester (2002, for Ondes) and the title Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the government of France (2006). His music has represented Switzerland at the UNESCO International Rostrum of Composers several times, most recently in 2001, for Oyama, as well as six times at the ISCM World Music Days (1999, Bucharest/Chișinău; 2000, Luxembourg; 2002, Hong Kong; 2004, Switzerland; 2007, Hong Kong; 2011, Zagreb).
As a conductor, he has toured throughout Europe and in Canada, China, Malaysia, South Korea, and the USA. He founded the LUDUS Ensemble for contemporary music in Bern in 1978 and has served as its artistic director and principal conductor since 1978. He later founded the Spectrum Ensemble in Russia and the Ensemble Orion in Switzerland.
He is also active in other positions. He worked as a doctor in general practice from 1980–2012. He co-founded the group of composers Groupe Lacroix in 1993. He served as an assistant to Edison Denisov in 1993. He served as president of the Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Neue Musik from 1994–2007 and organised the ISCM World Music Days in Switzerland in 2004.
He is married to the clarinettist Elsbeth Darbellay. Their son Olivier Darbellay is a cellist and French hornist and their daughter Noëlle-Anne Darbellay is a violinist.
His primary publisher is Ricordi München.
SELECT LIST OF WORKS
STAGE:
C'Est un peu d'eau qui nous sépare (chamber opera, libretto by Alain Rochat), soprano, baritone, speakers, mixed chorus, 2 flutes (1st + piccolo, 2nd + alto flute), 3 basset horns (all + clarinet), alto saxophone (+ soprano saxophone), baritone saxophone, 2 French horns, cello, 5-string double bass, piano, 2 percussion, 1989
ORCHESTRAL:
Concerto, cello, small orchestra (13 players), 1989
Pranam III, cello, small orchestra (2 flutes, bass clarinet, French horn, strings), 1992, revised 2007
Élégie, 1994
Orion, 1994
Incanto, French horn, orchestra, 1995
Pranam IV, cello, orchestra, 1995
Espaces, French horn, string orchestra, 1995 (version of chamber work)
Chandigarh, small orchestra (17 players), 1996
Suite für Brassband, brass band, 1998
Ondes fugitives, 1999
Oyama, large orchestra, 2001, revised 2007, 2009
Mégalithe, French horn, small orchestra (12 players), 2001
A Quattro, 4 French horns, orchestra, 2002
Nocturne, basset horn, alto saxophone, French horn, string orchestra, 2002 (version of chamber work)
Ondes, large orchestra, 2002
Aurora, 2002
Alea, violin, orchestra, 2003
Chant d'adieux, string orchestra, 2004 (version of chamber work)
Ein Garten für Orpheus, basset horn, French horn, string orchestra, 2004 (version of chamber work; also version for basset horn, French horn, 9 strings, 2006)
Échos (dialogue), French horn, large orchestra (15 winds, 18 brass, 2 harps, piano, timpani, 5 percussion, strings), 2005
Alizé (concerto), bass clarinet (+ contrabass clarinet), orchestra/large orchestra, 2005
Escales, French horn, string orchestra, 2006 (also version for 2 percussion, string orchestra, 2006)
Tschara (concerto), flute, small orchestra/orchestra (2 oboes, clarinet, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons [2nd + contrabassoon], 2 French horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, percussion, strings), 2007
Mégalithe – Lutèce, French horn, small orchestra (14 players), 2007
Zéphyr, A-clarinet, orchestra, 2007
Mana, French horn, orchestra, 2008–09
Noori, French horn, violin, string orchestra, 2011
Cosmos, percussion, orchestra, 2011
Voile diaphane, string orchestra, 2012
CHAMBER MUSIC:
Glanum, 3 basset horns, 1981
Vestiges, bassoon, 1982
Amphores, clarinet, harp, 1983
Espaces, basset horn/French horn, 1984 (also version for French horn, string orchestra)
