# Your Top 5IVE Living Composers



## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

_Listing dead guys is punishable by lashing followed by upside down crucifixion._

Now then...

(01) György Kurtág
(02) Georg Friedrich Haas 
(03) Beat Furrer 
(04) Brian Ferneyhough
(05) Richard Barrett


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## Guest (Sep 13, 2015)

Excellent! I'll have a think.


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## Dim7 (Apr 24, 2009)

A living composer!?!?!?!? I find that a very difficult concept to grasp. Could you explain it to me clearly and slowly?


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## Vronsky (Jan 5, 2015)

1.Boulez
2.Kurtag
3.Lachenmann
4.Globokar
5.Ferneyhough


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

Shepard Fairey said:


> 1.Boulez
> 2.Kurtag
> 3.Lachenmann
> 4.Globokar
> 5.Ferneyhough


Had completely forgotten about old man Boulez. Wish he'd compose more.


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## Guest (Sep 13, 2015)

Kurtag
Coates
Penderecki
Murail
Haas

Oh yes.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Random order and currently only, based on what I listen to mostly, not necessarily their "general importance":

- Nørgård, 
- Saariaho,
- Gubaidulina,
- Silvestrov.

For no. 5, 
Holliger, Narbutaite, Ruders, Murail, Slonimsky and Crumb are among the (many) other current candidates.


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## MoonlightSonata (Mar 29, 2014)

In alphabetical order:
-Adès
-Crumb
-Haas
-Górecki
-Penderecki

I was quite shocked to discover that Ligeti has been dead for nine years


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Gorecki isn´t alive any more either ...


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## Trout (Apr 11, 2011)

Living composers whose, in my opinion, best works are (so far) not so recent:

1. Pierre Boulez
2. George Crumb
3. Philip Glass
4. Krzysztof Penderecki
5. Steve Reich


Living composers whose recent works are still top-notch:

1. John Luther Adams
2. Unsuk Chin
3. Beat Furrer
4. Georg Friedrich Haas
5. Kaija Saariaho


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## Guest (Sep 13, 2015)

joen_cph said:


> Holliger, Narbutaite, Ruders, Murail, Slonimsky and Crumb are among the (many) other current candidates.


And Slonimsky has been dead for twenty years.

I was at his hundredth birthday party in 1994. What fun that was!

Well, I'd like to play this game, too, but there's no way I would stop at five.

And a big old long list would look like bragging, instead of the sincere appreciation for everyone's unique contribution that it would really be. OK, sincere appreciation _and_ bragging.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Slonimsky is alive and well. It´s a Russian composer, Sergei Slonimsky, who´s written about 35 symphonies so far.
Not for instance Nicholas Slonimsky (who composed as well and has been recorded).


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

Limiting to 5 makes it difficult!, in random order:

G.F. Haas
H. Lachenmann
K. Saariaho
P. Eötvös
M. Akita 

/ptr


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## Guest (Sep 13, 2015)

Joen_cph, just as I hit "send," I thought, "I wonder if...."

And sure enough. 

Hey, now I want to go listen to some Sergei Slonimsky, so it's not all bad.


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## Chronochromie (May 17, 2014)

L. Andriessen
Haas
Murail
Penderecki
Saariaho/Sciarrino/Gubaidulina/Reich/Adams/Chin...


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## Guest (Sep 13, 2015)

I'm very interested in the lists folk come up with...


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

some guy said:


> Joen_cph, just as I hit "send," I thought, "I wonder if...."
> 
> And sure enough.
> 
> Hey, now I want to go listen to some Sergei Slonimsky, so it's not all bad.


Unfortunately, the youtube selection of his works is quite conservative. Overall, almost 15 symphonies are available, one way or the other, as recordings etc.

Some do polystylism. Symphony 33 shows him in a dark "Shosty XV/Schnittke mood" and includes theatrical elements (21:40), etc.


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## Dim7 (Apr 24, 2009)

The Only True Living Classical Compose As Accepted By The Audiences Is Of Couse **** *********


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

ptr said:


> Limiting to 5 makes it difficult!, in random order:
> 
> G.F. Haas
> H. Lachenmann
> ...


