January 16, 1943:
Brian Ferneyhough is born in Coventry, Warwickshire, United Kingdom, the son of Frederick George Ferneyhough and Emily May Hopwood.
July 1, 1967:
Prometheus for wind sextet by Brian Ferneyhough (24) is performed for the first time, in London.
March 24, 1974:
Missa brevis for twelve vocal soloists by Brian Ferneyhough (31) is performed for the first time, in Royan.
March 27, 1974:
Sieben Sterne for organ by Brian Ferneyhough (31) is performed for the first time, in Royan.
March 29, 1974:
Cassandra’s Dream Song for flute by Brian Ferneyhough (31) is performed for the first time, in Royan.
March 23, 1975:
Sonatas for string quartet by Brian Ferneyhough (32) is performed for the first time, in Royan, France. Also premiered is Ferneyhough’s Transit for six voices, flute, clarinet, and orchestra.
March 23, 1976:
Unity Capsule for flute by Brian Ferneyhough (33) is performed for the first time, in Royan.
April 7, 1977:
Time and Motion Study I for bass clarinet by Brian Ferneyhough (34) is performed for the first time, in Royan.
October 21, 1977:
Time and Motion Study II for cello and electronics by Brian Ferneyhough (34) is performed for the first time, in Donaueschingen.
September 20, 1979:
La Terre est un homme for orchestra by Brian Ferneyhough (36) is performed for the first time, in Glasgow.
October 2, 1980:
String Quartet no.2 by Brian Ferneyhough (37) is performed for the first time, in Venice.
June 29, 1981:
Lemma-Icon-Epigram for piano by Brian Ferneyhough (38) is performed for the first time, in La Rochelle, France.
September 1, 1982:
Superscriptio for piccolo by Brian Ferneyhough (39) is performed for the first time, in Venice.
June 28, 1984:
Adagissimo for string quartet by Brian Ferneyhough (41) is performed for the first time, in La Rochelle, France.
February 7, 1985:
Carceri d’Invenzione IIa for flute and chamber orchestra by Brian Ferneyhough (42) is performed for the first time, in Milan.
September 30, 1985:
Études transcendantales, Intermedio II for soprano, flute, oboe, harpsichord, and cello by Brian Ferneyhough (42) is performed for the first time, in Venice.
October 17, 1986:
Three works by Brian Ferneyhough (43) are performed for the first time, in Donaueschingen: Mnemosyne for bass flute and tape, Carceri d’Invenzione III for chamber ensemble, and Intermedio alla ciaccona for violin. They are premiered as part of the first complete performance of the Carceri d'Invenzione Cycle.
October 7, 1987:
String Quartet no.3 by Brian Ferneyhough (44) is performed for the first time, in Paris over the airwaves of Radio France.
September 29, 1988:
La Chute d’Icare for clarinet and seven players by Brian Ferneyhough (45) is performed for the first time, in Strasbourg.
March 1, 1990:
Trittico per G.S. for double bass by Brian Ferneyhough (47) is performed for the first time.
October 23, 1990:
String Quartet no.4 with soprano by Brian Ferneyhough (47), to words of Mac Low, is performed for the first time, in Basel.
February 19, 1992:
Bone Alphabet for percussion by Brian Ferneyhough (49) is performed for the first time, in Mandeville Auditorium, La Jolla, California.
April 22, 1992:
Terrain for violin and eight players by Brian Ferneyhough (49) is performed for the first time, in the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam.
September 3, 1994:
On Stellar Magnitudes for mezzo-soprano, flute/piccolo, clarinet/bass clarinet, piano, violin, and cello by Brian Ferneyhough (51), to his own words, is performed for the first time, at Royaumont.
November 21, 1996:
String Trio by Brian Ferneyhough (53) is performed for the first time, in Paris.
September 18, 1999:
Carceri d’Invenzione IId for recorder by Brian Ferneyhough (56) is performed for the first time, at Royaumont.
September 9, 2000:
The Doctrine of Similarity for chorus and six players by Brian Ferneyhough (57), to words of Charles Bernstein, is performed for the first time, at Royaumont.
June 13, 2001:
Stelae for Failed Time for twelve voices and electronics by Brian Ferneyhough (58), to words of Charles Bernstein, is performed for the first time, in Paris.
August 9, 2003:
Les Froissements des Ailes de Gabrielle for guitar and chamber ensemble by Brian Ferneyhough (60) is performed for the first time, in Brisbane.
January 13, 2004:
Seven Tableaux Vivants Depicting the Angel of History as Melancolia for chamber ensemble by Brian Ferneyhough (60) is performed for the first time, at the Musée d’Orsay, Paris.
May 25, 2004:
Shadowtime, an opera by Brian Ferneyhough (61) to words of Charles Bernstein, is performed for the first time, in Munich.
May 10, 2005:
Two works are performed for the first time, in Zankel Hall of Carnegie Hall, New York: Orphée for ensemble and electronics by John Zorn (51), and O Lux for instrumental ensemble by Brian Ferneyhough (62).
May 7, 2006:
String Quartet no.5 by Brian Ferneyhough (63) is performed for the first time, in Witten.
October 20, 2006:
Plötzlichkeit, for solo voices and orchestra by Brian Ferneyhough (63) is performed for the first time, in Donaueschingen.
May 3, 2007:
Brian Ferneyhough (64) is awarded the Siemens Prize for music in a ceremony in Munich.
October 18, 2008:
Chronos-Aion for instrumental ensemble by Brian Ferneyhough (65) is performed for the first time, in Donaueschingen.
October 16, 2010:
String Quartet no.6 by Brian Ferneyhough (67) is performed for the first time, in Donaueschingen.
July 22, 2012:
Liber Scintillarum for flute, oboe, clarinet, violin, viola, and cello by Brian Ferneyhough (69) is performed for the first time, in Darmstadt.
November 12, 2012:
Finis Terrae for six voices and instrumental ensemble by Brian Ferneyhough (69) is performed for the first time, in Opéra Bastille, Paris.
January 23, 2013:
Liber Scintillarum for instrumental ensemble by Brian Ferneyhough (70) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.
November 17, 2013:
Schatten aus Wasser und Stein for quarter-tone oboe and string quartet by Brian Ferneyhough (70) is performed for the first time, in St. Paul’s Hall, Hudderfield.
February 7, 2014:
Quiri—Study in Self-Similar Rhythms for piano by Brian Ferneyhough (71) is performed for the first time, in Stuttgart.