# Gramophone Contemporary Award 2016



## SimonNZ (Jul 12, 2012)

Which of these albums/works do you enjoy/admire most? Which do you dislike, and why?










Abrahamsen let me tell you Barbara Hannigan; BRSO / Andris Nelsons (Winter & Winter)















Birtwistle Angel Fighter etc Soloists, London Sinfonietta / David Atherton (NMC)















Maxwell Davies. Panufnik Symphonies Nos 10 LSO /Sir Antonio Pappano (LSO Live)















Murail Le Partage des eaux, Contes cruels etc BBC SO, Netherlands Radio PO / Pierre-André Valade (Aeon)















Silvestrov To thee we sing Latvian Radio Choir / Sigvards Kļava (Ondine)


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## SimonNZ (Jul 12, 2012)

The sixth is this, which doesn't seem available to assess on YT before a possible purchase:










Anderson In Liebliche Bläue, Alleluia etc LPO / Vladimir Jurowski (LPO)


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## GioCar (Oct 30, 2013)

I have the Murail and the Abrahamsen, and between the two I prefer the Murail. 
I still have to listen to the others but I have a brief comment: the list is quite biased towards the British composers/performers (50% here), as it has been happening lately with increasing frequency...not only in that list but for instance also in their monthly choices.
Nothing against our British friends, of course, but I find this irritating for a magazine claiming to be "the *world*'s authorithy on classical music since 1923" 
This is one of the reasons why I'm no longer a subscriber of it.


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

The only one I've heard is the Abrahamsen, and I'm willing to bet that would remain my favourite if I heard all the others too. Not that I have anything against the other composers, but _Let me tell you_ really hit a sweet spot for me.


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## Guest (Aug 8, 2016)

I missed this thread. I have the Murail album. It's one of my Essentials.


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## Guest (Aug 8, 2016)

I'll check the others out too.


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## Guest (Aug 9, 2016)

SimonNZ said:


> Which of these albums/works do you enjoy/admire most? Which do you dislike, and why?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


They all say "video not available"


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## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

I really like both the Abrahamsen and Davies pieces. Hard to choose but Davies has been a favorite composer for a long time.


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## Blancrocher (Jul 6, 2013)

I haven't yet heard the PMD, Silvestrov, or Anderson -- will try asap. Out of the others, I think my favorite is the Birtwistle.


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## SimonNZ (Jul 12, 2012)

dogen said:


> They all say "video not available"


Ah, sorry to hear that - they all work here, and its usually the case that if they're available in nz then most everyone has access.


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## wzg (Jun 17, 2013)

The problem is, I have a non modern ear, with Rite of Spring as my limit. Which would you guys recommend for a newbie to contemporary music?


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Interesting list of albums. I like "Abrahamsen let me tell you Barbara Hannigan".

How come they are all newer music, does Gramophone not award new recordings of older music? Just curious.


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## wzg (Jun 17, 2013)

ArtMusic said:


> Interesting list of albums. How come they are all newer music, does Gramophone not award new recordings of older music? Just curious.


See my post "Gramophone Orchestral 2016", mate


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## SimonNZ (Jul 12, 2012)

ArtMusic said:


> Interesting list of albums. I like "Abrahamsen let me tell you Barbara Hannigan".
> 
> How come they are all newer music, does Gramophone not award new recordings of older music? Just curious.


These are the nominees for the contemporary music albums - as the thread title indicates.

A full list of nominees in all categories can be found here:

http://www.gramophone.co.uk/classic...6-gramophone-classical-music-awards-shortlist


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

wzg said:


> The problem is, I have a non modern ear, with Rite of Spring as my limit. Which would you guys recommend for a newbie to contemporary music?


I imagine the Silvestrov would certainly be easiest on your ear.

I'm also inclined to think that if someone enjoys, say, Strauss's _Four Last Songs_ then Abrahamsen's _Let Me Tell You_ might not be a huge stretch.


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