# Recommend me some late 20th century works!



## Cosmos (Jun 28, 2013)

I've just recently discovered more contemporary works, but so far I've only scratched the surface. A few favorites:

Reich
- Six Marimbas
- New York Counterpoint
- Different Trains
- WTC 9/11
- City Life

Glass
- Einstein on the Beach (The intro)

Adams
- Harmonielehre

Auerbach
- Symphony 1
- Preludes for piano

Kilar
- Angelus
- Piano Concerto
- Exodus

Part
- Tabula Rasa
- Salve Regina
- Spiegel im Spiegel

Rautavaara 
- Piano Concerto 1
- Symphonies 3, 7, 8

What are some other works I can check out? I'm pretty much open to anything, though I prefer tonal to atonal. Thanks!


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## dgee (Sep 26, 2013)

Going with tonal you might like Magnus Lindberg's recent work - here is the Clarinet Concerto for instance:






Slightly less tonal, Georg Friedrich Haas's "In Vain" is lovely - it was getting called the first masterpiece of the 21st century:






I can also always recommend Wolfgang Rhim's Jagden und Formen - 50 minutes of fun:


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## Alypius (Jan 23, 2013)

Cosmos, I'm going to take you literally, namely, late 20th century and _not_ 21st century. (I say that because you cited Reich's "WTC 9/11," which is actually 21st century; I would add a lot more if I included 21st century). You also cited Part's _Tabula Rasa_, which is 1974-1976. So therefore, here's some recommended works from 1975-1999, and taking my cues from things you indicated that you liked. Many are pretty accessible, but there's some pretty challenging works mixed in. Hopefully they prove both entertaining and engaging. They are listed in reverse chronological order:

1.	Arvo Pärt, Cantique (1999)
2.	Paul Moravec, Mood Swings (1999)
3.	Per Nørgård, Symphony #6 ("At the End of the Day") (1999)
4.	Einojuhani Rautavaara, Piano Concerto #3 ("Gift of Dreams") (1998)
5.	Michael Daugherty, Route 66 (1998)
6.	Arvo Pärt, Kanon Pokajanen (1997)
7.	Vagn Holmboe, Quartetto Sereno, op. 197 (1997)
8.	John Adams, Century Rolls (1996)
9.	John Adams, Hallelujah Junction (1996)
10.	Elliott Carter, String Quartet #5 (1995)
11.	Philip Glass, Symphony #3 (1995)
12.	Steve Reich, Nagoya Marimbas (1994)
13.	Joseph Schwantner, Percussion Concerto (1994)
14.	John Adams, John's Book of Alleged Dances (1994)
15.	Morten Lauridsen, O magnum mysterium (1994)
16.	Witold Lutosławski, Symphony #4 (1994)
17.	Per Nørgård, String Quartet #7 (1994)
18.	György Ligeti, Violin Concerto (1993)
19.	Eric Whitacre, Cloudburst (1993)
20.	Arvo Pärt, Berliner Messe (1992)
21.	György Ligeti, Violin Concerto (1992)
22.	Per Nørgård, Symphony #5 (1990)
23.	Alfred Schnittke, String Quartet #4 (1989)
24.	György Ligeti, Piano Concerto (1988)
25.	Witold Lutosławski, Piano Concerto ("for Krystian Zimerman") (1988)
26.	Steve Reich, Electric Counterpoint (1987)
27.	Einojuhani Rautavaara, Symphony #5 (1986)
28.	Witold Lutosławski, Chain (1986)
29.	John Adams, Short Ride in a Fast Machine (1986)
30.	György Ligeti, Études pour piano (Books 1-2) (1985-1994) ***
31.	Arvo Pärt, Stabat Mater (1985)
32.	Vagn Holmboe, String Quartet #20, op. 160 (1985)
33.	Henri Dutilleux, L'Arbre des songes: Violin Concerto (1985)
34.	Pierre Boulez, Dérive 1 (1984)
35.	Nikolai Kapustin, Eight Concert Études, op. 40 (1984)
36.	Steve Reich, The Desert Music (1984)
37.	Alfred Schnittke, String Quartet #3 (1983)
38.	Witold Lutosławski, Symphony #3 (1983)
39.	Vagn Holmboe, String Quartet #17, op. 152 (1982, rev. 1983)
40.	Steve Reich, Tehillim (1981)
41.	Sofia Gubaidulina, Offertorium (1980)
42.	Einojuhani Rautavaara, Angels and Visitations (1978)
43.	John Adams, Shaker Loops (1978; rev. 1983)
44.	Arvo Pärt, De profundis (1980)
45.	William Duckworth, The Time Curve Preludes (1978)
46.	John Adams, China Gates (1977)
47.	Arvo Pärt, Missa syllabica (1977)
48.	Henryk Gorecki, Symphony #3 (1976) ***
49.	Steve Reich, Music for 18 Musicians (1976) ***
50.	Henri Dutilleux, Ainsi la nuit: String Quartet (1976)
51.	Frederic Rzewski, The People United Will Never Be Defeated (1975) ***

The ones with *** after them are both excellent and historically important in my view.