Plages, English horn/alto saxophone, 1985 (also version for heckelphone, 2008)
Miroir, 3 basset horns, 1988
Quatuor, 4 saxophones, 1988
EDES – Hommage à E(dison) D(eni)S(sov), 2 flutes, clarinet, 1989
–la–, clarinet, violin, cello, 2 tuning forks, 1989
A, clarinet, violin, cello, 2 tuning forks, 1989
Gerhard, English horn, 1990
Octuor à vent, 2 oboes, clarinet, basset horn, 2 bassoons, 2 French horns, 1991
Andromède, harp, guitar, vibraphone, 1991
Interférences, flute, oboe, French horn, 1991
Double, alto saxophone, piano, 1992
Spectrum, natural horn, 1993
Cantus, French horn, organ, 1993
Oreade, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, 1993
– à la recherche..., flute (+ alto flute), oboe (+ English horn), clarinet (+ bass clarinet), violin, viola, cello, double bass, percussion, 4 tuning forks, 1994 (also version for flute [+ alto flute], clarinet [+ bass clarinet], violin, cello, piano, percussion, 1994)
Itinéraires, 2 cellos, 1994
Introduzione – Tranquillo – Con brio, trumpet, 1994
Images perdues, cello, piano, 1995
Appels, 2 French horns, 1995
Signal, 2 French horns, 1995
Écumes, string quartet, 1996
Néva (2. Streichquartett), string quartet, 1996
Ein Garten für Orpheus, basset horn, French horn, string quartet, 1996 (also versions for basset horn, French horn, string orchestra; basset horn, French horn, 9 strings)
Empreintes, violin, cello, piano, 1996 (also version for alto saxophone, cello, accordion, 2008)
Flamboyant, bass clarinet, saxophone, piano, 1996
Pirla, flute, oboe, piano, 1996
Solo, cello, 1997
Accents, alto saxophone, French horn, 1997
Valère, violin, piano, 1997
Sospeso, A-clarinet, string quartet, 1997
A Tre, oboe, violin, piano, 1997 (also version for soprano saxophone, violin, piano, 1999)
Images fugitives, violin, piano, 1997
Luce, alto saxophone, cello, 1997
Quartetto, oboe, bassoon, guitar, viola, 1997
Venezianisches Zwischenspiel, clarinet, basset horn, violin, 1997
Sozusagen, oboe (+ English horn), bassoon, guitar, viola, 1997
Call, 2 French horns, 2 natural horns, piano, 1998
Chant d'adieux, clarinet, basset horn, 1998 (also versions for violin, viola, 2000; string orchestra; violin, cello, 2006; 2 cellos, 2007; string quartet, 2009)
Instants, violin/cello, viola/double bass, 1998
Lumières, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, 1998
Mobile, 2 flutes, 2 violins, piano, 1998
Odes brèves, saxophone, violin, cello, 1998
Arcano, clarinet, basset horn, French horn, violin, cello, 1998
Soli, French horn, cello, 1998
Incident Room (text by Ken Edwards), violin (+ voice), 1998
Shadows, 5 percussion, 1998–99
Trajectoires, 12 winds, double bass, 1999
Kantha Bopha, cello, ensemble (7 or more cellos), 1999
À Deux, basset horn/French horn, viola, 1999 (also version for clarinet, basset horn, 2012)
Gestes – Effleurements, violin, viola, cello, 1999
Evocations, harp, violin, cello, 1999
Dolmar, bass clarinet, cello, piano, 2000
Lux, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, trombone, violin, viola, cello, accordion, percussion, 2000
Aulos, oboe (+ piccolo oboe), English horn, heckelphone, 2000
Nova, guitar, violin, 2000
Espaces magiques, natural horn, piano, 2001
Azur, 4 French horns, 2001
Flash, bass clarinet, 2001
Yobu, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, 2001
Dos Olivos (text by David Künzler; violinist must be female), violin (+ voice), viola (+ voice), 2001
Questions pour un millénaire, violin (+ voice), viola (+ voice), 2001
Mania, flute, bass clarinet (+ contrabass clarinet), French horn, violin, cello, piano, percussion, 2001
Nocturne, basset horn, alto saxophone, French horn, string quartet, 2002 (also version for basset horn, alto saxophone, French horn, string orchestra)
