# A subset of my post-1950 music collection (for those seeking recommendations)



## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

"I'd be interested in this. I'm starting to get into post-1950 music now, so it'll be a good way to introduce me to other works as well."
http://www.talkclassical.com/37537-top-recommended-post-1950-a-3.html

Since some TC members might consult the current threads on the post-1950 compositions in order to introduce themselves to works they're as yet unfamiliar with, I deposit a filtered list of my own music collection (in year order) because there are simply too many pieces which I like to limit myself to 4 nominations at any given time. Which to choose? Solo keyboard, chamber music, opera, orchestral and/or vocal? American, French, Italian, Japanese, Scandinavian, etc.? There should be entries for each calendar year, too, IMO.

Here's my input regarding the 3rd quarter of the 20th century (1951 through 1975):

*1951*

Morton Feldman: Intersection I (for orchestra)
Roberto Gerhard: Concerto for Piano and Strings
Sandor Veress: Hommage a Paul Klee (strings & percussion)

*1952*
Vagn Holmboe: Symphony No.8
Andre Jolivet: Epithalame (for chorus)
Jon Leifs: Reminiscence du Nord (string orchestra)
Bruno Maderna: Improvvisazione No.1 (for orchestra)
Wallingford Riegger: Wind Quintet
Fartein Valen: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra

*1953*

Olivier Messiaen: Le Reveil des Oiseaux (for orchestra)
Giacinto Scelsi: Suite No.9 "Ttai" (piano solo)

*1954*

Karl-Birger Blomdahl: Sisyphus (ballet)
Luigi Dallapiccola: Variazioni for Orchestra
Marcel Landowski: Concerto for Ondes Martenot, Percussion and String Orchestra
Maurice Ohana: Cantigas (chamber choir and percussion ensemble)
Edgard Varese: Deserts (for ensemble & tape)
Bernd Alois Zimmermann: Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra "Nobody knows the trouble I see"

*1955*

Pierre Boulez: Le Marteau sans Maitre
Luigi Nono: Canti per 13 (chamber ensemble)

*1956*

Roberto Gerhard: Concerto for Harpsichord, Percussion and Strings
Aarre Merikanto: Genesis (for soprano, orchestra & chorus)
Olivier Messiaen: Oiseaux Exotiques (for orchestra)

*1957*

Pierre Boulez: Figures, Doubles, Prismes
Toshiro Mayuzumi: Pieces for Prepared Piano and Strings
Goffredo Petrassi: Invenzione Concertana

*1958*

Erik Bergman: Aubade (for orchestra)
Benjamin Frankel: Symphony No.1
Andre Jolivet: Sonata for Flute and Piano
Witold Lutoslawski: Funeral Music (for strings)
Ahmed Adnan Saygun: Piano Concerto No.1

*1959*

Karl-Birger Blomdahl: Aniara (opera)
Krzysztof Penderecki: Anaklasis
Giacinto Scelsi: Quattro Pezzi per Orchestra
Gunther Schuller: Seven Studies on Themes of Paul Klee
Igor Stravinsky: Movements for Piano and Orchestra

*1960*

Luigi Dallapiccola: Dialoghi for Cello and Orchestra
Roberto Gerhard: Symphony No.3 (with magnetic tape)
Olivier Messiaen: Chronochromie
Goffredo Petrassi: Concerto for Flute and Orchestra
Henri Sauguet: The Bird Saw It All (for Tenor & ensemble)

*1961*

Friedrich Cerha: Spiegel, I-VII (1960-'61, revised 1972)
Marius Constant: Turner - Three Essays for Orchestra
Jon Leifs: Geysir
Gyorgy Ligeti: Atmospheres
Krzysztof Penderecki: Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima (1960/'61)
Giacinto Scelsi: Aion
Edgard Varese: Nocturnal

*1962*

Pierre Boulez: Pli Selon Pli
Luigi Dallapiccola: Three Questions with Two Answers ('62 or '63?)
Roberto Gerhard: Concerto for 8
Andre Jolivet: Missa Uxor Tua 
Gyorgy Ligeti: Aventures
Humphrey Searle: Symphony No.4
Toru Takemitsu: Coral Island for Soprano and Orchestra

*1963*

Richard Rodney Bennett: The Mines Of Sulphur (opera)
Wilfred Josephs: Requiem
Arne Nordheim: Epitaffio (orchestra & magnetic tape)