BTW, among those you cited, Adams' Harmonielehre, Reich's Six Marimbas, and Rautavaara's Symphony 7 are all personal favorites.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I'd wager almost everyone would love Gunnar de Frumerie's Trombone Concerto (ca. 1984). Beautiful themes therein.

The only other work I can think of at the moment is Jospeh Schwantner's Aftertones of Infinity (1978) which I'd like for my collection someday. If only I could remember these things when I'm shopping.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

John Adams:
Shaker Loops, for string septet, or the composer's later version re-orchestrated for string orchestra.
Hoodoo Zephyr (Electronic / Synthesizer)
Light Over Water, two channel tape (brass and electronics)
Christian Zeal & Activity
Common Tones in Simple Time:




Harmonium, for chorus and large orchestra
Grand Pianola Music, for 2 pianos, 3 female voices, winds, brass & percussion
Chamber Symphony
John's Book of Alleged Dances,for string quartet and prepared tape
Eros Piano, for piano and chamber orchestra
Fearful Symmetries:
*_These particular three links are the recording I most prefer... and exception to the N.B. advisory below._












Tromba lontana
Short Ride in a Fast Machine
Violin Concerto:




Century Rolls, for piano and orchestra
Road Movies, for violin and piano
Hallelujah Junction, for two pianos:












Dharma at Big Sur, for six-string electric violin and orchestra: 








A Flowering Tree, opera in two acts
City Noir, for orchestra
Saxophone Concerto

*N.B. For any recordings of John Adams works, you are invariably better of with those recordings where the composer is conducting.


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## Cosmos (Jun 28, 2013)

Thanks everyone so far! I'll listen to these when I have the chance :lol: my internet's really slow right now so idk how much I'll listen to tonight
Also, Alypius, whoops my bad, I initially wanted just 20th century works, but half way through writing I decided I just wanted contemporary-ish works (anything within the last 50 years) but forgot to change the title


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

Anything by:

György Ligeti
Karlheinz Stockhausen
Olivier Messiaen
Bela Bartok
Benjamin Britten
Mauricio Kagel
Iannis Xenakis
Witold Lutosławski
Pierre Boulez
Igor Stravinsky
Elliott Carter
Richard Barrett
Brian Ferneyhough
Milton Babbitt
Michael Finnissy
Morton Feldman
György Kurtág

There's plenty more but that should suffice for awhile.


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## Simon Moon (Oct 10, 2013)

Lots of good recommendations so far.

I love Magnus Lindberg, Joseph Schwanter, Einojuhani Rautavaara, György Ligeti.

I will add -

Penderecki - Violin Concerto No. 2 Metamorphosen (1992)
Penderecki- Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima (1960)

I could list a bunch more by Penderecki.

Joan Tower - Sequoia (1981)
Joan Tower - Silver Ladders (1986)
Joan Tower - Violin Concerto (1992)

Elliot Carter - way too many to list. I loves me some Carter!

Ernst Krenek - Statisch Und Exstatisch - Zehn Kurze Stücke Für Kammerorchester, Op. 214 (1972) 
Ernst Krenek - Kitharaulos - For Oboe, English Horn (1971)

Samuel Barber - Piano Concerto (1962)


Not all of these are tonal, so YMMV.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Nono, Berio, Schnittke, Gubaidulina, Ligeti, Xenakis. Stockhausen, Dutilleux, Lutoslawski, Carter, Penderecki, Gerhard, Ginastera, Maderna, Boulez, Ornstein, Norgard, Takemitsu, Krenek, Walton, Kabalevsky, Khachaturian, Rzewski. :tiphat:


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## Alypius (Jan 23, 2013)

Cosmos, I saw your note about wanting 21st century works as well. Here's 40, but this is one of the hardest areas to suggest since there are certainly many, many fine new works that, if recorded, have gotten little publicity. So here's a very biased list of 40:

