# Recent Composer Discoveries for You



## Bevo (Feb 22, 2015)

I'm curious as to what are some composers you've heard of (famous or not) yet never really took the time to really listen to. But once you did you really fell in love with their music. For me it was Telemann. I love that sound of Baroque with hints of Classical Era here and there. So what are some of yours? (And as a side question, who would you suggest whose music is similar to Telemann?)


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

I could list dozens and dozens. Since I began listening at about the age of 18, long before the era of free music, I had to mostly buy recordings (yes, there was the library, but having it in my own collection made it more interesting to me-it still does ) at local shops (selections were limited) and I disdained those cheap _best of_ compilations, so my discoveries were relatively random (I didn't know which were considered to be the greatest works). Of course, I knew the biggest of the big names and in short time recognized a host of others, too. My experience of a large number of composers was limited to one or three albums. If the composer didn't click with me right away, I was less inclined to spend the money on trying another album. As a result, I went through decades not knowing about 80% of the music I am starting to know now. Add to that that at that young age, I was more interested in music that was obtuse, unconventional and modern, so the earlier composers were simply not as compelling to me. It took me about a decade to begin to broaden out (go back in history, basically) and start to explore the Romantic, Classical and Baroque eras with greater interest. Additionally, with the exception of a small number of pieces, it wasn't until the '90s that I really began to explore chamber and solo instrumental music.

On that time scale, recent, to me, would be any composer I only really started getting into in the last decade or so.

[Similar to Telemann: other Baroque composers, such as Bach, Handel, Albinoni, Vivaldi; and, particularly later Baroque, perhaps early Classical period, such as CPE Bach, maybe?]


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## Proms Fanatic (Nov 23, 2014)

My answer is actually broadly similar to brotagonist. For the first few years of listening to Classical music, I heard bits of Bach and dismissed it as pretty boring and uninteresting.

Then I heard John Eliot Gardiner conduct Bach's Johannespassion at the Proms and realised what incredible music he produced in that. Since then I've listened to a lot of Bach and have really appreciated his work ever since.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Bevo said:


> I'm curious as to what are some composers you've heard of (famous or not) yet never really took the time to really listen to. But once you did you really fell in love with their music. For me it was Telemann. I love that sound of Baroque with hints of Classical Era here and there. So what are some of yours? (And as a side question, who would you suggest whose music is similar to Telemann?)


Telemann was a great Baroque composer. He wrote for every single instrument of his day in concertos, suites, and chamber music.

Answering your post, Michael Haydn would be my example. A great Classical composer overshadowed by his great brother Franz Joseph. But Michael was a very capable composer in his own right and were friends of the Mozarts. And the Mozarts certainly had a very high opinion of Michael's music - that was an approval that is good enough for me!


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

My appetite is so rapacious there aren't many composers I've heard of that I never took the time to listen to. Usually if I don't listen to them now they just haven't clicked yet.

The closest examples might be the "modern" composers like Schoenberg or more contemporary composers like Boulez. These I postponed exploring because I didn't like what I'd _heard_ about them, or I only listened to snippets to confirm what I'd heard about them, or I tried too hard later to like them intellectually. Now I enjoy them both very much on both an emotional and intellectual level after listening with a more receptive mind. I guess I was just ready for these composers finally after nearly 50 years of listening to classical music.


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## Dustin (Mar 30, 2012)

George Enescu was a great recent discovery for me. I'm not sure of his classification but I'll say maybe late Romantic/early Modern? His octet for strings is the only thing I've heard so far but it is definitely worth hearing.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

My most recent one: Arutiunian. I only knew his trumpet concerto, which has been recorded a few times, but the Chandos CD with his violin concerto (and other works) was an eye opener. Brilliant.


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

My recent discoveries have been the three "Bang on a Can" composers - David Lang, Julia Wolfe, and Michael Gordon. I'd heard a bit of Gordon's music about 20 years ago and liked it but never followed up, and I'd picked up a couple of Lang pieces in recent years, but Wolfe's "Steel Hammer" recording from last year really caught me and started a serious (and very enjoyable) delving into their catalogues.


In answer to the side question - whose music is similar to Telemann? More Telemann! He did write a lot of good music.


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## Guest (Aug 22, 2015)

I hardly dare look at this forum for what it might do to my finances. The latest for me is Coates. I'm immersed in her world of SQs and symphonies.


