Top 3 works of the last 16 years

[GioCar]

In chronological order:

Billone: 1+1=1 (2006)
Furrer: Piano Concerto (2007)
Steen-Andersen: Double up (2010)

but 2-3 years ago my choice would have been totally different, so who knows in 2-3 years...

[Karl Henning]

Here's a giggle for ya:

http://www.universaledition.com/Wolfgang-Rihm/composers-and-works/composer/599/work/104..

Most peculiar.

[Gaspard de la nuit]

Wow, it's hard to narrow it down to just three. How about lengthy works?

1. Abrahamsen - Schnee
2. Haas - in vain
3. Dillon - Book of Elements

So many more great works in the new millennium though...and discovering more everyday!

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

In chronological order:

Billone: 1+1=1 (2006)
Furrer: Piano Concerto (2007)
Steen-Andersen: Double up (2010)

but 2-3 years ago my choice would have been totally different, so who knows in 2-3 years...

I just heard 'Double Up' by Steen-Andersen for the first time yesterday, and yes it is absolutely brilliant! I am not sure if it is going to overtake Gadenstätter's 'Comic Sense' as one of my most favourite recent compositions........yet

[GioCar]

I just heard 'Double Up' by Steen-Andersen for the first time yesterday, and yes it is absolutely brilliant! I am not sure if it is going to overtake Gadenstätter's 'Comic Sense' as one of my most favourite recent compositions........yet

I haven't heard it. I'll give it a try, thanks 

[Trout]

Giving this thread a bump since I'm currently seeking more contemporary recommendations!

I've been listening to nothing but 21st-century pieces the last week from dozens of different composers, many of whom I was only hitherto familiar with the name. I've been keeping an ongoing, long list of pieces that I've really enjoyed. Some recent discoveries I'm completely enamored by include:

Neuwirth: Lost Highway (2003)
Romitelli: Dead City Radio (Audiodrome) (2003)
Anderson: Book of Hours (2004)
Czernowin: MAIM (2002-6)
Eötvös: Seven (2006)
Norman: The Companion Guide To Rome (2010)

I'm not quite sure where they and many others will fit in (preference-wise) with some of my more longstanding favorites (Abrahamsen's Schnee, Adams' Dharma, Haas' limited approximations, JL Adams' Become Ocean, and Furrer's Piano Concerto). But right now I'm just enjoying the ride, not really knowing what I'm about to hear next!

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Nice list, trout. I have a feeling that Neuwirth and Romitelli are two composers whose music will still be highly regarded many years down the track. 'Lost Highway' is pretty cool! What other Neuwirth have you listened to?

[Trout]

Nice list, trout. I have a feeling that Neuwirth and Romitelli are two composers whose music will still be highly regarded many years down the track. 'Lost Highway' is pretty cool! What other Neuwirth have you listened to?

Thanks. Neuwirth was a new name to me so I've only heard a couple pieces so far: Lost Highway and Construction in Space. I wasn't so thrilled with the latter, though, despite some cool timbres and haunting moments. Lost Highway on the other hand was a real treat! I was reminded of my delight when I saw and heard Le Grand Macabre for the first time because both seem to have dark humor and a frenetically engaging score (though I suppose they're quite different tonally).

Do you have any particular recommendations for Neuwirth?

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Thanks. Neuwirth was a new name to me so I've only heard a couple pieces so far: Lost Highway and Construction in Space. I wasn't so thrilled with the latter, though, despite some cool timbres and haunting moments. Lost Highway on the other hand was a real treat! I was reminded of my delight when I saw and heard Le Grand Macabre for the first time because both seem to have dark humor and a frenetically engaging score (though I suppose they're quite different tonally).

Do you have any particular recommendations for Neuwirth?

I admire her work a lot!

Some works I'd immediately recommend:

Eleanor for blues singer, drumkit, ensemble & samples
Ishmaela's White World for soprano and ensemble
Le Encantadas for ensemble & electronics
Trurliade – Zone Zero for percussion and orchestra

And this interview for Van Magazine is a fantastic read, if you're interested.

[amw]

Berio - Sonata
Lachenmann - Grido
Ferneyhough - String Quartet No. 6
Barrett - Dark Matter
Sciarrino - Il suono e il tacere
Sciarrino - Quaderno di strada
Saunders - Fletch
Lim - Pearl, Ochre, Hair String
Fabbriciani - Glaciers in Extinction
Czernowin - Maim
Scodanibbio - Oltracuidansa
Andre - über
Ruders - Symphony No. 3

I'm really bad at knowing the dates things were written. This is a start though.

