Contemporary music

[alanbeeb]

From another thread:

Great if you can find modern composers that you really like. I'd be interested in any lists of what you'd regard as good. (I admit to struggling here a bit, at least to find music that I find as genuinely moving as the likes to the above mentioned, rather than merely "interesting". Of course I realise though that much great music wasn't recognised as such until decades after it was composed. The test is possible how many times you listen to it, do you return to it out of enjoyment, or a sense of duty!)

I know what is meant by merely "interesting". My heart sinks when I read a comment on some modern piece and it says "I found this really interesting".

Interesting be damned. I want passion, I want emotion, if it doesn't have an emotional impact on me I'm not interested! Hence a lot of the 20th Century avant-garde passes me by completely, it is gimmickry or notes for an intellectual purpose, maybe that is great if you are of that mindset that can do sonic equivalent of soduko - but not for me.

However, classical music cannot be allowed to become merely a museum. If I was in charge of concert programmes, I would insist that something composed in last 25 years had to be included.
(I would change a lot of other things too - like sensible dress code for the performers and be happy for applause between movements).

So in the interests of sharing, here is a list of some living (and a few recently deceased) composers and works which have struck an emotional chord with me - and to which I have returned for repeat listenings!
Performances of some of them can be found on youtube.

Thomas Ades - Violin Concerto, various smaller pieces
Hans Abrahamsen - Let Me Tell You
Anders Hillborg - Sirens, Beast Sampler, Eleven Gates
Arvo Part - 3rd Symphony, Cantique des degrès
Sally Beamish - Violin Concerto
Giya Kancheli - 3rd Symphony
John Adams - Harmonium, Harmonielehre, Must the Devil Have the Good tunes, Violin Concerto
James MacMillan - The Confession of Isobel Gowdie, The Berserking, Symphonies 2 & 4, St John Passion
John Pickard - The Flight of Icarus, Channel Firing, Piano Concerto, String Quartets
Marc Anthony Turnage - Speranza, Piano Concerto
Esa-Pekka Salonen - Piano Concerto, Nyx (Violin Concerto)
Erkki-Sven Tuur - Violin Concerto, 5th Symphony
Peteris Vasks - Cello Concertos 1 & 2, Violin Concerto "Distant Light", Symphony no.2
Edward Gregson - Clarinet Concerto, Violin Concerto
Pascal Dusapin - Downfall (violin Concerto)
Wolfgang Rihm - Gedicht des Malers Violin Concerto
Bruno Mantovani - Jeux d'eau violin concerto
Jennifer Higdon - Concerto for Orchestra, Blue Cathedral
Christopher Theofanidis - Rainbow Body, Symphony
Stuart MacRae - Violin Concerto
Brett Dean - The Lost Art of Letter Writing
Oliver Knussen - Violin Concerto
Henri Dutilleux - Cello Concerto, Correspondances
Witold Lutoslawski - Symphonies 3 & 4
Krystof Penderecki - Polish Requiem, Violin Concerto no.2, Sinfionetta no.2 and Clarinet concerto 2
Peter Maxwell Davies - Symphony 1,2,5,6, Worldes Blis
Colin Matthews - Suns Dance, 4th Sonata for Orchestra, Cortege

 

[windhoek]

The idea of performing something modern alongside one of the 'classics' is a great idea because the (brilliant) problem with classical music is that the back catalogue contains some, if not most of the best music ever written. The next time Mahler comes to town I'll be there. But unless something modern is pinned onto it, never the twain shall we meet.

 

[herb]

Thanks for the list I shall visit YouTube when I get time. I like some but notice my favourites are absent. Too abstract probably....

 

[herb]

Well that was interesting. I sampled some of the music I did not know, and found it far too static and emotional, though the harmonics are interesting. I shall now play some Sculthorpe which is more my kind of emotion. We are obviously looking for something completely different from modernish music. We both like Lutoslawski, Penderecki, Adams and Part though.

 

[gustavm]

Thanks for the list - very considerate and helpful - I will explore this list over the next few weeks. I already know some Ades and MacMillan - I particularly like Ades' Arcadiana, which contains one movement (O Albion) which is a kind of deconstructed version of "Nimrod" from the Enigma Variations.

