# Looking for new (not necessarily modern) music recommendations



## sobo22 (Nov 9, 2020)

I've been getting into the music of:

Karl Hartmann
Henryk Gorecki
Arthur Honegger
Frank Martin

I would call this group "off the beaten path".

Looking for recommendations of composers and pieces that you think fall into the same category.


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## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

Not modernistic, but 'new' to you. Perhaps 'lesser-known' composers are who you seek.

I suggest:

Charles Koechlin
Andre Jolivet
Jon Leifs
Karol Szymanowski


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

Alan Hovhaness
Michael Daugherty
Michael Gandolfini
Jennifer Higdon
Jerod Impchchaachaaha Tate
Christopher Theofanidis
Giancarlo Guerrero


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## Axter (Jan 15, 2020)

Mily Alekseyevich Balakirev
Shardad Rohani


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## sobo22 (Nov 9, 2020)

Thanks Pro! Not familiar with those and will check them out.


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## sobo22 (Nov 9, 2020)

NoCoPilot said:


> Alan Hovhaness
> Michael Daugherty
> Michael Gandolfini
> Jennifer Higdon
> ...


Was listening to the Higdon "Cold Mountain" this past weekend. Wonderful!
Have heard some Hovhaness and Daugherty.

Will look into the others. Thanks!


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## sobo22 (Nov 9, 2020)

Axter said:


> Mily Alekseyevich Balakirev
> Shardad Rohani


Thanks Axter! Not familiar with those and will check them out.


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## Axter (Jan 15, 2020)

sobo22 said:


> Thanks Axter! Not familiar with those and will check them out.


You are welcome.
Incidentally today I was listening to Balakirev's 1st Symph. LPO Sir Thomas Beecham. Its wonderful.
Rohani has some nice piano and orchestral pieces, checkout "eternity". Its beautiful.

* edit: sorry Balakirov with RPO not LPO.


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## sobo22 (Nov 9, 2020)

Axter said:


> You are welcome.
> Incidentally today I was listening to Balakirev's 1st Symph. LPO Sir Thomas Beecham. Its wonderful.
> Rohani has some nice piano and orchestral pieces, checkout "eternity". Its beautiful.


I have the Balakirev 1st on a disc with the Kalinnikov 1st. Cueing it up shortly.

For a while I picked up anything that Kondrashin conducted. This is one of many. Unfortunately I never listened to the Balakirev.


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## Axter (Jan 15, 2020)

^
Hope you enjoy it.


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## sobo22 (Nov 9, 2020)

Axter said:


> ^
> Hope you enjoy it.


Thanks Axter! Need to look through my collection for other pieces that I haven't listened to. I bought the disc for the Kalinnikov/Kondrashin and really enjoyed the Balakirev!


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## Kiki (Aug 15, 2018)

sobo22 said:


> I've been getting into the music of:
> 
> Karl Hartmann
> Henryk Gorecki
> ...


I've been exploring the music of Frank Martin bit by bit for the best part of thirty years. Progress has been slow, but very rewarding.

My favourite piece has to be "Concerto pour sept instruments à vent, timbales, batterie et orchestre à cordes", a very charismatic piece like, among his contemporaries, Bartók's "Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta", and Martinů's "Double Concerto for Two String Orchestras, Piano and Timpani", although the mood is not as dark as either.

His most famous piece is probably the chamber version of "Petite symphonie concertante". Neoclassical and avant-garde at the same time. The sound of the harp, the piano and the harpsichord is out of this world. I also like the orchestral version "Symphonie concertante", which is not so much of a concertante, but the full range of orchestral colours is equally interesting.

I've been listening to his orchestral song cycle "Die Weise von Liebe und Tod des Cornets Christoph Rilke". Heavy, emotional stuff. The closest in mood I can think of are Shostakovich's 13th and 14th symphonies, both I love.

My latest discovery is his ballet "Das Märchen vom Aschenbrödel", his take on the Cinderella story, an inventive score with four singers and a chamber orchestra (minus the ballet dancers of course.)

How far have you got with Frank Martin? Any favourite piece to share?


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## sobo22 (Nov 9, 2020)

Kiki said:


> I've been exploring the music of Frank Martin bit by bit for the best part of thirty years. Progress has been slow, but very rewarding.
> 
> My favourite piece has to be "Concerto pour sept instruments à vent, timbales, batterie et orchestre à cordes", a very charismatic piece like, among his contemporaries, Bartók's "Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta", and Martinů's "Double Concerto for Two String Orchestras, Piano and Timpani", although the mood is not as dark as either.
> 
> ...


My introduction to Frank Martin was the Concerto for 7 Winds, Percussion and Strings. I have a few versions however this is my favorite so far:

Chicago Symphony Orchestra- The Centennial Collection (http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=150031)

Which recording do you have of the "Die Weise von Liebe und Tod des Cornets Christoph Rilke" and the "Das Märchen vom Aschenbrödel"? I've not heard them and would like to check them out.