Oh yes, Eötvös. Akita is totally unknown to me (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merzbow).


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## Guest (Sep 13, 2015)

joen_cph said:


> Unfortunately, the youtube selection of his works is quite conservative. Overall, almost 15 symphonies are available, one way or the other, as recordings etc. Some do polystystilism.


Yeah, so I discovered. Youtube is so easy though, and you don't have to register or anything. I'll search a bit more.

I did click around a bit, though, and am listening to Yuri Vorontsov's sym. no. 5, which is nice.


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## mmsbls (Mar 6, 2011)

Best guess for now:

J Adams
Ades
Boulez
Haas
Reich


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## PeterFromLA (Jul 22, 2011)

Musicologist Slonimsky was uncle to the composer Slonimsky, or so he said in the course of regaling us with stories about music in the USSR in 1985, at the Cabrillo Music Festival (where I was seated behind Elliott Carter, and at which concert works by Schnittke (Concerto Grosso #1) and and Carter (Double Concerto) were performed, under the direction of Charles Wuorinen of all people -- well, Mr. W. was not a stranger to Carter, but I never thought I'd see him conduct Schnittke... he did a great job, with EIC violinist Maryvonne Le Dizes-Richard as one of the soloists). 

Favorite living composers (or composers whose music I always want to hear immediately upon learning they've written a new piece... a sure sign you are passionate about their work):

Pierre Boulez (France)
Gyorgy Kurtag (Hungary)
Valentin Silvestrov (Ukraine)
Pascal Dusapin (France)
Pawel Szymanski (Poland)


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## Vronsky (Jan 5, 2015)

Little surprised that no one mentioned Rihm...


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## GioCar (Oct 30, 2013)

I'll go with these young guys, in alphabetical order:

Boulez
Gubaidulina
Kurtág
Reich
Sciarrino


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## tortkis (Jul 13, 2013)

Terry Riley (b 1935)
Steve Reich (b 1936)
Daniel Lentz (b 1942)
Michael Nyman (b 1944)
Salvatore Sciarrino (b 1947)


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

*Gubaidulina*, *Penderecki*, *Wuorinen*, *Norgard*, *Boulez*.

Just three years ago, *Carter* and *Dutilleux* would've received placements on this too short list. :angel::angel:


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I wish some label would record Saariaho's Circle Map. Norgard has written a lot of stuff, but I just can't get into it. Sounds like music for a lifeless planet.

Gubaidulina is no. 1, and the others have died in the past 20 years.


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## TxllxT (Mar 2, 2011)

Arvo Pärt
Irina Denisova
Sofia Gubaidulina
Ludovico Einaudi
................


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

PeterFromLA said:


> Musicologist Slonimsky was uncle to the composer Slonimsky, or so he said in the course of regaling us with stories about music in the USSR in 1985, at the Cabrillo Music Festival (where I was seated behind Elliott Carter, and at which concert works by Schnittke (Concerto Grosso #1) and and Carter (Double Concerto) were performed, under the direction of Charles Wuorinen of all people -- well, Mr. W. was not a stranger to Carter, but I never thought I'd see him conduct Schnittke... he did a great job, with EIC violinist Maryvonne Le Dizes-Richard as one of the soloists).
> 
> Favorite living composers (or composers whose music I always want to hear immediately upon learning they've written a new piece... a sure sign you are passionate about their work):
> 
> ...


Oh yes, Szymanski. Coming to think of it, not just the 2 piano etudes or the piano concerto are fine, also the Partita for Harpsichord and Orchestra is a fascinating work.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Boulez
Pateras
Brett Dean
Ferneyhough
Adès


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## PeterFromLA (Jul 22, 2011)

Re composers who have died in the past twenty-five years, the mind reels:

Messiaen
Cage
Lutoslawski
Schnittke
Takemitsu
Ligeti
Stockhausen
Nono
Carter
Berio
Xenakis
Grisey
Radulescu
Dutilleux
Gorecki

and others... I don't see new folks rising in equal numbers to match this kind of mass departure of talent, though we won't know that for a while, I guess.


