The other minimalists

[UB]

I can definitely like some minimalism.  But I think that some of the more famous composers in this area can put people off at times when it sounds too cold and mechanical.  I like it with more feeling and an interesting characterful idea with which it is based off, alongside some subtle development through a piece.  Rhythm when used as a very dominating factor over these other elements is hard to convince me with.

So which "minimalist" composers and which particular pieces do you like?

[snyprrr]

I want something of the expectant atmosphere of a Cronenberg film,... I do like Glass's soundtrack to The Thin Blue Line, but I'd like something long, process oriented, and definitely minor key (like I keep asking for: The 'Exorcist' part of Tubular Bells played as an organic process).

waaah , nobody cares

[Bogey]

This thread has gone on too long.

[snyprrr]

This thread has gone on too long.

Insert minimal joke!

[starrynight]

So which "minimalist" composers and which particular pieces do you like?

I can like many different composers and pieces, no particular favourites.  There is certainly good lesser known stuff.  Someone mentioned the cd with the Dave Heath piece, I probably preferred that to the pieces by the other more hyped composers on that disc.  Quite a lot of Nyman I probably don't like, though Decay Music is interesting.  Most of Philip Glass I probably don't like either though his Solo Piano cd from 1989 is more to my taste.  Of course minimalism isn't just strictly classical, it has filtered over into popular music (into progressive, jazz influenced or electronica as well).  The Anatidae album by David Borden and the New Mother Mallard Band interests me, more so than the first Mother Mallard's Portable Masterpiece Company album (though I liked the first track of that).  As always though people tend to concentrate on what came first as if that is more important.

[Wanderer]

As always though people tend to concentrate on what came first as if that is more important.

QFT

[snyprrr]

I just triggered an old LSD flackback when I accidentally happened upon Jean Michel Jarre's Oxygen. Why doesn't anyone mention Tangerine Dream and all this type of stuff? The Jarre was...mm... well, I LOVE to hear some modern, slightly less cheesy, version of this kind of stuff.

[torut]

I can definitely like some minimalism.  But I think that some of the more famous composers in this area can put people off at times when it sounds too cold and mechanical.  I like it with more feeling and an interesting characterful idea with which it is based off, alongside some subtle development through a piece.  Rhythm when used as a very dominating factor over these other elements is hard to convince me with.

I feel the same way. I sometimes become tired when I hear Glass's music or Reich's some later works (although I love Music for 18 Musicians, Octet, Music for a Large Ensemble, etc.) which have ostensive, persistent repeating rhythm patterns. I prefer more subtle, sparse, quiet music with minimal elements. I think the term "minimal music," which is commonly used to describe music of Glass, Reich, etc., is misleading.

Thanks to GMG members, I found really good "minimal" music that I like so much. Dennis Johnson's November is one of the best recent findings for me. The pianist, R. Andrew Lee recorded some nice minimal piano works. Jürg Frey's pianist, alone is excellent. His other recordings such as Tom Johnson's An Hour for Piano, William Duckworth's The Time Curve Preludes are not so impressive after hearing some of the samples, but probably I need to listen to them more carefully.

[Ken B]

I just triggered an old LSD flackback when I accidentally happened upon Jean Michel Jarre's Oxygen. Why doesn't anyone mention Tangerine Dream and all this type of stuff? The Jarre was...mm... well, I LOVE to hear some modern, slightly less cheesy, version of this kind of stuff.

Well I for one, to the consternation of friends and family, like Tangerine Dream. And Jarre.

[torut]

Minimal Piano Collection Volume I-IX
Jeroen van Veen (piano)

[asin]B000QCQ7MW[/asin]
Adams, J: China Gates
Borstlap: Avatâra
Cage: In a Landscape
Glass, P: same as 3-CD set Glass Solo Piano
Holt, Simeon: Solodevilsdance IV
Johnson, T: An Hour for Piano
Mertens: Struggle for Pleasure
Micháns: Three Minimal Preludes
Nietzsche: Das Fragment an sich
Nyman: Big My Secret, etc.
Pärt: Für Alina, Variations for the Healing of Arinushka
Riley: In C
Satie: Vexations
Tiersen: Comptine d'Un Autre Été: l'après-midi, etc.
Veen: 12 Minimal Preludes for piano, Book I & II
Veldhuis: Postnuclear Winterscenario No. 1
Vries: Toccata Americana, Echo

This is an enjoyable set of minimal music for solo piano, although it is not that I like all of them. It contains the works of "the other minimalists."