The Mass for Double Chorus is beautiful! I have this disc (http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical...role1=1&comp_id=236594&bcorder=15&label_id=66)

Tomorrow I'm going to cue up the "Petite Symphonie Concertante". I have these:

Martin: Symphonie, Symphonie Concertante, Etc / Bamert
(http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical...role1=1&comp_id=236592&bcorder=15&label_id=45)

Martin: Concerto For 7 Winds, Etc / Ansermet, Münchinger
(http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=6806)

Other choral works I enjoy by Martin:

In terra pax, Pilate, and Golgotha (http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=106406)

Always looking to explore new works! Which recording do you like for the Martinu?


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)




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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

Ernest Bloch and Howard Hanson though both may be more romantic than you like.

Jacques Ibert and Miroslav Kabelas is you are opposed to romanticism.

Dag Wiren and Benjamin Britten may appeal as well.


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## sobo22 (Nov 9, 2020)

millionrainbows said:


>


Thanks millionrainbows will check those out!


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## sobo22 (Nov 9, 2020)

Thanks @larold I'll check those out. I've heard some Ibert, Britten, and Bloch. Hanson, Kabelas, and Wiren I have not.


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## sobo22 (Nov 9, 2020)

larold said:


> Ernest Bloch and Howard Hanson though both may be more romantic than you like.
> 
> Jacques Ibert and Miroslav Kabelas is you are opposed to romanticism.
> 
> Dag Wiren and Benjamin Britten may appeal as well.


Picked up these today:

Frank Martin, Marc Briquet & Ernest Bloch: Quintets for Piano (https://www.amazon.com/Frank-Martin-Briquet-Ernest-Bloch/dp/B000063T6C)

Martinu: Symphony No 1, Double Concerto / Belohlavek, Czech Philharmonic (http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=23719)


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

_Picked up these today: Frank Martin, Marc Briquet & Ernest Bloch: Quintets for Piano_

Assuming your interest is beyond chamber music Bloch wrote several symphonies of which I best like the *e minor* opus, especially when conducted atmospherically instead of dramatically as in Andre Boreyko's recording. He also wrote a pair of *concerto grosso* and an interesting *symphony for trombone and orchestra*.

Martin's a more piquant voice. I enjoy his *Concerto for 7 Winds, Percussion and Strings*, *Petite Symphonie Concertante *and *Passacaglia for String Orchestra*. He also wrote *concertos for violin and harpsichord*, the latter from 1951, a rarity for its time.

AllMusic says about the latter, "This is sinister music and perhaps the first harpsichord concerto to take up a fully twentieth century aesthetic, rather than mimic (and poke fun at) eighteenth century conventions, as do the concertos of Falla and Poulenc."

These compositions all bear the same misterioso imprint and mid-century stream of consciousness language.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

If you like Hartmann, and Honegger, you may enjoy the symphonies of Nielsen, Ernst Toch, or Ernst Krenek? And Henze may be another one to try. Bax, and Alwyn are worth listening to as well.


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## sobo22 (Nov 9, 2020)

Kiki said:


> I've been exploring the music of Frank Martin bit by bit for the best part of thirty years. Progress has been slow, but very rewarding.
> 
> My favourite piece has to be "Concerto pour sept instruments à vent, timbales, batterie et orchestre à cordes", a very charismatic piece like, among his contemporaries, Bartók's "Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta", and Martinů's "Double Concerto for Two String Orchestras, Piano and Timpani", although the mood is not as dark as either.
> 
> ...


@kiki

Thank you for the:

Martinů's "Double Concerto for Two String Orchestras, Piano and Timpani"

I'm really enjoying this piece. I even found the score online. You can view it with a free registration on the boosey.com site.


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## sobo22 (Nov 9, 2020)

starthrower said:


> If you like Hartmann, and Honegger, you may enjoy the symphonies of Nielsen, Ernst Toch, or Ernst Krenek? And Henze may be another one to try. Bax, and Alwyn are worth listening to as well.


Thanks starthrower! I do enjoy Nielsen and Bax. Will be looking into Toch, Krenek, Henze, and Alwyn.


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## Dirge (Apr 10, 2012)

Here are some of my favorite works that, with a few exceptions, lie slightly off the beaten path and don't get much mention in classical music forums …

Zoltán KODÁLY: *"Epitaph"* _from_ Seven Pieces for Piano, Op. 11 (1918)
:: Sándor [Vox Candide '74] 




Charles T. GRIFFES: *Piano Sonata* (1918/rev. 19)
:: Masselos [M-G-M/Naxos Classical Archives '57] 




Ernest BLOCH: *Violin Sonata No. 1* (1920)
:: Stern & Zakin [Columbia '59] 




Frank BRIDGE: *String Quartet No. 3* (1926)
:: Endellion Quartet [Virgin]

Stefan WOLPE: *Passacaglia* (1936)
:: Tudor [Esoteric/Hat Hut '54] 




Arthur HONEGGER: *String Quartet No. 3* (1937)
:: Erato Quartet [Aura] 