1.	Caroline Shaw, Partita for 8 Voices (2013)
2.	Bryce Dessner, Aheym (2013)
3.	Mason Bates, Stereo is King (2013)
4.	John Adams, Saxophone Concerto (2012)
5.	John Adams, Gospel According to the Other Mary (2012)
6.	David Lang, Death Speaks (2012)
7.	Missy Mizzoli, Songs from the Uproar: The Lives and Deaths of Isabelle Eberhardt (2012)
8.	Kaija Saariaho, D'om le vrai sens (Clarinet Concerto) (2010)
9.	Unsuk Chin, Cello Concerto (2009) (premiered at PROMS, not yet released on record)
10.	Arvo Pärt, Adam's Lament (2009)
11. Roberto Sierra, Sinfonia #4 (2009)
12.	John Adams, City Noir (2009)
13.	Judd Greenstein, Change (2009) (on the NOW Ensemble's record Awake)
14.	Marc-André Hamelin, 12 Études in all the minor keys (2009)
15.	Esa-Pekka Salonen, Violin Concerto ("Out of Nowhere") (2009)
16.	Krzysztof Penderecki, String Quartet #3 ("Leaves of an unwritten diary") (2008)
17.	Steve Reich, 2 x 5 (2008)
18.	Jennifer Higdon, Violin Concerto (2008)
19.	Dobrinka Tabakova, Cello Concerto (2008)
20.	Arvo Pärt, Symphony #4 (2008)
21.	Bruce Wolosoff, Songs Without Words (2008)
22.	Pascal Dusapin, Seven Solos for Orchestra (1995 for #1-3, 2008 for #4-7)
23.	Nico Muhly, Seeing Is Believing (2007)
24.	Steve Reich, Double Sextet (2007)
25.	Jonathan Leshnoff, Violin Concerto (2006)
26.	Tarik O'Regan, The Ecstasies Above (2006)
27.	Tarik O'Regan, Threshold of Night (2006)
28.	Per Nørgård, String Quartet #10 ("Hosttidlos" / "Harvest Timeless") (2005)
29.	Jennifer Higdon, Percussion Concerto (2005)
30.	Pascal Dusapin, String Quartet #5 (2005)
31.	Thomas Adès, Violin Concerto ("Concentric Paths") (2005)
32.	Dobrinka Tabakova, Suite in Old Style (2004)
33.	John Adams, The Dharma at Big Sur (2003)
34.	John Adams, My Father Knew Charles Ives (2003)
35.	Michael Daugherty, Fire and Blood (2003)
36.	Paul Moravec, Tempest Fantasy (2002)
37.	Unsuk Chin, Violin Concerto (2001)
38.	Per Nørgård, Terrains Vagues (2000)
39.	Paul Moravec, The Time Gallery (2000)
40.	Osvaldo Golijov, La pasión según san Marcos (2000)

See also the "New Generations" thread where SimonNZ and others have left lots of links to the new generation of composers (born since 1970):

http://www.talkclassical.com/31712-new-generations.html


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## dgee (Sep 26, 2013)

No room yet for Tristan Murail or Gerard Grisey?

Murail to start with and this one's a beauty:


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

dgee said:


> No room yet for Tristan Murail or Gerard Grisey?
> 
> Murail to start with and this one's a beauty:


I'll second the vote for Grisey. I find him vaguely like Ligeti, only a little earthier. But then I've only heard one album.


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

William Duckworth's Time Curve Preludes


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

GreenMamba said:


> William Duckworth's Time Curve Preludes


Any relation to Jack Duckworth?


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## GioCar (Oct 30, 2013)

A good introduction to contemporary music with lots of listening examples:

http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2012/apr/23/welcome-new-contemporary-music-guide


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## Arsakes (Feb 20, 2012)




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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

Based on your initial list, I'd say you'll probably also enjoy the music of Peteris Vasks. I'd recommend in particular his String quartet no.4.
Check out, too, the vocal music of Veljo Tormis.
Also, let me be the first to suggest Meredith Monk. "Dolmen Music" is the album I first heard.
And a recent favourite of mine is Laurent Petitgirard's "The Little Prince".
Oh, and there's also Lepo Sumera.


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

Maybe you could try the music of Salvatore Sciarrino. A very personal musical world, indeed. One bonus if you like it, is that Sciarrino is a prolific composer, so you have a lot of works to explore.

This is Studi per l'intonazione del mare, written in the year 2000, so it's really *late* 20th century:


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## Guest (Jun 5, 2014)

Imagine, if you will, a person asking this question in 1814: recommend me some late 18th century (and early 19th century) works.

With the proviso, of course, that that person prefers Baroque music.

Interesting.

Only since the twentieth century has it become even possible to ask for music that is recently composed but still sounds old. 

And nowadays, such a request doesn't even seem absurd. Why, you can even get people in 2014 who will write you some nice recent Baroque stylings. That's what stylistic diversity means now, that any old thing thing from the past can be recycled without that seeming in any way peculiar. (And I am NOT talking Schnittke, here, either!)

A composer in Beethoven's time still doing Baroque, however? I'll bet that that sounds absurd to every TCer ever. Of course, now there will be the denials. Doesn't mean I'll be doing any believing of any of them, however!!

Well, some recommendations have been of other things. So I should be glad for that. I am, too. Really.


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## Igneous01 (Jan 27, 2011)

some guy said:


> Imagine, if you will, a person asking this question in 1814: recommend me some late 18th century (and early 19th century) works.
> 
> With the proviso, of course, that that person prefers Baroque music.
> 
> ...


An interest point to make, but I would also agree in that I would not be looking for traditional works in this day and age. Im not interested in 21st century Baroque music, but Baroque music adapted into Serialist or post tonal workings.