Agree classical music should not become a museum. In one sense even the very well established classics are continually reborn via the evolution of performance practices and interpretation: Mahler once said words to the effect that respecting tradition should be about preserving the fire, not the ashes. Hence I don't believe in the "definitive performance". One of the dangers of recorded music is that it is too easy to become wedded to one performance. Less of a problem now that accessing recorded music has become so much cheaper.

Allowing new, good music to prosper is of course important, and your innovation may help, though perhaps I'd have a quota for a season, rather than insist every concert includes a living composer.

In general I really don't like applause between movements since it can destroy the lingering atmosphere between movements, though it depends a lot on the piece. (Applauding after, say, the third movement of either Elgar's 1st or Bruckner's 8th symphonies would be especially bad!) Similarly I hate the way some people feel the need to cheer and applaud within 5 nanoseconds of the end of a piece. Again, in some cases it seems fine, but you have to be very sensitive to the nature of the piece, and respect other peoples' enjoyment. I don't think this is elitist, old fashioned or stuffy, though I'm sure some would say it was. I think its more about respecting what the music is about. Anyone who wishes to applaud immediately after the end of (say) the last act of Walkure, or the end of the Britten War Requiem just hasn't felt the emotional impact of those pieces.

 

[darrenyeats]

There's no point trying to create new music precisely in a past style. Instead what's gone before should inspire the new. Standing on the shoulders of giants etc.

 

[marshanp]

Good list (well, the bits I know, anyway!)

Off the top of my head I would add Aulis Sallinen - his Cello concerto and Symphonies 3 and 6 in particular...

...and Anna Clyne!! whose Night Ferry is magnificent

 

[Tony L]

I’d certainly add a bit more minimalism to that list (Riley, Reich, Glass, Nyman) as much of it is very accessible and beautiful. Gorecki too.

I maybe highly atypical as a lot of the 20th century stuff (Schoenberg, Berg, Webern, Stravinsky, Cage, Stockhausen and a lot of the electronic stuff e.g. Pierre Henry etc) was my inroad to classical. I sort of started with that at one end, and Bach at the other, and struggled a bit with all the stuff in the middle! I’ve made huge inroads since, I now listen to a lot of classical music, but I remain rather more drawn to small scale chamber stuff than full symphonic. I guess I never expected or wanted contemporary music to have any real connection to Mozart, Beethoven etc, so I never ended up disappointed.

 

[windhoek]

Mozart was a musical pimp!

(he says as he runs for cover...)

 

[herb]

I would add to the list all of the composers Tony L mentioned plus Birtwistle, Sculthorpe, Tippett, Rautavarra, Ligeti, Saariaho, Meredith Monk, Feldman, Nancarrow and Chin for starters. All alive or fairly recently dead.

 

[windhoek]

Max Richter, in small doses, too.

 

[Todd A]

I make it a point to listen to contemporary music to hear what's out there, and Carlos Kalmar, in his time as music director of the Oregon Symphony, programmed new works and world premieres, including new commissions, every season.

Some ear catching releases of this century are:

The Fung disc is magnificent. I recently re-listened to it, and the sheer inventiveness and listenability of the orchestral works is striking.

Something else.

Obviously Bach is long dead, but the second disc includes works from three living composers, along with Penderecki, who died only a few months ago. The living composers are Marco Hertenstein, Sally Beamish, and Konstantia Gourzi. Masterful playing all around.

 

[alanbeeb]

I make it a point to listen to contemporary music to hear what's out there, and Carlos Kalmar, in his time as music director of the Oregon Symphony, programmed new works and world premieres, including new commissions, every season.

Appreciate the North American perspective Tod, and will give some of these suggestions a try-out. I know Adams's Scheherezade 2, but I don't think its one of his absolute bests yet. I've got another recording of it with John Adams himself conducting the Berlin Phil, with Leila Josefiwicz on the violin, but still to listen to it sometime! She seems to be all over contemporary music - on my list, she's playing the Esa-Pekka Salonen and Oliver Knussen violin concertos too (I saw her perform it about 10 years ago, with Stéphane Denève and my local RSNO).

I’d certainly add a bit more minimalism to that list (Riley, Reich, Glass, Nyman) as much of it is very accessible and beautiful. Gorecki too.