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## motoboy (May 19, 2008)

This quarter it's Bax.


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## Heliogabo (Dec 29, 2014)

Many years ago I used to discover new composers via a spanish review called Amadeus, it was a great review that came with a cd as a gift. The most important discovery there was Guillaume *Lekeu*. Now I discover composers here in TC above all. The most recent is *Sorabji*. But serendipia is always important in discoveries's subject; and two days ago I've found -without searching- a triple Sorabji's cd at my local cd store. I sampled it on my phone and decided to buy it. It is so amazing music.


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## Heliogabo (Dec 29, 2014)

Dustin said:


> George Enescu was a great recent discovery for me. I'm not sure of his classification but I'll say maybe late Romantic/early Modern? His octet for strings is the only thing I've heard so far but it is definitely worth hearing.


You should try his symphonic dances and the works for piano and violin. They are just great!


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## Dustin (Mar 30, 2012)

Heliogabo said:


> You should try his symphonic dances and the works for piano and violin. They are just great!


Ok thanks I'll check them out!


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## OldFashionedGirl (Jul 21, 2013)

Today I lost my Persichetti virginity. I listened his fourth symphony and Piano Sonata no. 9. Both works were great.


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## Cosmos (Jun 28, 2013)

Following up with what has been said, I am least familiar with Renaissance composers because I still don't care for the style. After that, I don't know much Baroque music outside of Bach and Vivaldi. Not sure why I never tried others.

Though I have started getting into Handel. I've tried some arias from operas, some harpsichord music, and some organ concertos. Great stuff.


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## Bevo (Feb 22, 2015)

Cosmos said:


> Following up with what has been said, I am least familiar with Renaissance composers because I still don't care for the style. After that, I don't know much Baroque music outside of Bach and Vivaldi. Not sure why I never tried others.
> 
> Though I have started getting into Handel. I've tried some arias from operas, some harpsichord music, and some organ concertos. Great stuff.


If you're looking for some nice Baroque Harpsichord music, look into Domenico Scarlatti's Keyboard Sonatas! And as a side note, if you're an Amazon Prime Member, and interested, search for, "Big Choral Renaissance Box," in the digital music department. I think it's only about $10 but has over 9 hours of music! The Bach Guild company does great albums like that!


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## Fugue Meister (Jul 5, 2014)

Some recent finds for me have been Max Reger, Cesar Franck, & William Walton. All were from suggestions or reading about what others here at TC had to say about these guys so thanks everybody. I especially have grown very fond of Franck's Piano Quintet in f (the chromaticism!, of course I get that is Franck's thing but I'm loving the ride)& Walton's Symphony No. 1 (The guy knows his counterpoint, enjoying Walton's Quartet as well). 

Looking forward to making more discoveries through my pals here at TC. :tiphat:


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## TurnaboutVox (Sep 22, 2013)

In the last two years since joining TC - too many to recall / mention accurately.

Some highlights:

Gesualdo
Handel
Boccherini
Cherubini
Koechlin
Reger
Rebecca Clarke
Malcolm Arnold
Turina
Ginastera
Schulhoff
Eisler
Boulez
Rihm
Tippett
Grażyna Bacewicz
Birtwhistle
Ferneyhough
Henze
Penderecki
Ligeti
Kurtag


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## Balthazar (Aug 30, 2014)

Most recently:

Matthias Pintscher
Salvatore Sciarrino
Fausto Romitelli
Beat Furrer
Helmut Lachenmann
Louis Andriessen


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

*Richard Ayres* is a recent discovery for me. Brit living in the Netherlands, has written several of what he calls NONcertos, among other works. Interesting stuff.


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## Adam Weber (Apr 9, 2015)

Sofia Gubaidulina and, to a lesser extent, Rodion Shchedrin. Major discoveries for me include Gubaidulina's Bassoon Concerto and Shchedrin's Concerto for Orchestra No. 4, "Round Dances."