Because of the large number of styles and techniques available, Im looking more for the formulation of new music from the synthesis of old styles - this to me is the definition of contemporary.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Ingram Marshall: _(various awards: Academy Award from the American Academy of Arts and Literature, a Guggenheim fellowship, and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Aaron Copland Fund.)_
_Fog Tropes_: for prepared tape and Brass Sextet (1961)




_Fog Tropes II_: the same taped material, reduction of the brass parts for String Quartet (1994)





*David Lang: (Pulitzer Prize, music; _The Little Match Girl, 2008_
_Child_, for Flute, Clarinet, Viola, Cello, Piano, Percussion. (2001) _(IMO, a beautiful and brilliant piece)_





















Luciano Berio ~ _Sinfonia,_ 3rd Movement (1968)









Georg Friederich Haas: _In Vain_ for chamber ensemble of 24 players (2002)





Beat Furrer: Piano Concerto (2007)





Thomas Ades: _In Seven Days_, for piano and orchestra (2008)





*John *Luther* Adams:
_Dark Waves_, for Orchestra and Electronics (2007)




_In the Rain_, electronic piece (2008)




_Become Ocean_, for Orchestra _ (2013) (winner, Pulitzer Prize for Music, 2014)_
Link to WQXR archive broadcast of performance in Carnegie Hall
http://www.wqxr.org/#!/story/ny-premiere-john-luther-adamss-become-ocean/

Elliott Carter: _A Symphony of Three Orchestras_ (1976)  (Two Pulitzer Prizes: String Quartet No. 1; 1960 / String Quartet No. 3; 1973)





* "minimalist"


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Arsakes said:


> Star Wars, Episode IV, Imperial Attack


Sorry, bubelah, that is a _film_ score


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Some composers not mentioned yet, writing in a quite "accessible", partly romantically influenced style:

*Sven-David Sandström *Piano Concerto 



*Tristan Keuris* (e.g. Piano Concerto, Movements for Orchestra, Double Cello Concerto, 2 Violin Concertos)




 



*Onute Narbutaite* (2nd Symphony; not on you-t)
*Poul Ruders* (1st Piano Concerto) 



*Lubos Fiser* Sonata 8 



, 15 Pictures after Dürer´s Apocalypse 



*Johan Hammerth* Piano Concerto 



*Kjell Flem*: Piano Concerto, Ultima Thule, Solar Wind
*Ib Nørholm* Symphonies; no.5 ; nr.9 



*Pawel Szymanski *2 Piano Etudes, Piano Concerto 



*Lucia Dlugoszewski* Fire Fragile Flight 



*Lepo Sumera* Symphonies 




By *Nørgaard*, I´d like to mention the Piano Concerto In Due Tempi https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=nørgård+piano+concerto+change and the Percussion Concerto "For A Change, and by* Saariaho* the flute concerto l`Aile du Songe 




Really weird, iconoclast style style:
Georgij Dorokhov (on you-t only, no other recordings. some new material has been added quite recently) 
Concertino 



Deconstruction for orchestra


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## musicrom (Dec 29, 2013)

Some of his music was already mentioned, but *Vagn Holmboe* fits your description, I think.

Here's the first movement of his viola concerto:


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## Bruce (Jan 2, 2013)

I'm a particular fan of Esa-Pekka Salonen. His LA Variations, Foreign Bodies, Wing on Wing, and Insomnia are great works. I'd also recommend: 

Michael Colgrass - As Quiet As 
John Corigliano's First Symphony 
Leon Kirchner's Piano Concerto and First Piano Sonata 
Paul Creston's Fifth Symphony
Tobias Picker - Romances and Interludes (neat references to Robert Schumann)
George Rochberg - Violin Concerto, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th string quartets
Randall Woolf - dancetudes
Roy Harris - Symphony No. 3
Kelly-Marie Murphy – Give Me Phoenix Wings to Fly (for piano trio)
Nicole Lizée - This Will not Be Televised (electronic)
William Bolcom - Piano Concerto
Poul Ruders - First Symphony: "Himmelhoch jauchzend - zum Tod betrübt" (there's no other funeral march that quite matches the one in last movement of this symphony).

This is a lifelong endeavor! An incredible amount of fascinating music was written during the last half of the 20th century.


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## cjvinthechair (Aug 6, 2012)

Love this site for the trouble people take to steer colleagues to interesting works - I'm very much into 20/21C, but have raised an eyebrow at one or two suggestions....many thanks to all.
My own two-pennyworth...not original today(put it on another thread), but pressed for time: Aleksandr Shymko - his own YT Channel, with a number of full works. This is his 'Equilibrium'.


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## randy woolf (Jun 7, 2014)

*Thanks!*

thanks, bruce! quite amazing to see my piece on that list. you can hear [almost] all of my music, complete, on my website, randallwoolf.com you can get the dancétudes on iTunes. they are on kathy supové's album 'Figure 88'.

best, randy



Bruce said:


> I'm a particular fan of Esa-Pekka Salonen. His LA Variations, Foreign Bodies, Wing on Wing, and Insomnia are great works. I'd also recommend:
> 
> Michael Colgrass - As Quiet As
> John Corigliano's First Symphony
> ...


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## Cygnenoir (Dec 21, 2011)

Nereffid said:


> Also, let me be the first to suggest Meredith Monk. "Dolmen Music" is the album I first heard.


Fantastic album!


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

George Flynn, Wound from Trinity (there's a part 2 on youtube to follow on if you like it)


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

^^^
Unknown to me, even the composer. Not uninteresting, with some quite immediately recognizable traits.