[James]

Nothing particular stands out in my mind or is worth mentioning.

[ahinton]

Nothing particular stands out in my mind or is worth mentioning.

Perhaps I'd better just pack it in , then...

[vandermolen]

Well **** Rautavaara's Symphony No. 8 'The Journey' almost but not quite qualifies. That's as new as it gets for me. But I'm going to mention it anyway. Because I did already.

+1

[Trout]

I admire her work a lot!

Some works I'd immediately recommend:

Eleanor for blues singer, drumkit, ensemble & samples
Ishmaela's White World for soprano and ensemble
Le Encantadas for ensemble & electronics
Trurliade – Zone Zero for percussion and orchestra

And this interview for Van Magazine is a fantastic read, if you're interested.

Much appreciated! I'll be trying these pieces out soon. And that interview does seem interesting, thanks.

[Trout]

It's hard to stop when you keep discovering so many good works!

Marshall: September Canons (2002)
Posadas: Versa est in luctum (2002)
Aperghis: Avis de Tempête (2004)
Kurtág: Hipartita, op. 43 (2000-4)
Andre: ...auf... III (2005-7)
Haas: Baritone Saxophone Concerto (2008)

I'm just discovering some of these composers, so any other recommendations are definitely appreciated! The hardest part of listening is trying to find available recordings or performances of works composed in this decade, but that's to be expected. I'm just a little impatient, is all.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

It's hard to stop when you keep discovering so many good works!

Marshall: September Canons (2002)
Posadas: Versa est in luctum (2002)
Aperghis: Avis de Tempête (2004)
Kurtág: Hipartita, op. 43 (2000-4)
Andre: ...auf... III (2005-7)
Haas: Baritone Saxophone Concerto (2008)

I'm just discovering some of these composers, so any other recommendations are definitely appreciated! The hardest part of listening is trying to find available recordings or performances of works composed in this decade, but that's to be expected. I'm just a little impatient, is all.

I only know one of these works (the Aperghis) and I think it is absolutely brilliant! I have to checkout the other ones.

[Brian]

Caroline Shaw - Partita for 8 Voices
Rautavaara - Rubaiyat
Fagerlund - Bassoon Concerto

[some guy]

One reality of the last 16 years--of the last 60 years--is the resurgence of improvisation, so asking for "works" leaves out a huge swath of musical activity. I guess with recording technology a set can become a "work" just by being fixed.

Which brings up another reality of the last 60 years, indeterminacy, which makes works that are unfixed in various ways.

Best way to experience these kinds of music is to go to concerts. Recordings are all well and good. I wouldn't do without the ones I have--about 2 terabytes worth--but experiencing a one of a kind performance live is an um one of a kind experience.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

One reality of the last 16 years--of the last 60 years--is the resurgence of improvisation, so asking for "works" leaves out a huge swath of musical activity. I guess with recording technology a set can become a "work" just by being fixed.

Which brings up another reality of the last 60 years, indeterminacy, which makes works that are unfixed in various ways.

Best way to experience these kinds of music is to go to concerts. Recordings are all well and good. I wouldn't do without the ones I have--about 2 terabytes worth--but experiencing a one of a kind performance live is an um one of a kind experience.

What improvisations have you seen live that you'd like to tell us about?

[some guy]

What improvisations have I seen live that I wouldn't want to talk about?

But seriously, the nature of improvisation is that you really have to be there. Even recordings of improvisations are like photos, and not art photos but tourist snaps. Tourist snaps are all well and good, mind. I've taken hundreds of 'em myself. But there's no contest with actually being there.

Some very exciting improvisers I've seen would include eRikm, Jerome Noetinger, Lionel Marchetti, Keith Rowe, Toshimaru Nakamura, Sachiko M, Martin Tetreault, Doug Theriault, Christine Groult, Beatriz Ferreyra.

I've not seen much recently, having been involved in my own projects, but some of the things I've been involved in have been, oddly enough, improvisation. I'll be taking part in another one, in Prague, this May. If you're there on the 6th, drop on by Parlelni Polis around 20h and give us a listen. :-)