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## AClockworkOrange (May 24, 2012)

My recent discoveries include:
Grazyna Bacewicz
Robert Simpson
Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel
Claude Debussy
Ernö Dohnányi 
Hugo Wolf
Clara Schumann

If I stretch recently a little - say back to the last 12 to 18 months, I can include:
Malcolm Arnold
Mieczysław Weinberg 
Arthur Honegger
CPE Bach
Gabriel Faure


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## OldFashionedGirl (Jul 21, 2013)

I discovered Xenokis and Schnittke, Ligeti and others thanks to TC.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Finally decided to stop neglecting CPE Bach. Wasn't disappointed. It's easy to see why Mozart and Haydn thought so highly of his music.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

I discovered Galina Ustvolskaya a couple of evenings ago. I liked the three or four that I heard


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

brotagonist said:


> I discovered Galina Ustvolskaya a couple of evenings ago. I liked the three or four that I heard


What were they?


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

Symphonies 3 and 5 and the Octet.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

brotagonist said:


> Symphonies 3 and 5 and the Octet.


You should try her Piano Sonatas. Very strange beasts. They seem quite calm and stoic at first and then build to something very cathartic. They're almost terrifying in their single-minded relentlessness (very mono-rhythmic).

This is #2:


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## Steatopygous (Jul 5, 2015)

Recently I heard for the first time Nielsen's Op 1, the nonet. What a knockout of a piece. I've heard a couple of his symphonies, but clearly haven't paid him nearly enough attention. 
It's great when that happens, when a whole new vista opens up. It hasn't happened for a while, though I'm buying and playing a lot of 1950s live Bayreuth Wagner since joining TC. 
Much gratitude from me.


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

*Louis Moreau Gottschalk* for me. I have come across his name many times before, but I have not heard his music until literally this week (Hyperion set of his piano music). The discovery, needless to say, is revelatory in a number of ways in how his works points to future American music carried on by Joplin, Ives, Beach, et al. How he carved the essence of American music is hardly different from what Stephen Foster was doing during that time.

Another recent discovery is *Poulenc's* operas. I am familiar with his piano music and various orchestral and chamber works, but his operas are something else.


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

The only composer who immediately comes to mind as having recently made an impact is Jose Moncayo. I have long known is (over-)popular _Huapango_ but I have discovered some of his other fascinating works starting with _Tierra de Temporal_.

Going back over the last twenty years, other composers who really struck me on first listening have been something special were...
Granville Bantock
Douglas Lilburn
Jennifer Higdon
Herbert Howells

There must be a few others so I will add them as they come to mind (and at my age, things don't come to mind very often!)


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

Bevo,

I like threads like this. I could not begin to list all of the new composers I have discovered here. When I can I will mention new ones.

Two other threads here that you may find helpful:

http://www.talkclassical.com/30292-pieces-have-blown-you.html. When this thread was first started if dealt with new music that a person may have discovered. Most of the entries now deal with new recordings of works that members are already familiar with. One can find some great suggestions there.

Also the "Latest Purchases Thread" can provide one with some great leads. That is where I usually post something when I discover a new composer.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Roberto Gerhard.

Love his concerto for orchestra, 3rd symphony, wind quintet, piano concerto.


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## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)

In an odd way, Schoenberg, a composer whose works I have known for some years now. I've been engaged in a little listening project of his opus numbered works this past week, and I'm only approaching the half way point but am already seeing his body of work in an entirely different light. The major points of interest for me so far, in terms of "new" discoveries, have been _Friede auf Erden_, _String Quartet No. 2_, _Sechs kleine Klavierstücke_, and _Die glückliche Hand_.

Edit: Almost forgot _Herzgewächse_, a short but beautiful piece which features a harmonium. What's not to love?


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## Winged Wolf (Aug 22, 2015)

Really getting into Sibelius now. It seems he and Strauss were masters of the tone poem.

Also currently listening to Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra for the first time really and enjoying it. Will have to look more into him since I haven't yet and that seems... negligent of me.


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## manyene (Feb 7, 2015)

Over the past two years, YouTube has become my main portal into new music. It is true that the handful of major contributors direct viewers via links, but then you can take it or leave it, after a trial listen to the new work. So I have discovered Erkki Melartin and found that there was another Roentgen apart from the X ray discoverer. And all for free.


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## Ilarion (May 22, 2015)

Georgii Muschel - Professor of piano at the then newly formed Conservatory in Tashkent---What a revelation his 24 preludes and fugues are - WOOOHOOO!!!


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## Johnnie Burgess (Aug 30, 2015)

Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges







Found this cd browsing on amazon.


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## Robert Eckert (Mar 3, 2016)

Edgar Meyer, bass virtuoso, wrote a fantastic violin concerto for Hilary Hahn in 2001. Here is the second movement.


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