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

In accordance with the initial post of the thread, this Concerto n. 4, "Khorovody" (1989), by Rodion Shchedrin, can be a nice piece to hear. It's bringing to mind the childhood of the composer in Aleksin, 'with the cries of shepherds at dawn, coming from beyond the river Oka, enveloped in fog'...


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## Cosmos (Jun 28, 2013)

All these suggestions are great! Again, I'll get around to listening to them :lol: but so far, I'm lovin it


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## Guest (Jul 4, 2014)

I'm going on a retail bender tomorrow and this thread has given me quite a list, so thanks for that!


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## Blancrocher (Jul 6, 2013)

Newbies to Gubaidulina may be interested in the following MP3 download:

http://www.amazon.com/Best-Sofia-Gu...F8&qid=1404497984&sr=1-8&keywords=gubaidulina

$6 for almost 6 hours of music.

*p.s.* Hm--and one of my favorite Takemitsu albums, going for $3.

http://www.amazon.com/Takemitsu-Pac...UTF8&qid=1404498945&sr=1-1&keywords=takemitsu

*p.p.s.* And lots more $4 downloads of late-20th-century classics (Lutoslawski, Carter, etc.). Just thought I'd mention it, in case others weren't aware of how cheap some of this stuff is. Perhaps streaming services are resulting in lower prices, or something.

*p.p.p.s* OK, they just got me on Subotnik and Schaeffer.

*p.p.p.p.s* And now I'm thinking...

*p.p.p.p.p.s.* STAY AWAY--FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!


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## 38157 (Jul 4, 2014)

I wholeheartedly recommend Penderecki's Polish Requiem. It isn't so "far-out" as some of his more popular works (e.g. Threnody), but nevertheless, it's worthy of attention. 
Additionally, I would suggest Frank Zappa's "Mo 'n Herb's Vacation", the first movement of which is a clarinet concerto (but the third movement is my favourite - the clarinet melody returns orchestrated very dramatically).
You might also be familiar with Toru Takemitsu* - I would just recommend picking some of his music off a list and listening to it. Some might even call it spiffy.

*Blancrocher already suggested his stuff, so listen to the man.


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

Talking about Japanese composers, you could also try something from Toshio Hosokawa. In his music there is an almost ineffable blend of Western contemporary techniques, and Japanese aesthetics. Below, a fragment from the string quartet "Silent Flowers", written in 1998 (again, late 20th century ):


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

schigolch said:


> Talking about Japanese composers, you could also try something from Toshio Hosokawa. In his music there is an almost ineffable blend of Western contemporary techniques, and Japanese aesthetics. Below, a fragment from the string quartet "Silent Flowers", written in 1998 (again, late 20th century ):


I'm wondering why that composer called it Silent Flower? It certainly not very floral nor silent, msucially speaking.


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## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)

ArtMusic said:


> I'm wondering why that composer called it Silent Flower? It certainly not very floral nor silent, msucially speaking.


Because that's what he wanted to call it. In any case, what in the hell does "floral" mean in this context?


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Crudblud said:


> Because that's what he wanted to call it. In any case, what in the hell does "floral" mean in this context?


Floral means of flowers. I wrote that because that composer called it "Silent Flowers". My question is why did that composer call it "Silent Flowers". "Because that's what he wanted to call it" - doesn't quite explain why.


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## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)

ArtMusic said:


> Floral means of flowers. I wrote that because that composer called it "Silent Flowers". My question is why did that composer call it "Silent Flowers". "Because that's what he wanted to call it" - doesn't quite explain why.


Yes, I know that, but I'm asking you what floral is supposed to mean in a musical context. And yes, the piece has that name because the composer wanted to give it that name, it really is that simple.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

I usually just disregard names like that when I listen to music. I'm sure the name has meaning to the composer but not to me in most cases.


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## dgee (Sep 26, 2013)

Crudblud said:


> Yes, I know that, but I'm asking you what floral is supposed to mean in a musical context. And yes, the piece has that name because the composer wanted to give it that name, it really is that simple.


It means "sounds like Tchaikovsky's Waltz of the Flowers" - plain and simple


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## dgee (Sep 26, 2013)

Back to the music, it occurred to me the Spanish composer Jesus Rueda writes some well-crafted largely tonal symphonies and never seems to get mentioned by anyone ever. Jennifer Higdon and Eric Whitacre probably also deserve a mention here - not my cup of tea but they both are popular in accessible tonalish orchestral and choral work respectively


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

Hosokawa is a fervent admirer of haiku poetry, and the title is most probably a homage to Uejima Onitsura:

_Silent flowers
speak also
to that obedient ear within.

_Silence is also very important to Hosokawa's music. In his own words: "Transience is beatiful. A note breaks the silence, is alive, and then returns to the silence.".

About the music being 'floral', well, instrumental music is very abstract. To give it meaning, context, needs a convention, a pact between the composer and his audience. Something like B minor is sad, or the Purvi raga has a mystical nature. Within Hosokawa's musical framework, the piece sounds quite "floral" to me.