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

starthrower said:


> Norgard has written a lot of stuff, but I just can't get into it. Sounds like music for a lifeless planet.
> 
> Gubaidulina is no. 1, and the others have died in the past 20 years.


Nørgård's music is well regarded, but I think your comment is spot on.

Gubaidulina is probably the greatest living Russian composer.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

PeterFromLA said:


> Re composers who have died in the past twenty-five years, the mind reels:
> 
> Messiaen
> Cage
> ...


Similarly for conductors.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

starthrower said:


> I wish some label would record Saariaho's Circle Map. Norgard has written a lot of stuff, but I just can't get into it. *Sounds like music for a lifeless planet*.
> 
> Gubaidulina is no. 1, and the others have died in the past 20 years.


Then he's way ahead of his time.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

While I listen to several living composers, I don't know their music well enough to say which are tops, or even which I enjoy the most.

A few that spring to mind:

*Pierre Boulez,
Esa-Pekka Salonen* (yeah, I know. You may think this is only by a technicality.)
*Arvo Pärt*

ummm . . .

*Morton Subotnick*?

and maybe --

aha!

*Poul Ruders*!


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

I think Nørgård´s music is much too varied for the characterization above. 

There´s the early, late-Sibelius-like period (1.Symphony, 1.Clarinet Trio, Solo Intimo for solo cello, 2 accessible piano sonatas), for example. 
And there´s the percussion concerto, For A Change, very manifest in its simple vitality. Try the Mortensen recording coupled with Siddharta, on Dacapo.


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

Weston said:


> While I listen to several living composers, I don't know their music well enough to say which are tops, or even which I enjoy the most.
> 
> A few that spring to mind:
> 
> ...


I think you need hear some György Kurtág's work.


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

John Adams
Jennifer Higdon
Einojuhani Rautavaara
Christopher Rouse
Anna Thorvaldsdottir


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## Guest (Sep 13, 2015)

some guy said:


> And Slonimsky has been dead for twenty years.
> 
> I was at his hundredth birthday party in 1994. What fun that was!
> 
> ...


I'm at the other end of the learning curve. I'm impressed I felt able to name five.

Go on, pick five.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Another list of five:

Chin
Liza Lim
Mundry
Coates
Gubaidulina


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

At the moment probably...

Gubaidulina
Crumb
Saariaho
Penderecki 
Kurtag

A living composer I'm looking forward to getting more familiarized with is Philippe Manoury.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

tdc said:


> At the moment probably...
> 
> Gubaidulina
> Crumb
> ...


Gah... how could I forget Francisco López?

Revised List:

Gubaidulina
Crumb
Saariaho
López
Penderecki

I'm sure I'll think of another composer I'm forgetting in a few minutes...listing just 5 is pretty tough.


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## Heliogabo (Dec 29, 2014)

Boulez
Arvo Part
Harrison Birtwistle
Penderecki
and that´s it


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

Heliogabo said:


> Boulez
> Arvo Part
> Harrison Birtwistle
> Penderecki
> and that´s it


Pärt is like the Sting of classical music-I want to avoid him but he's _everywhere_.


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## MoonlightSonata (Mar 29, 2014)

_Górecki_ is dead too?!


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

MoonlightSonata said:


> _Górecki_ is dead too?!


Ya, he died back in November 2010.


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## MrTortoise (Dec 25, 2008)

Sophia Gubaidulina
Arvo Pärt
Michael Daugherty
Steve Reich
Michael Nyman


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

violadude said:


> Ya, he died back in November 2010.


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

*curse of the band junkie*

David Maslanka
Donald Grantham
Frank Ticheli
David Gillingham
Karel Husa (94)



Honorable Mention:
Michael Daughtery (composed some great band works)
Mark Camphouse
Cindy McTee
Ron Nelson


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## musicrom (Dec 29, 2013)

1. Magnus Lindberg
2. Arvo Part
3. Philip Glass
4. Sofia Gubaidulina
5. Esa-Pekka Salonen, I guess.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Morimur said:


> Pärt is like the Sting of classical music-I want to avoid him but he's _everywhere_.