Kugo, 2 kugo (harps from Japan), 2 konghou (harps from China), 2 clàrsach (harps from the UK), 2 harps, 2002
Alani, French horn, violin, piano, 2003
Lo Spirito assoluto, flute, violin, piano, 2003
B-A-C-H, violin, 2003 (also versions for 2 percussion, 2007; viola, 2008, revised 2011; bassoon, 2008, revised 2012)
Dix Aphorismes, 2 alto saxophones, 2003
'S' für Siegfried Palm, cello, 2003
Regarde (first violinist from string quartet also speaks text by Rémy Zaugg), basset horn, alto saxophone, French horn, string quartet, 2003
Postojna, flute, alto flute, bass clarinet, trombone, viola, cello, piano, percussion, 2004
Où irai-je, qui répondra, marimba, tam-tam, 2004
Nocturne, violin, cello, piano, 2004
Concerto discreto, basset horn, French horn, string quartet, 2005
3 Könige, A-clarinet, basset horn, violin, 2005
Reflets (hommage à Olivier Messiaen), A-clarinet, violin, cello, piano, 2005
Al Furioso, piano, percussion, 2005
Schwarzwasser, A-clarinet, basset horn, violin, viola, 2005, revised 2006
Vagues, flute, bass clarinet, bassoon, French horn, harp, violin, viola, cello, percussion, 2006
Labyrinth, 2 pianos, 2 percussion, 2006
Miroirs, French horn, violin, cello, piano, 2006
Voile, flute, 2007
Ori, French horn, violin, 2007
Es war ein Kind, das wollte nie (violinist must be female; violinist also speaks text by Guy Krneta, after Paul Klee), French horn, violin, ensemble (flute, bass clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, trumpet, tuba, mandolin, violin, viola, double bass, piano, accordion), 2007 (version of choral work; also version [violinist must be female; violinist also speaks text by Guy Krneta, after Paul Klee] for violin, 2008)
Vif, 4 bassoons, 2008
Violon (violinist must be female; violinist also sings and speaks text by Jean Métellus), violin, 2008
Sadia (violinist must be female; violinist also sings and speaks text by Béatrice Libert), violin, 2008
Messages, violin, viola, 2008 (version of no. 1 and no. 3 of work for piano)
Message oublié, basset horn, 2008 (version of work for piano)
Asia, flute (+ alto flute), harp, viola, 2008
Vela, French horn, violin, organ, 2009
Séquences, 4 saxophones, 2009
Sentences, clarinet, 2009 (also version for bass clarinet, 2012)
Miniaturen, flute (+ alto flute), bass clarinet, violin, cello, double bass, piano, 2009
Luce e Colore, alto saxophone, 2009 (also version for viola, 2011)
Esquisses, violin, viola, 2009
Dranse, flute, violin, viola, cello, 2009
Couleurs, string quartet, 2009
Acqua (Ode au Rhône), violin, cello, piano, 2009
Six Aphorismes, alto saxophone, Ondes Martenot, 2009
L'Aar, bass clarinet, French horn, violin, cello, piano, percussion, 2009
Omaggio a Giorgio, oboe, bassoon, piano, 2010
Waves, flute, alto flute, 2011
Vivo, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, 2011
Loons, clarinet, basset horn, violin, viola, 2011
Ursle (violinist must be female; violinist also speaks text by Guy Krneta), violin, 2012
Avec feu et fluidité, violin, piano, 2012
Avec ferveur et virtuosité, violin, piano, 2012
Avec énergie et agilité, violin, piano, 2012
Avec émotion et frénésie, violin, piano, 2012
Avec élégance et fantaisie, violin, piano, 2012
Avec élan, violin, piano, 2012
Avec douceur et délicatesse, violin, 2012 (also version for alto saxophone, 2012)
Avec calme et sérénité, violin, piano, 2012
Arboroso, prepared French horn, violin (with funnel), 2012
CHORAL:
Aube imaginaire (text by Alain Rochat), mixed chorus, 1994
Ground II (text by Clayton Eshleman), soprano, 8 mixed voices, 2 pianos, 1997
Requiem, soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 8–12 mixed voices, large orchestra, 2005, revised 2009–10