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## worov (Oct 12, 2012)

Alan Hovhaness. Give a try to his Majnun Symphony :


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## Guest (Jul 5, 2014)

Well, courtesy of this thread, specifically the lists of alypius, I've just got hold of CDs by Penderecki, Rzewski, Prokofiev, Norgard, Part, Gorecki and Rautavaara. That may sound decadent, but the prices ranged from £2 to a mighty £7.

So now to dive in!

Thanks for the suggestions!!


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)

Some recent pieces that have come to my attention
György Ligeti Violin Concerto
Brett Dean Vexations and Devotions
John Adams Violin Concerto
Sophia Gubaidulina In Tempus Praesens

I'm certainly no recent work expert.


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## Ian Moore (Jun 28, 2014)

György Ligeti
Karlheinz Stockhausen
Olivier Messiaen
Bela Bartok
Benjamin Britten
Mauricio Kagel
Iannis Xenakis
Witold Lutosławski
Pierre Boulez
Igor Stravinsky
Elliott Carter
Richard Barrett
Brian Ferneyhough
Milton Babbitt
Michael Finnissy
Morton Feldman
György Kurtág


Lope de Aguirre,
Fantastic list. I am not sure about Benjamin Britten, though.


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## Ian Moore (Jun 28, 2014)

Murail and Grisey are excellent.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

I listened to Adams's _The Dharma at Big Sur _this evening. It doesn't get much better than that. But it's 21st century, so maybe it doesn't count?


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)

KenOC said:


> I listened to Adams's _The Dharma at Big Sur _this evening. It doesn't get much better than that. But it's 21st century, so maybe it doesn't count?


Great idea, I've just put this on my Amazon wishlist.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

KenOC said:


> I listened to Adams's _The Dharma at Big Sur _this evening. It doesn't get much better than that. But it's 21st century, so maybe it doesn't count?


I have listened to about half of that album. It was enjoyable.


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## Guest (Jul 6, 2014)

senza sordino said:


> Some recent pieces that have come to my attention
> György Ligeti Violin Concerto
> Brett Dean Vexations and Devotions
> John Adams Violin Concerto
> ...


I think that the OP specifically desires non-expert advice.

I say that with some confidence, as I have never seen any other desire in any online discussion on any classical board anywhere.

So no need to apologize. You're just what the OP wants!!


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## Guest (Jul 19, 2014)

gog said:


> Well, courtesy of this thread, specifically the lists of alypius, I've just got hold of CDs by Penderecki, Rzewski, Prokofiev, Norgard, Part, Gorecki and Rautavaara. That may sound decadent, but the prices ranged from £2 to a mighty £7.
> 
> So now to dive in!
> 
> Thanks for the suggestions!!


I am enjoying all of these purchases, particularly the Gorecki, Part and Penderecki.


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## 38157 (Jul 4, 2014)

The Poles are the best. If you haven't already heard it, listen to Górecki's Symphony No. 2, Lutosławski's Symphony No. 1 and Postludium 1-3 (1 is my favourite), and also Penderecki's "Ubu Rex", which is a good opera (and I think it borrows some themes from his 3rd symphony).


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## Serge (Mar 25, 2010)

If you are looking for something different, I think that Morton Feldman's piano works are quite mind-blowing in that regard. I remember being hooked on those for some time. I hope I got the name of the author right.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Not exactly late, but I recommend Vincent Persichetti's 10th piano sonata, composed in 1955; one of the truly great piano sonatas of the 20th century; written in accessible neo-classical style, proudly American, haunting and bold.


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## Guest (Jul 20, 2014)

****** said:


> The Poles are the best. If you haven't already heard it, listen to Górecki's Symphony No. 2, Lutosławski's Symphony No. 1 and Postludium 1-3 (1 is my favourite), and also Penderecki's "Ubu Rex", which is a good opera (and I think it borrows some themes from his 3rd symphony).


I wonder why that is; do you think there's something in the water??!!

Or maybe Polish Spirit.

Just enjoying Gorecki's Symphony no.3

Quite blissful (as well as sorrowful of course).


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

One very interesting piece from late 20th century is Fausto Romitelli's _Professor Bad Trip_.

It was written between the years 1998 and 2000, for an ensemble of strings, winds and percussion, plus electric guitar and electric bass (some of the strings can be played also in their electical version, as well as a small keyboard), to be played by 10 musicians. It was inspired by an Italian artist, Gianluca Lerici, aka Professor Bad Trip, that died young, in his forties, like Romitelli himself.










It was structured as three lessons, and the sounds are powerful and fascinating at the same time. Well worth a hearing (and two ). Please note that this is kind of "avantgarde" stuff, just as a warning for people with a more "traditional" taste.


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## Radames (Feb 27, 2013)

I go to lots of concerts and have heard stuff I like that may never get recorded. David Mallamud and Kevin Siegfried have composed some works I really liked in concerts in the past few years. I'm not crazy about most of Torke's works but I loved Heartland when I heard it in 2006 - but there is no recording. Recently heard the premier of Eric Chamagne's 1st Symphony and was very impressed. I loved Maxime Goulet's piece What a Day. 