*1964*

Luciano Berio: Folk Songs
Morton Feldman: The King Of Denmark
Roberto Gerhard: The Plague (cantata)
Vagn Holmboe: Requiem for Nietzsche
Andre Jolivet: Symphony No.3

*1965*

Richard Rodney Bennett: Symphony No.1 
Gyorgy Ligeti: Requiem

*1966*

Roberto Gerhard: Epithalamion
Paavo Heininen: Adagio
Krzysztof Penderecki: Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ According to Luke
Giacinto Scelsi: Uaxuctum
Toru Takemitsu: The Dorian Horizon (for strings)

*1967*

Ernst Krenek: Horizon Circled

*1968*

Luciano Berio: Sinfonia
Luigi Dallapiccola: Ulisse (opera)
Thea Musgrave: Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra
Einojuhani Rautavaara: Cello Concerto
Gerard Schurmann: Six Studies of Francis Bacon
Alexandre Tansman: Four Movements for Orchestra

*1969*

Jerry Goldsmith: Christus Apollo (cantata)
Karel Husa: Music for Prague 1968
Andre Jolivet: Mandala (organ solo)

*1970*

Harrison Birtwistle: The Triumph Of Time
Arne Nordheim: Floating
Lars Johan Werle: Nautical Preludes (for chorus)

*1971*

Claude Ballif: Les Battements du Coeur de Jesus
Erik Bergman: Hathor Suite
Morton Feldman: Rothko Chapel
Einojuhani Rautavaara: Regular Sets of Elements in a Semi-Regular Situation
Iannis Xenakis: Antikhthon

*1972*

Tadeusz Baird: Psychodrama

*1973*

Malcolm Arnold: Symphony No.7
Andre Jolivet: La Fleche du Temps (for string orchestra)
Arne Nordheim: Greening

*1974*

Luciano Berio: Points On The Curve To Find ...
Pierre Boulez: Rituel - In Memoriam Bruno Maderna
Arne Nordheim: Spur (for accordion & orchestra)
Maurice Ohana: Office des Oracles
Maurice Ohana: T'Haran-Ngo

*1975*

Richard Rodney Bennett: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

Excellent Prods! About two thirds of these I have on my list to nominate in the other thread! Thanks for the reminder!

/ptr


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## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

My list is not comprehensive, of course, because it's highlights of certain works which also reflect my tastes as a listener/consumer.

Later on, I'll post on the final quarter of the 20th century (1976-2000) after I've finished compiling works.

I think music written in the past 15 years during this 21st century may be to recent to detect compositional trends.
Listening to Harrison Birtwistle pieces such as "The Shadow Of Night" (2002) or "Night's Black Bird" (2004), for example, might not represent the aesthetics of younger generations of composers. Birtwistle may very well be just doin' his own thing and not participating in any formal artistic movement.


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## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

ptr said:


> Excellent Prods! About two thirds of these I have on my list to nominate in the other thread! Thanks for the reminder!
> 
> /ptr


You're welcome, ptr. We have similar tastes (even though I'm the only person who likes Blomdahl's music.  )


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

Prodromides said:


> You're welcome, ptr. We have similar tastes (even though I'm the only person who likes Blomdahl's music.  )


I can assure You that You are not alone, one of the music theory professors I read under when I was at university just adored Blomdahl's music (and that of his disciples), we hand many scorching discussions, it was great fun! 
Next year being the centennial of Blomstedt's birth, I've heard rumours of plans for a Blomdahl Society might be cooking here in Sweden and I would not surprised if we will see some new recordings...

And FWIW, I would love if some artist could disprove my Blomdahl reactions! (Have studied most of his scores and none makes me jump with joy! )

/ptr


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## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

ptr said:


> ... I would love if some artist could disprove my Blomdahl reactions!
> /ptr


Not even Ingmar Bergman's _Gycklarnas Afton_? 

http://www.criterion.com/people/9501-karl-birger-blomdahl


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## Andolink (Oct 29, 2012)

One serious omission, IMO, is any number of great pieces from the 60's and early 70's by *Bruno Maderna*.


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## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

Andolink said:


> One serious omission, IMO, is any number of great pieces from the 60's and early 70's by *Bruno Maderna*.


Yeah, the 1972 "Biogramma" is one such.

Despite having 4 volumes of Bruno Maderna on the NEOS label, most of Maderna's output hasn't penetrated my mind.
I do like early '50s Maderna and Nono, though.


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## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

Before I post my next half of titles, I'd like to add Luis de Pablo's "Portrait Imagine" to 1975 (which I had overlooked during my initial compilation).