Es war ein Kind, das wollte nie (violinist must be female; violinist also acts, sings and speaks text by Guy Krneta, after Paul Klee), mixed chorus, French horn, violin, 2006 (also versions for French horn, violin, ensemble [flute, bass clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, trumpet, tuba, mandolin, violin, viola, double bass, piano, accordion]; also version [violinist must be female; violinist also speaks text by Guy Krneta, after Paul Klee] for violin, 2008)
Éternel, children's chorus, 3 cellos, 2007
VOCAL:
Sept Poèmes romands, mezzo-soprano, flute, clarinet, basset horn, 1986 (also versions for mezzo-soprano, 2 clarinets, basset horn, 1986; mezzo-soprano, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, 2012)
Et vous pleurez (text by Claude Darbellay), mezzo-soprano, clarinet, basset horn, 1997
Ground I (text by Clayton Eshleman), speaker, alto saxophone, 1997
Kunigundulakonfiguration (text by Jean Arp), soprano, piano, 1999
Poèmes de l'ombre (text by José-Flore Tappy), mezzo-soprano, basset horn, violin, 2003
Été gelé, soprano, basset horn, cello, 2003
Espace, male speaker, basset horn, violin, cello, 2004
Delphes des trois fois (text by Sylviane Dupuis), soprano, bass clarinet, French horn, cello, percussion, 2004
Par transparence (text by Françoise Han), male speaker, basset horn, violin, viola, 2005
Hale Bopp (text by David Künzler), male speaker, basset horn, violin, viola, 2005
étoile (text by Lajos Major-Zala), male speaker, basset horn, violin, viola, 2005
Observatory (text by Sarah Day), male speaker, alto saxophone, cello, piano, 2006
D'Une noire étoile (text by François Debluë), medium voice–speaker, alto saxophone, cello, piano, 2006
Cap Cod (text by Samuel Florin), speaker, alto saxophone, 2007
Au Matin (text by Éric Brogniet), speaker, alto saxophone, 2007
Ouest (text by John Mateer), male speaker, basset horn, 2009
L'Autre même (text by Jacques Rancourt), male speaker, basset horn, 2009
Hommage à Haydn, voice, violin, 2009 (may be performed by one person)
Dernière lettre à Théo (text by Metin Arditi), baritone, large orchestra, 2009–10
Un Jour encore (text by Jean-Luc Wauthier), voice, violin, 2010 (may be performed by one person)
Plus haut que l'air, male speaker, viola, cello, double bass, 2010
Pierres enfouies, male speaker, viola, cello, double bass, 2010
L'Usure l'étoile, male speaker, viola, cello, double bass, 2010
Le Passage d'une barque (text by Jean Brabec), male speaker, saxophone, 2010
Einst, mezzo-soprano, bassoon, French horn, violin, 2010 (also versions for mezzo-soprano, English horn, piano, 2010; voice, violin, 2011 [may be performed by one person])
Soliloquaubordunlac (text by Claude Held), male speaker, violin, 2011
Paulette (monologue scénique, text by Guy Krneta [translated by Camille Luscher]), voice, violin, 2011 (may be performed by one person)
Note sur le temps personnel et cosmique (text by Gabrielle Althen), male speaker, violin, 2011
Mater dolorosa (text by François Debluë), male speaker, alto saxophone, violin, piano, 2011
La Voix de M. Temple (text by Shizue Ogawa), male speaker, violin, 2011
Voyageur d'encre (text by Cécile Oumhani), female speaker, basset horn, 2012
Eurydice (text by Évelyne Morin), female speaker, basset horn, 2012
PIANO:
Message oublié, 1997 (also version for basset horn)
Messages, 2000 (also version of no. 1 and no. 3 for violin, viola)
Miroir (hommage à Henri Dutilleux), 2007
Ciel étoilé, 2008
SCORE FOR SILENT FILM:
Vormittagsspuk, flute, clarinet, alto saxophone (+ baritone saxophone), violin, cello, double bass, piano, percussion, 1991 (for Vormittagsspuk by Hans Richter)