I'm waiting for his CDs to turn up at Walmart along with the Mannheim Steamroller.


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## Selby (Nov 17, 2012)

Saariaho
Gubaidulina
Nørgård
Chin
Furrer, barely beating out Murail

Looks like Kurtag and Haas are where I should be listening.


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)

John Adams
Saariaho 
Gubaidulina 
Pärt 

I'm having trouble coming up with a fifth composer. Admittedly, I don't listen to living composers very often. I do like some of the music of Reich, Glass, Penderecki, Brett Dean. I can't make up my mind because I don't have enough information. I'd be an uninformed voter if I made my final choice.


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## Blancrocher (Jul 6, 2013)

senza sordino said:


> I can't make up my mind because I don't have enough information. I'd be an uninformed voter if I made my final choice.


I can't either--I'm reserving judgment till I can hear Rihm's In-Schrift II.


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## haydnfan (Apr 13, 2011)

Penderecki, Part, Rautavaara.


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

senza sordino said:


> John Adams
> Saariaho
> Gubaidulina
> Pärt
> ...


Kurtág-you won't be disappointed.


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## SeptimalTritone (Jul 7, 2014)

Some of the Japanese dudes and chicks are pretty good.

Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening/Night by Sachiko M, Toshimaru Nakamura, and Otomo Yoshihide:


















Michael Pisaro is also great, sort of a successor to Cage and Feldman. A Wave and Waves:






Richard Barret is excellent, excellent, excellent. Both instrumental stuff and electronic stuff. I like his pacing, rhythm, and thought. A lot of stuff can be found on soundcloud:

__
https://soundcloud.com/

Pierluigi Billone has very exciting music: 



Francis Dhomont has high quality concrete music: 



Salvatore Sciarrino: 



Keith Rowe:


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

My top five (and these composers are enjoying success, rightfully):

- Alma Deustcher (born 2005, therefore 21st century composer)
- Alex Prior (born 1992)
- Christopher Bond (born 1992)
- Jay Greenberg (born 1991)
- Krzysztof Penderecki (born 1933)


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## PeterFromLA (Jul 22, 2011)

It's amazing to think that Penderecki was a world famous composer (as composers go) before he turned 30. (His Threnody was premiered when he was 27.)

I saw Penderecki conduct his St. Luke's Passion, leading the LA Philharmonic. I was star-struck, sitting in the front row. The Evangelist whose feet I looked up at was none other than Gregory Peck. He could do stentorian better than pretty much anybody. Phyllis Bryn-Julson (a Boulez favorite) was the lead soprano, and the Polish baritone, Andrzej Hiolski, performed the role he had played at the work's world premiere: Jesus Christ. It was LA: we're entitled to star-studded affairs.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

PeterFromLA said:


> It's amazing to think that Penderecki was a world famous composer (as composers go) before he turned 30. (His Threnody was premiered when he was 27.)
> 
> I saw Penderecki conduct his St. Luke's Passion, leading the LA Philharmonic. I was star-struck, sitting in the front row. The Evangelist whose feet I looked up at was none other than Gregory Peck. He could do stentorian better than pretty much anybody. Phyllis Bryn-Julson (a Boulez favorite) was the lead soprano, and the Polish baritone, Andrzej Hiolski, performed the role he had played at the work's world premiere: Jesus Christ. It was LA: we're entitled to star-studded affairs.


Sounds like a fantastic experience.


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

Alma Deustcher????????????????????

She is a precocious child.

I will repeat that many of us have met talented young musicians who compose like Ms. Deustcher.

Those of us who have had real experiences composing, including a incompetent flop like myself, realize before one can compose like Beethoven, one must be able to compose like Mozart. Before one can compose like Brahms, one must be able to compose like Beethoven. Before one can compose like Mahler, one must be able to compose like Brahms. _ETC._

Stockhausen admired Mozart. He composed a cadenza in the style of Mozart for the _Clarinet Concerto_. The following is a link to a YouTube of Stockhausen conducting the _Clarinet Concerto_. The cadenza is at the 10:50 mark. Note: Classical period cadenzas were short affairs: 



.