Dennis Gougeon wrote a beautiful piece based on Quebec folksongs called Écoutez mon histoire. That premiered in Montreal in 2008. I wrote about this in a thread http://www.talkclassical.com/32109-active-composers-compose-orchestral.html

I really don't much like the modern sound and that "avantgarde" stuff, gives me a headache. I have liked some Schwantner. I tracked him down at a concert a few years back to ask if his Chasing Light was going to be recorded. I heard it twice in concert and really liked it. The CD came out a year later. I've liked some Robert Ward. Many of his works are post 1950. Some of Howard Hanson's works are post 1950.


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## Alypius (Jan 23, 2013)

A few YouTubes from my earlier lists:

*Steve Reich: Double Sextet (2007)*
This won the Pulitzer Prize for 2008. Here's movement #3:






*Tarik O'Regan, The Ecstasies Above (2006)*






*Steve Reich: Nagoya Marimbas*


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## Radames (Feb 27, 2013)

John Barnes Chance.


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

*Tragic Death*

Were you aware that Chance died in a stupid accident when he was only thirty-nine in 1972? He was electrocuted while working on his swimming pool in his backyard.

Since the above was originally a band work, do you know who did the transcription for orchestra? I could not find any information concerning the transcription.

Edit: I did some additional searching and found that the transcription was done by Robert Longfield. The work was composed in 1967 and the transcription was prepared in 2006.

Link to You Tube of original band version:


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## Guest (Jul 25, 2014)

Wow. I found the orchestral version unlistenable. After a minute of exquisite torture, I shut it down.

So I was keen to hear the band version of course. It's still not the kind of thing I'd go out of my way to listen to, but the band version is so much more interesting and colorful. When the internets decided to stop loading it at 1:44, I took the trouble to restart it so that I could listen to the whole thing. Hmmm. I guess that does constitute going out of my way. Extraordinary.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

I would recommend the symphonies of William Schuman and Peter Mennin, highly original. Excellent music.


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## Radames (Feb 27, 2013)

arpeggio said:


> Were you aware that Chance died in a stupid accident when he was only thirty-nine in 1972? He was electrocuted while working on his swimming pool in his backyard.


I have heard of several people being shocked or electrocuted in pools recently. Probably more likely to die that way than by a shark attack in the ocean.


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## Radames (Feb 27, 2013)

Here's something I heard last year at Festival de Lanaudière by a guy named Airat Ichmouratov. Looks like someone posted the performance on youtube. Old fashioned and romantic - just the way I like it!


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## cjvinthechair (Aug 6, 2012)

Radames said:


> Here's something I heard last year at Festival de Lanaudière by a guy named Airat Ichmouratov. Looks like someone posted the performance on youtube. Old fashioned and romantic - just the way I like it!


Yep, that's from his own Channel - a few more pieces there folk might like. Another fine Canadian composer (though with Russian antecedents, of course).
If anyone fancies trying others, might do worse than starting with Malcolm Forsyth, Larysa Kuzmenko, Jacques Hetu, Marjan Mozetich...and for even more recent, Heather Schmidt & Vivian Fung.


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## Cosmos (Jun 28, 2013)

arpeggio said:


> Were you aware that Chance died in a stupid accident when he was only thirty-nine in 1972? He was electrocuted while working on his swimming pool in his backyard.


Wow what are the chances


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## Radames (Feb 27, 2013)

cjvinthechair said:


> Yep, that's from his own Channel - a few more pieces there folk might like. Another fine Canadian composer (though with Russian antecedents, of course).
> If anyone fancies trying others, might do worse than starting with Malcolm Forsyth, Larysa Kuzmenko, Jacques Hetu, Marjan Mozetich...and for even more recent, Heather Schmidt & Vivian Fung.


They play Forsyth and Hetu at concerts in Montreal and Ottawa a lot, but their music is usually pretty... difficult. To me anyway. I heard one Hetu piece that I liked a few years ago, but now I can't remember what it was called.


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

Which symphonic, late 20th century works can be considered accessible, perhaps with traces of late romanticism and some modern touches as well, without fitting too much in a specific category... I'm having Silvestrov Symphony no. 5 in mind.


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## dgee (Sep 26, 2013)

DeepR said:


> Which symphonic, late 20th century works can be considered accessible, perhaps with traces of late romanticism and some modern touches as well, without fitting too much in a specific category... I'm having Silvestrov Symphony no. 5 in mind.


Forgive me sir, but I believe your question is "Which symphonic, late 20th century works sound like they were written in a particular style very popular in the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s?". There's probably stuff that sounds a bit like that, but why not just put the Silvestrov back on for another lap?

Or you could come and see what people are doing with orchestras these days? Like this, for instance, which I would say is accessible:


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

This is one of the latest pieces written by Galina Ustvolskaya. Her Symphony nº5, "Amen", completed in 1990. A speaker (in Russian), accompanied by oboe, violin, trumpet, tuba and percussion. Quite a listening experience!.