Bohuslav MARTINU: *String Quartet No. 5* (1938)
:: Panocha Quartet [Supraphon] 




Frank MARTIN: *6 Monologe aus "Jedermann"* (1943/49)
:: Fischer-Dieskau, Martin/BPO [DG '63] 




Heitor VILLA-LOBOS: *String Quartet No. 9* (1945)
:: Cuarteto Latioamericano [Dorian '00] 




William SCHUMAN: *Symphony No. 6* (1948)
:: Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra [Columbia/Albany '53] 




Elizabeth MACONCHY: *String Quartet No. 5* (1948)
:: Bingham Quartet [Unicorn-Kanchana '89] 




Conlon NANCARROW: *Player Piano Study 3A* (1948)
:: Bang on a Can [YouTube video] 




Roger SESSIONS: *String Quartet No. 2* (1951)
:: Kohon Quartet [Vox, rel. '74] 




György LIGETI: *Musica ricercata VII* (1953)
:: Babayan [Pro Piano] 




Joaquín RODRIGO: *Invocación y danza* (1961)
:: P. Romero [Philips '92] 




Peter MENNIN: *Symphony No. 7 "Variation Symphony"* (1963)
:: Martinon/CSO [RCA '67] 




Alberto GINASTERA: *Violin Concerto* (1963)
:: Accardo, Bonaventura/Hopkins Center Orchestra [Dynamic '68] 




Giacinto SCELSI: *Anahit* (1965)
:: Bik, Zender/Klangforum Wien [Kairos '95] 




Peter Maxwell DAVIES: *Ave Maris Stella* (1975)
:: The Fires of London [Unicorn-Kanchana '80]

Elliott CARTER: *A Symphony of Three Orchestras* (1976)
:: Boulez/NYPO [CBS/Sony] 




György KURTÁG: *Kafka Fragments* (1985-86)
:: Csengery & Keller [Hungaroton '90] 




Michael FINNISSY: *Red Earth* (1988)
:: Brabbins/BBC SO [NMC] 




Brian FERNEYHOUGH: *La Chûte d'Icare* (1988)
:: Rosman, Elision Ensemble [Kairos] 




John ADAMS: *Chamber Symphony* (1992)
:: Ensemble Modern [RCA '96] 




Charles WUORINEN: *Fourth String Quartet* (1999)
:: Brentano Quartet [Tzadik]


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## sobo22 (Nov 9, 2020)

Dirge said:


> Here are some of my favorite works that, with a few exceptions, lie slightly off the beaten path and don't get much mention in classical music forums …
> 
> Zoltán KODÁLY: *"Epitaph"* _from_ Seven Pieces for Piano, Op. 11 (1918)
> :: Sándor [Vox Candide '74]
> ...


Thanks @Dirge Looking forward to digging through those!


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## Kiki (Aug 15, 2018)

sobo22 said:


> My introduction to Frank Martin was the Concerto for 7 Winds, Percussion and Strings. I have a few versions however this is my favorite so far:
> 
> Chicago Symphony Orchestra- The Centennial Collection (http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=150031)
> 
> ...





sobo22 said:


> @kiki
> 
> Thank you for the:
> 
> ...


Have to confess I haven't heard the Martinon/ChicagoSO Concerto for 7 Winds, Percussion and Strings. I like the recordings from Ansermet and Armin Jordan, Chailly perhaps not so much, but my favourite is Thierry Fischer/COE (DG).

The Cornets that I've been listening to is the Marjana Lipovšek/Lothar Zagrosek/Austrian RSO (Orfeo), and the Aschenbrödel is the Takács-Nagy/OrchestreHEM (Claves).

I haven't heard the other choral works that you listed. I'll check them out. Thanks!

--

I'm a big Martinů buff! :lol: Think there is also a small following here at TC.

My favourite Double Concerto for Two String Orchestras, Piano and Timpani has to be 
Karel Šejna/CzechPO/1958 (Supraphon) and 
Rafael Kubelik/Philharmonia/1950 Live (Testament).

Unfortunately, sound quality is rather dated. For a more modern sound, I like 
Charles Mackerras/PragueRSO/1982 (Supraphon), 
James DePreist/MalmöSO/1990 (BIS) and 
Jiří Bělohlávek/CzechPO/1990 (Chandos) - which I can see that you have picked this up already.

If you're interested in exploring Martinů, you might want to check out -
Orchestral and concertante works - Symphony No. 4 or Piano Concerto No. 4.
Ballets - The Butterfly that Stamped
Choral works - Epic of Gilgamesh
Operas - The Greek Passion.

Martinů was a prolific composer. There are certainly a lot to explore.


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## sobo22 (Nov 9, 2020)

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread! I've finally made it through what has been suggested and it has been an ear-opening experience!

I'd like to add a composer that hasn't been mentioned:

Josef Schelb
https://toccataclassics.com/product/josef-schelb-orchestral-music-v1/

Back to listening! Going to start with some Bloch today.


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