At this stage in her life it is premature, considering the competition, to proclaim that she is one of the great living composers.

Maybe like Emily Bear she will discover jazz.

I am going to love it if five years from now she decides to become the next Miley Cyrus.


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## Dim7 (Apr 24, 2009)

arpeggio said:


> At this stage in her life it is premature, considering the competition, to proclaim that she is one of the great living composers.


Well this is "_your_ top 5" list....


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Dim7 said:


> Well this is "_your_ top 5" list....


Thank you, member Dim7.


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

Dim7 said:


> Well this is "_your_ top 5" list....


I knew this is what the reaction would be to my top five list.

So let me explain to those who did not get it, I WAS BEING FACITIOUS  Pity the poor concert band composer. His stature in TC is even lower than Cage's. I enjoy their music but I have absolutely no idea if any of these composers are great.

Maybe, just maybe, there are some band composers who deserve a little recognition. They may not deserve to be in the top five or top ten or even the top fifty. I am hoping that I may convince some that there music is worthy of some attention.


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## Guest (Sep 14, 2015)

So, to be a top living composer, you nevertheless have to be an OAP?

It's no wonder young people decided to invent their own culture and generate their own heroes. Why would they want to wait until they themselves are over 70 before finding their own 'top' people?


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

MacLeod said:


> So, to be a top living composer, you nevertheless have to be an OAP?
> 
> It's no wonder young people decided to invent their own culture and generate their own heroes. Why would they want to wait until they themselves are over 70 before finding their own 'top' people?


Please do not put words in my mouth. I did not mean what you just said. I am bowing out of this before I get myself into trouble again.


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## Guest (Sep 14, 2015)

arpeggio said:


> Please do not put words in my mouth. I did not mean what you just said. I am bowing out of this before I get myself into trouble again.


I didn't even read what you had written. It struck me before I'd got to the bottom of page 1. I didn't bother with pp2-5 before posting!


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## Guest (Sep 14, 2015)

I can confirm that whippersnapper Thomas Adès is alive! He was recently on University Challenge.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

Pärt
Boulez
Rautavaara
Silvestrov
Penderecki


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

Based on current enthusiasms:

1ne. David Lang
2wo. Julia Wolfe
th3ee. Steve Reich
fo4r. George Crumb
fiv5. Per Nørgård


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## MoonlightSonata (Mar 29, 2014)

dogen said:


> I can confirm that whippersnapper Thomas Adès is alive! He was recently on University Challenge.


Yes! He is one of my favourites.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Gubaidulina
Silvestrov
Rautavaara
Sallinen

For 5th place, many candidates. Today I'll pick John Adams.


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

My favorites as of this moment are:

Kaija Saariaho, Steve Reich, Salvatore Sciarrino, György Kurtág, Toshio Hosokawa.


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## Dr Johnson (Jun 26, 2015)

Modern composers some of whose works I know and would listen to more than once (and seek out more works by)

John Adams
James MacMillan
Jeffrey Stolet
Rautavaara
Nyman


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## Guest (Sep 14, 2015)

MacLeod said:


> So, to be a top living composer, you nevertheless have to be an OAP?
> 
> It's no wonder young people decided to invent their own culture and generate their own heroes. Why would they want to wait until they themselves are over 70 before finding their own 'top' people?


I don't think it's a matter of being an OAP or not. It's a matter of having created a significant body of work; this I think is more likely the more years one has been composing.


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

I've heard only bits and pieces of some of these composers. Someday I will contribute to this. So many musical worlds to explore. "Warp 9. Engage!"


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

dogen said:


> I can confirm that whippersnapper Thomas Adès is alive! He was recently on University Challenge.


Whippersnapper? He's older than my mum!