In Ustvolskaya's own words: _I find it difficult to say anything about this work, and therefore, I shall turn to Schumann, who once wrote that the best way to speak about music is to be silent
_


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## omega (Mar 13, 2014)

My last discovery: Rautavaara.
Have a look at any concerto or a symphony by this Finnish composer... I'm sure you will be intrigued - if not enthralled - by his captivating harmonies.


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## Igneous01 (Jan 27, 2011)

dgee said:


> Forgive me sir, but I believe your question is "Which symphonic, late 20th century works sound like they were written in a particular style very popular in the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s?". There's probably stuff that sounds a bit like that, but why not just put the Silvestrov back on for another lap?
> 
> Or you could come and see what people are doing with orchestras these days? Like this, for instance, which I would say is accessible:


Wait, I'm a little confused here, how is this new? It sounds like a mash up between Schnittke and Edgar Varese, and these styles were fairly well known in the times you specified. Silvestrov might be a conservative to some extent, but that doesn't make his music out of date. He studied with Lyatoshynsky, which was another great modernist for his time. I would argue that this is pretty conservative for music these days.


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## dgee (Sep 26, 2013)

Igneous01 said:


> Wait, I'm a little confused here, how is this new? It sounds like a mash up between Schnittke and Edgar Varese, and these styles were fairly well known in the times you specified. Silvestrov might be a conservative to some extent, but that doesn't make his music out of date. He studied with Lyatoshynsky, which was another great modernist for his time. I would argue that this is pretty conservative for music these days.


It's new because it was written in 2008. I didn't put it up because it's outrageously unlike anything before, I just think it's representative of good orchestral writing now, and I specifically because I think it's fairly accessible (Pintscher is a slick composer all round - I've recently really enjoyed his Sonic Eclipse and Heriodade Fragments also) - this is not an issue of conservatism or novelty, just that different musical styles happen in certain times and if you look for what people where doing then in music from now you'll miss the point


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## Igneous01 (Jan 27, 2011)

dgee said:


> It's new because it was written in 2008. I didn't put it up because it's outrageously unlike anything before, I just think it's representative of good orchestral writing now, and I specifically because I think it's fairly accessible (Pintscher is a slick composer all round - I've recently really enjoyed his Sonic Eclipse and Heriodade Fragments also) - this is not an issue of conservatism or novelty, just that different musical styles happen in certain times and if you look for what people where doing then in music from now you'll miss the point


Ok, if your going by date of publishing then it is a new work. But I've heard this style of writing many times now, going as far back as the 50's and 60's. I guess I disagree with the idea of this being the sound of today. The writing is clean sure; a good example of orchestration, but I just can't see myself calling this new.


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## dgee (Sep 26, 2013)

Igneous01 said:


> Ok, if your going by date of publishing then it is a new work. But I've heard this style of writing many times now, going as far back as the 50's and 60's. I guess I disagree with the idea of this being the sound of today. The writing is clean sure; a good example of orchestration, but I just can't see myself calling this new.


Interesting! I'd like to hear some similar examples of this style (identifying what style elements you are talking about of course!) in the 50s or 60s? Most of the stuff I know from that time (quite a lot) is quite a bit less slick that what happens now by not having the recent learnings on sonority/IRCAM stuff and rapidly advancing comfort with extended techniques etc

Also, what is the sound of the today? I'd be reluctant to put my finger on it, but a composer like Pintscher, who's really quite establishment and a fine craftsman, might represent the friendly face of Euro-mod at the moment with maybe the likes of Eotvos, Jarrell, Glanert, Dalbavie and others. Interested in your thoughts

Once again, for me it's not about "new" as in doesn't sound like anything else ever but "new" as in being written now.


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## Igneous01 (Jan 27, 2011)

dgee said:


> Interesting! I'd like to hear some similar examples of this style (identifying what style elements you are talking about of course!) in the 50s or 60s? Most of the stuff I know from that time (quite a lot) is quite a bit less slick that what happens now by not having the recent learnings on sonority/IRCAM stuff and rapidly advancing comfort with extended techniques etc


Edgar Varese - Ameriques (the percussion)
Schnittke - Concert for Oboe, Harp and Strings
Schnittke - Labrynths
Kalevi Aho's Quintet for Flute, Oboe and String Trio

There are others, but Pintscher's piece reminds me of something that was done before.


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## bassClef (Oct 29, 2006)

No mention for Carl Vine yet? As well as writing some excellent stuff (Celebrare Celeberrime, Choral Symphony, Percussion Symphony, Symphony No. 4.2 to name just a few), he's the only composer that's actually a friend of mine on facebook!


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## dgee (Sep 26, 2013)

Igneous01 said:


> but Pintscher's piece reminds me of something that was done before.


No "buts" there - I'd be surprised if it didn't remind you of other work! Not sure I see the connection with Ameriques or Schnittke as these are both much more "rough and ready" in technique, maybe some of Aho's later orchestral works might be a better textural comparison. I see Osiris as more connected with things like the spectral aesthetic and even the lushness and polish of Henze's work alongside the intiacte sound world of Boulez - but that's just me

Always intersting to see how different people connect the dots differently!


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