I maybe highly atypical as a lot of the 20th century stuff (Schoenberg, Berg, Webern, Stravinsky, Cage, Stockhausen and a lot of the electronic stuff e.g. Pierre Henry etc) was my inroad to classical. I sort of started with that at one end, and Bach at the other, and struggled a bit with all the stuff in the middle! I’ve made huge inroads since, I now listen to a lot of classical music, but I remain rather more drawn to small scale chamber stuff than full symphonic. I guess I never expected or wanted contemporary music to have any real connection to Mozart, Beethoven etc, so I never ended up disappointed.

I struggle with minimalism to be honest - Reich definitely has something and I've recently enjoyed some of his music after years of denial - but Glass and Riley make me switch off after a few minutes, its just too repetitive! Michael Nyman - maybe most effective as a cinema composer? We watched a DVD of The Piano the other night, great movie, the music was certainly effective but not overdone. Where the Bee Dances has been a favourite of mine since Jess Gillam performed it in the final of BBC Young Musician a few years ago - I think she should have won! It should probably be on my list above.

 

[Tony L]

...but Glass and Riley make me switch off after a few minutes, its just too repetitive!

I can’t imagine life without A Rainbow In Curved Air, it is a regularly played album, though I guess I’d file it more along with Miles Davis In A Silent Way as a pre-echo of Tangerine Dream, Eno and ambient techno than classical. It is just a lovely tripped-out thing, though I’ve not connected as well with his other work (I saw him live a couple of years ago). Give it another go as it really is a cool record!

I like the early ultra-repetitive (except its really not!) Philip Glass Ensemble stuff like Music In 12 Parts, Einstein On The Beach and his early solo piano album. I find the later orchestral stuff incredibly dull to be honest. When he’s good (i.e. the early stuff) the rhythmic stuff is incredible, real ‘where’s Waldo’ stuff with the downbeat/time signature which moves around all over the place. I just love that!

 

[alanbeeb]

I can’t imagine life without A Rainbow In Curved Air, it is a regularly played album, though I guess I’d file it more along with Miles Davis In A Silent Way as a pre-echo of Tangerine Dream, Eno and ambient techno than classical. It is just a lovely tripped-out thing, though I’ve not connected as well with his other work (I saw him live a couple of years ago). Give it another go as it really is a cool record!

I like the early ultra-repetitive (except its really not!) Philip Glass Ensemble stuff like Music In 12 Parts, Einstein On The Beach and his early solo piano album. I find the later orchestral stuff incredibly dull to be honest. When he’s good (i.e. the early stuff) the rhythmic stuff is incredible, real ‘where’s Waldo’ stuff with the downbeat/time signature which moves around all over the place. I just love that!

LOL - I have tried, I really have tried! with Miles Davis In a Silent Way - and its another case of not being able to last more than 10 minutes!
Ok, I'll give early Glass a try... cheers!

 

[wylton]

Krystof Penderecki - Kosmogonia
Edgar Varese - Arcana / Intégrales / Ionisation

 

[marshanp]

Middle period (?) Glass which does it for me is Koyaanisqatsi, The Light and possibly his finest work, Akhnaten. It’s a pity that the only commercial recording of the latter is not a patch on the R3 broadcast of the 1985 ENO production under Paul Daniel...

But he is far too prolific and has written some pretty inferior stuff.

edit: in fact, I’ve just played the “Heroes” movement from the eponymous symphony and thought “Nah, this ain’t it” ...and gone back to... the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain version (it’s on YouTube), which I find overwhelming. I heard it live from them at a ukulele weekend in a hotel in Gloucester last year when they gave it as their last encore - an unforgettable experience, especially in an audience of around 200 up-close listeners rather than their usual 2000 or more...

But (back on topic) The Light (on now) is pretty damn good - especially in the Nonesuch recording with Dennis Russell Davies conducting the Vienna RSO.

 

[gingermrkettle]

What no Henze? The 9th symphony is a masterpiece, Voices is brilliant, the recent DVD of The Bassarids is spectacularly good if a bit NSFW...

 

[marshanp]

Hmmm... do you have a preferred performance of Henze’s 9th?

I’ve never really got to grips with him, having been put off at a young age by The Raft of the Frigate Medusa (terrific LP cover, scarily difficult music for my ears) and feel that he must be worth a bit more effort...

 

[gingermrkettle]

If you can get it, the Metzmacher version of the 9th just as he premiered it (the Proms performance was something else).

Yep, Floß is one of the adventurous ones...