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

Ooh, this is a toughie, but I'll bite: in alphabetical order:

Kalevi Aho
Brian Ferneyhough
Sofia Gubaidulina
Per Nørgård
Wolfgang Rihm


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

ArtMusic said:


> My top five (and these composers are enjoying success, rightfully):
> 
> - Alma Deustcher (born 2005, therefore 21st century composer)
> - Alex Prior (born 1992)
> ...


Deustcher? Oy vey!

If you're trolling you got me but if not . . . Oy vey!


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

arpeggio said:


> Alma Deustcher????????????????????
> I am going to love it if five years from now she decides to become the next Miley Cyrus.


Come now, arpeggio-no need to wish ill on the poor girl.


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## isorhythm (Jan 2, 2015)

I'm a fan of many of the composers who've been mentioned, especially Kurtag, Reich, Rihm, Gubaidulina and Crumb, but to be honest I don't know nearly enough contemporary music to declare favorites.


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## Guest (Sep 14, 2015)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Whippersnapper? He's older than my mum!


Yes, but younger than me!


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## StDior (May 28, 2015)

Statistical ways, based on the recently ending Top Recommended Post-1950 Works. 
Primarily based on the number of pieces on the list from a composer, secondly if required by the sum of the ranking numbers.

Best living composer:
1. Boulez 6 pieces on the list,
2. Adams 5 pieces on the list, 346 (sum of the ranking numbers)
3. Penderecki	5 pieces on the list, 531 (sum of the ranking numbers)
4. Gubaidulina	4 pieces on the list, 386 (sum of the ranking numbers)
5. Crumb 4 pieces on the list, 400 (sum of the ranking numbers)

Best living composer under 65 years:
1. Haas 3 pieces on the list, 211 (sum of the ranking numbers)
2. Saariaho 3 pieces on the list, 245 (sum of the ranking numbers)
3. Chin 2 pieces on the list, 
4. Adès 1 piece on the list, 44 (ranking number)
5. Rihm 1 piece on the list, 45 (ranking number)


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

StDior said:


> Statistical ways, based on the recently ending Top Recommended Post-1950 Works.
> Primarily based on the number of pieces on the list from a composer, secondly if required by the sum of the ranking numbers.
> 
> Best living composer:
> ...


No Kurtág? Dat be CRAY CRAY!


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## StDior (May 28, 2015)

Kurtag a little bit further on the 14th rank.


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## Selby (Nov 17, 2012)

Morimur said:


> No Kurtág? Dat be CRAY CRAY!


Where do you recommend starting with Kurtag?

I watched this charming video of him playing piano pieces with his wife last night:





Or should I start with the survey of String Quartets?


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

I told myself that I would stay away from this thread but enough has been said that I will add my feelings...

So ... alive, decent body of work and (in most cases) active and younger than I am
(in alphabetic order)

Thomas Ades
George Benjamin
Jennifer Higdon
James MacMillan
Peter Maxwell Davies


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

Becca said:


> I told myself that I would stay away from this thread but enough has been said that I will add my feelings...












*Welcome to the dark side.*​


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

Selby said:


> Where do you recommend starting with Kurtag?
> 
> I watched this charming video of him playing piano pieces with his wife last night:
> 
> ...


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## Vronsky (Jan 5, 2015)

...pas à pas - nulle part... (Poèmes Beckett) -- I recommend this one. My favourite Kurtag work.


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

Dim7 said:


> The Only True Living Classical Compose As Accepted By The Audiences Is Of Couse **** *********


You know, I actually misread this as J*** W******* at first...before realizing that it was one character short. Now I understand.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Otherwise he can maybe PM you  ...


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## Dim7 (Apr 24, 2009)

I only PM myself out of principle.


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## Dim7 (Apr 24, 2009)

Mahlerian said:


> You know, I actually misread this as J*** W******* at first...before realizing that it was one character short. Now I understand.


 You have a dirty mind....


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

A guess:

among contemporary composers, probably the only comparable rivals for the relative commercial success of the _Liverpool Oratorio _and _Standing Stone _(both allegedly top sellers on the classical list when released, but later quite forgotten) were _West Side Story _ and _Gorecki´s 3rd_ ?