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## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

*1976*

Carlos Chavez: Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra
Morton Feldman: Routine Investigations
Isang Yun: Concerto for Cello and Orchestra

*1977*

Don Banks: Trilogy
Erik Bergman: Dreams (for choir)
Morton Feldman: Neither (opera)
Sydney Hodkinson: The Edge Of The Olde One (English Horn Concerto)
Maurice Ohana: Messe
Jean Prodromides: Le Livre des Katuns (cantata)
Toru Takemitsu: A Flock Descends Into The Pentagonal Garden
Isang Yun: Concerto for Flute and Small Orchestra

*1978*

Henri Dutilleux: Timbres, Espace, Mouvement
Einojuhani Rautavaara: Angels and Visitations
Roger Sessions: Symphony No.9

*1979*

Erik Bergman: Birds In The Morning
Hugues Dufourt: Saturne
Maurice Ohana: Livre des Prodiges

*1980*

Jean-Louis Florentz: Magnificat
Tristan Murail: Gondwana
Bernard Rands: Canti Lunatici
Einojuhani Rautavaara: Angel Of Dusk
Frederik van Rossum: Violin Concerto No.1
Toru Takemitsu: Far Calls. Coming, Far!

*1981*

Marius Constant: 103 Regards dans l'Eau
Anders Eliasson: Desert Point
Einar Englund: Concerto for 12 Cellos
Maurice Ohana: Piano Concerto
Michel Tabachnik: Cosmogonie / pour une Rose

*1982*

Georges Delerue: Sonata for Violin and Piano
Renaud Gagneux: Requiem
Ernst Krenek: Organ Concerto
Meyer Kupferman: Tuba Concerto
Arne Nordheim: Tenebrae
Aulis Salinen: Shadows
Mikis Theodorakis: Symphony No. 2 for Children's Choir, Solo Piano and Orchestra "The Earth's Song"

*1983*

Gilbert Amy: Missa cum Jubilo
Paavo Heininen: The Damask Drum (opera)
Serge Nigg: String Quartet

*1984*

Vyacheslav Artyomov: Way To Olympus
Jacques Casterede: Trois Visions de l'Apocalypse (for 9 Brass & Organ)
Hugues Dufourt: Surgir
Andrew Imbrie: Requiem
William Kraft: Concerto for Timpani and Orchestra
Laurent Petitgirard: Le Legendaire
Laszlo Tihanyi: Krios
Isang Yun: Symphony No.2

*1985*

Milton Babbitt: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
Edith Canat de Chizy: Yell
Henri Dutilleux: L'Arbre des Songes
Lou Harrison: Piano Concerto
Henri Sauguet: Church Sonata
Stanislaw Skrowaczewski: Concerto for Orchestra
Josef Tal: Symphony No.4

*1986*

Harrison Birtwistle: Earth Dances
Qigang Chen: Yi
Alessandro Solbiati: Nel Deserto

*1987*

Claude Ballif: Mystic Symphony No.2 (orchestra & chorus, with soloists)
Jacques Casterede: Trois Moments Musicaux d'Apres Corot (for 5 instruments)
Eero Hameenniemi: Loviisa (ballet)
Meyer Kupferman: Wings of the Highest Tower
Marcel Landowski: Montsegur (opera)
Henri Pousseur: Traverser La Foret (cantata)
Toru Takemitsu: Nostalghia
Charles Wuorinen: Five (Concerto for Amplified Cello and Orchestra)

*1988*

Erik Bergman: The Singing Tree (opera)
Meyer Kupferman: Jazz Symphony
Arne Nordeim: Magma
Maurice Ohana: Lux Noctis (for chorus)
Horatiu Radulescu: Byzantine Prayer (for 72 flutes)

*1989*

Henri Dutilleux: Mystere de L'Instant
Alun Hoddinott: Star Children
Per Norgard: King, Queen and Ace (chamber ensemble)
Mel Powell: Duplicates
Jean Prodromides: La Noche Triste (opera)
Kaija Saariaho: Grammaire des Reves
Iannis Xenakis: Echange

*1990*

Richard Rodney Bennett: Concerto for Stan Getz
Erik Bergman: Sub Luna
Chou Wen-Chung: Windswept Peaks
Geert van Keulen: Tympan
James MacMillan: The Confession Of Isobel Gowdie
Maurice Ohana: Cello Concerto No.2
George Pearle: Concerto No.1 for Piano and Orchestra

