Greatest French composer since Messiaen dis is tru sorrynotsorry

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

It Boulez yea? Discuss dat

[amw]

Messiaen died in 1992. I'm trying to think of some good 23-year-old French composers but turning up blank so far.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Every composition Boulez composed since 1992

[Mandryka]

It Boulez yea? Discuss dat

Luc Ferrari. In my opinion there's a natural beauty about his music which he has more consistently than Boulez. Everything flows organically and logically more consistently than in Boulez. I personally find myself more unable to stop listening, more drawn in, more often than with Boulez.

And in a sense he's more visionary than Boulez.

I know Xenakis was Greek, but he was French by nature.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Luc Ferrari. In my opinion there's a natural beauty about his music which he has more consistently than Boulez. Everything flows organically and logically more consistently than in Boulez. I personally find myself more unable to stop listening, more drawn in, more often than with Boulez.

And in a sense he's more visionary than Boulez.

I know Xenakis was Greek, but he was French by nature.

I do love French music and I understand what you mean about the flow of Luc Ferrari's music. It is always a pleasure to know other people enjoy his music.

[Monsieur Croche]

Ahhhh, Merde! Yet another greatest post.

Seriously, you expect a mere guess, no matter how well-informed, as to some younger composer really still at the very beginning of their career? Well good luck with that!

This to simply make those who don't know of him aware:
Christophe Bertrand (1981-2010) composed some brilliant music, clearly showing a keen ear, and a ready depth of grasp of contemporary vocabulary. He was a severe manic-depressive. His death ruled more than likely a suicide from an overdose of medications while in one of those swings to the pit of depression.

What pieces we have from him are often quite literally brilliant, highly fluid writing with a canny sureness, but I doubt anyone would rank him the greatest simply because he did not live long enough to create a larger body of work from which to assess 'great.'

His works though, are far beyond the usual youthful, tentatively formative in that they have such a high degree of clearness of purpose, execution, and full command of the craft.

Scales, for large ensemble. (2009)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLLamxVwAT0

https://www.youtube.com/v/OLLamxVwAT0

Now... I'm thinking at least in this moment to pass by the next ten to twenty 'Greatest' questions posted, and let the kids have at it ;-)


Best regards.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Luc Ferrari. In my opinion there's a natural beauty about his music which he has more consistently than Boulez. Everything flows organically and logically more consistently than in Boulez. I personally find myself more unable to stop listening, more drawn in, more often than with Boulez.

And in a sense he's more visionary than Boulez.

I know Xenakis was Greek, but he was French by nature.

I don't know Ferrari. What of his would you recommend?

Without being too literal about the chronology, I would have named Jean Barraqué. His Séquence for soprano and six instruments is utterly exquisite. The Piano Sonata is a nut I have yet to crack.

[Spineur]

Ces superlatifs me fatiguent.
Pascal Dusapin a composé des operas pas mal du tout

[Monsieur Croche]

Ces superlatifs me fatiguent.

^^^Certainment!

Moi, j'ai assez ;-)

[Mandryka]

I don't know Ferrari. What of his would you recommend?

Without being too literal about the chronology, I would have named Jean Barraqué. His Séquence for soprano and six instruments is utterly exquisite. The Piano Sonata is a nut I have yet to crack.

Presque Rien I suppose. Barraqué is an interesting case because he didn't leave very much music unfortunately, the only piece I listen to often is the clarinet concerto. The piano sonata is an early piece, I seem to remember he had a bit of an ambiguous relation with it (I'll try to find the thing I read where he talks it down later - until I do be warned that this could be a figment of my imagination) 

[Mandryka]

^^^Certainment!

Moi, j'ai assez ;-)

Et moi, j'en ai assez.

[Karl Henning]

Every composition Boulez composed since 1992

What, both of them?

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

I love how even though this thread is essentially just a joke thread, there are a number of interesting and informative posts. Just goes to show that there are always things to be learnt at GMG no matter what silly claims might be made by some of the members here.

[Mirror Image]

My vote goes to Dutilleux. Definitely would never consider Boulez a great composer.

[nathanb]

I hope Christophe Bertrand's music gets some more attention. I've been thoroughly impressed by the works of his that have popped up on various compilations in my possession: Aus, Sanh, and Dikha so far.

[amw]

I wish there'd been more Christophe Bertrand. :/

[Mandryka]

I wish there'd been more Christophe Bertrand. :/

I managed to find a couple of clarinet pieces on spotify - Sanh and Aus. I agree it's nice music, with tension and release and sounds and textures that I can't remember hearing before.

[Cato]

For your consideration:

http://www.alexandredesplat.net/index.php

He is the youngest I can think of!

[Spineur]

My vote goes to Dutilleux. Definitely would never consider Boulez a great composer.

This spring was the 100th anniversary of his birth...

[Brian]

Not sure this is meaningful, since I have such dubious taste in living composers, but my favorite active French composer is probably Thierry Escaich. He's done a lot of stuff I enjoy - Nuits hallucinées, some cool chamber music with winds, and of course he's a very accomplished organist; there's even a recording of his organ improvisations. Haven't listened to that yet. Maybe I should!