Maybe also Nyman´s _Piano Concerto_ and Preisner´s _Requiem_, due to the movie use. I don´t think Ligeti´s _Lux Aeterna _was ever a major hit.


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## Guest (Sep 14, 2015)

dogen said:


> I don't think it's a matter of being an OAP or not. It's a matter of having created a significant body of work; this I think is more likely the more years one has been composing.


Of course. Yet it's interesting that no one is recognising 'top' composers who happen to be much younger (well, with a very small handful of exceptions). Mozart wouldn't have got a look in.


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## Sina (Aug 3, 2012)

What the hell is with 5?! Duh...

Ferneyhough
Murail
Dufourt
Dillon
Birtwistle


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Morimur said:


> Pärt is like the Sting of classical music-I want to avoid him but *he's everywhere*.


Maybe we'll itch sufficiently for another thread-- *Five 20/21s Who're Everywhere*.

Starters: *Glass, Part, Gorecki, Adams, Reich*. Substitutes: *Bryars, Nyman, Ades, Corigliano, Danielpour*.


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## Guest (Sep 14, 2015)

MacLeod said:


> Of course. Yet it's interesting that no one is recognising 'top' composers who happen to be much younger (well, with a very small handful of exceptions). Mozart wouldn't have got a look in.


I can only say my 5 suggestions were made in ignorance of their age. I realised Penderecki is rather senior...
To state the obvious: I respond to the music I hear, biographical information comes later. Most recently I have been blown away by the music of Coates, a completely new name to me; I knew nothing of her including her age (one probably assumes that a composer of "Symphony no 15" is not a youngster). I do think a young "Mozart" would indeed get a look in, an original creative force, not a pastiche peddler though.


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## Guest (Sep 14, 2015)

Let's have a shout for Frederik Magle!


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## PeterFromLA (Jul 22, 2011)

Morimur said:


> No Kurtág? Dat be CRAY CRAY!


It's especially surprising that none of Kurtag's vocal works are on the list. He actually made his reputation as a major composer based on his vocal pieces, especially Messages of the Late Miss R.V. Troussova (this is the work that launched his jet) or the brilliant Kafka Fragments.


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## Selby (Nov 17, 2012)

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Lachenmann.


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## Guest (Sep 14, 2015)

Selby said:


> I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Lachenmann.


I was, until I got as far as #4 and #13!


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## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

Shepard Fairey said:


> 1.Boulez
> 2.Kurtag
> 3.Lachenmann
> 4.Globokar
> 5.Ferneyhough





Selby said:


> I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Lachenmann.


Someone have.

At least Penderecki and Nörgård I can´t decide for others.


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## Selby (Nov 17, 2012)

I stand corrected.


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

Selby said:


> I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Lachenmann.


Lachenmann is great, though at times I think of him as Hans-Joachim Hespos "lite".


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

I forgot Matthias Pintscher, who is the voice of the 20th century. There is no ******* way I could ever forget this guy again.


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## SeptimalTritone (Jul 7, 2014)

^ This is great! Can't believe I haven't heard of Hespos. He's like a successor to Stockhausen (meaning it sort of reminds me of Stimmung or Momente).


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## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)

Well, the top spot obviously goes to Cazazza Dan, right, guys? Eh? Eh? Guys? ... Guys?

I won't list in order, because honestly I find even if I do like one more than another that preference changes with the day, but I guess it would look something like: Kaija Saariaho, Unsuk Chin, Vinko Globokar, György Kurtág, maybe Pierre Boulez if I was feeling lazy.

I keep wanting to put Robert Ashley in there, it's too bad he is no longer with us.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Cazazza Dan is still alive? I thought he was dead. Oh well.


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## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Cazazza Dan is still alive? I thought he was dead. Oh well.


Well you know, all the people can't be all right all of the time.


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

I've hard a nasty rumour that Cazazza Dan has turned to baking, anyway he generally transcends any top 5!

/ptr


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

I've heard that Cazzaza Dan now goes by Caitlin Jenner.


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