Volume X-XX (which I don't have) is a collection of minimal music for 2-6 pianos. It seems interesting, too.

The composers on this new box are John Adams, Jurriaan Andriessen, Louis Andriessen, Marcel Bergmann, William Duckworth, Julius Eastman, Douwe Eisenga, Morton Feldman, Graham Fitkin, Joep Franssens, Kyle Gann, Philip Glass, Gabriel Jackson, Tom Johnson, Simeon ten Holt, David Lang, Colin McPhee, Chiel Meijering, Wim Mertens, John Metcalf, Carlos Michans, Meredith Monk, Arvo Pärt, Michael Parsons, Alexander Rabinovitch, Steve Reich, Frederic Rzewski, Tim Seddon, Jeroen van Veen, Jacob ter Veldhuis and Kevin Volans.

[amw]

Volume X-XX (which I don't have) is a collection of minimal music for 2-6 pianos. It seems interesting, too.

I have that in digital form. The only pieces that I can recall at all from it are ten Holt's Canto Ostinato, Eastman's Gay Guerrilla, and the Feldman stuff, for whatever reason.

Not much in Vol I-IX sounds like my "thing" though I am sort of curious about An Hour for Piano.

[7/4]

Charlemagne Palestine

[torut]

Not much in Vol I-IX sounds like my "thing" though I am sort of curious about An Hour for Piano.

I tried An Hour for Piano again, but gave up after about 20 min. I am not sure why, but probably it was because of the melody repeated.

Charlemagne Palestine

Yes! Strumming for Bosendorfer Piano is really nice. It is quite repetitious, but somehow it is very comfortable. It reminded me of Reich's works (especially Music for 18 Musicians) which I like.

[7/4]

Charlemagne Palestine – From Etude to Cataclysms for the Doppio Borgato

http://harmonicsdb.wordpress.com/2014/02/28/charlemagne-palestine-from-etude-to-cataclysms-for-the-doppio-borgato/

old review.

[torut]

Charlemagne Palestine – From Etude to Cataclysms for the Doppio Borgato

http://harmonicsdb.wordpress.com/2014/02/28/charlemagne-palestine-from-etude-to-cataclysms-for-the-doppio-borgato/

old review.

That double piano is amazing. I just heard the 1st half of From Etudes to Cataclysms. It sounds more experimental. Really good.

[7/4]

HENRY FLYNT & CATHERINE CHRISTER HENNIX - stereo piano (1978)

[bwv 1080]

https://www.youtube.com/v/KkAb_l8S4Ug

https://www.youtube.com/v/gaC-stgdcuc

https://www.youtube.com/v/c9PtaAYqiQw

[7/4]

Jon Hassell news

[amw]

Re-listened to Canto Ostinato from the Minimal Piano box. I actually really like this piece, hard to express why—something about the continual shifts in harmony, texture and emphasis. It's not the kind of thing I would have expected to like from the premise, and I imagine most people who share my tastes in contemporary music won't like it, but whatever. >.> Doesn't sound like just two pianos playing; I am interested to hear the original, which I believe is for a larger number of pianos (5 or 10?) I was wrong, there's actually no specified instrumentation. I'll definitely try out one of the ones w/electric organ or similar

[Ken B]

Re-listened to Canto Ostinato from the Minimal Piano box. I actually really like this piece, hard to express why—something about the continual shifts in harmony, texture and emphasis. It's not the kind of thing I would have expected to like from the premise, and I imagine most people who share my tastes in contemporary music won't like it, but whatever. >.> Doesn't sound like just two pianos playing; I am interested to hear the original, which I believe is for a larger number of pianos (5 or 10?) I was wrong, there's actually no specified instrumentation. I'll definitely try out one of the ones w/electric organ or similar

E-e-excellent.
There are versions for 4 pianos.
You can sample short (10 minute) sections from other ten Holt multi piano pieces on youtube. I heartily recommend the box on Brilliant.
Also look for the canto and whirling dervish on youtube ... (no joke)