*1991*

Gloria Coates: Symphony No.8 "Indian Sounds"
Emmanuel Nunes: Quodlibet
Maurice Ohana: Avoaha
Luis de Pablo: Libro de Imagenes
Wolfgang Rihm: Die Eroberung von Mexico (opera)

*1992*

Anders Eliasson: Horn Concerto
Stanley Myers: Concerto for Soprano Saxophone
Bernard Rands: Canti dell'Eclisse

*1993*

Edith Canat de Chizy: Tombeau de Gilles de Rais (oratorio)
Charles Chaynes: Jocaste (opera)
Thea Musgrave: Autumn Sonata
Luis de Pablo: Segunda Lectura
Gunther Schuller: Of Reminiscences and Reflections
Bent Sorensen: Sterbende Garten, Violin Concerto

*1994*

Jouni Kaipainen: Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra
Aaron Jay Kernis: Colored Field
Ivo Malec: Exempla
Gunther Schuller: Concerto for Organ and Orchestra

*1995*

Lou Harrison: Symphony No.4
Meyer Kupferman: Three Faces Of Electra
Hanspeter Kyburz: The Voynich Cipher Manuscript
Stanislaw Skrowaczewski: Passacaglia Immaginaria
Augusta Read Thomas: Meditation for Trombone and Orchestra

*1996*

Luciano Berio: Ekphrasis
Arne Nordheim: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra
Jean Prodromides: Goya (opera)

*1997*

Henri Dutilleux: The Shadows Of Time
Lou Harrison: Concerto for Pipa with String Orchestra
Magnus Lindberg: Fresco
Francis Shaw: Bright Phoenix (for chorus)

*1998*

Peter Eotvos: Three Sisters (opera)
Meyer Kupferman: Concerto for 4 Guitars and Orchestra
Matthias Pintscher: Music from Thomas Chatterton

*1999*

Jukka Linkola: Saxophone Concerto

*2000*

Hugues Dufourt: Lucifer d'après Pollock
Luca Francesconi: Terre del Rimorso (for orchestra & choir)
Mikko Heinio: The Knight And The Dragon
Olga Neuwirth: Construction in Space
Emmanuel Nunes: Lichtung II
Einojuhani Rautavaara: Concerto for Harp and Orchestra


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## cjvinthechair (Aug 6, 2012)

Lots of fabulous things to research, thank you !


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## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

cjvinthechair said:


> Lots of fabulous things to research, thank you !


You're welcome, c in the chair.

A few stragglers I wish to add are these 2 which are not in my data file, but I truly loved them when I listened to them not long ago:

Donald Erb's 1984 Concerto for Contrabassoon

and

George Perle's 1993 "Transcendental Modulations"


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## tortkis (Jul 13, 2013)

It's a very nice list.



Prodromides said:


> *1979*
> 
> Hugues Dufourt: Saturne
> 
> ...


I like Dufourt and thought of nominating Surgir, but I have not listened to Saturne, which seems "his best-known work" (wikipedia).


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

Prodromides said:


> You're welcome, ptr. We have similar tastes (even though *I'm the only person who likes Blomdahl's music. * )


Huh?

As I turned to this post (after just responding to the initial post from newmember Fracta concerning recommendations of "adventurous" works akin to the Sibelius Fourth, to which I offered, among other suggestions, the three symphonies of Karl-Birger Blomdahl), I am currently listening to Blomdahl's Second Symphony, a wonderful work (though not quite the masterpiece that Number 3 the "Facetter" is).

So, there are at least two of us who relish in Blomdahl.

----

I'm listening to the Leif Segerstam recording on BIS with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra.


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## Guest (Apr 15, 2015)

I'm glad you have so many Nordic composers here! Heininen, Bergman, Nordheim, Kaipainen, etc... love em!


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## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

SONNET CLV said:


> Huh?
> 
> So, there are at least two of us who relish in Blomdahl.


Hi, SONNET CLV.

That was me simply teasing "ptr" because I knew beforehand that he doesn't care for the music of Blomdahl.
Without doubt, there are more people besides myself who like Blomdahl's work. However, it feels as though I'm the only TC member who refers to Blomdahl's name and works. Most thread discussions don't mention his name, so I felt like the only person to bring him up.

Glad that you like his music!


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

William Schuman: Symphony No. 7 (1960); Symphony No. 8 (1962); Symphony No. 9 (1968); Symphony No. 10 (1976).

Peter Mennin: Symphony No. 7 (1963)

Vincent Persichetti: Piano Sonatas No's: 9 (1952); 10 (1955); 11 (1965); 12 (1982).


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