Contemporary composers

[Ugh!]

In electroacoustic music, Natasha Barrett, Beatriz Ferreyra, and Michele Bokanowski are each writing new and interesting things--quite different from each other, too. Add in Christine Groult to that. (It's difficult to stop for me with electroacoustic music as it's what I know best. I could fulfil Josquin's prophecy all on my own, with this type of music, anyway.

[/quote]

Too bad you haven't been to Norway yet, Michael. At Haukeland University Hospital  in Bergen Natasha Barrett has put up one of the most interesting electroacoustic installations I've yet to come across: Adsonore. It's the sort of conceptual work that you might appreciate the most if you read up on the background of it. "It is interactive, continuously changing, permanent and located in a public space. The functioning of the human immune system lies behind its interactive design, the real-time sound processes and the physical construction. Adsonore is therefore directly related to the building in which it is housed – a new building for biological basic research.

(Barrett, N. (2005). Adsonore. Organised Sound  (2005), 10 : 111-119 Cambridge University Press.)

[some guy]

Too bad you haven't been to Norway yet, Michael. At Haukeland University Hospital  in Bergen Natasha Barrett has put up one of the most interesting electroacoustic installations I've yet to come across: Adsonore.

It's true. Soon, I hope. I spent a lot of time with Natasha (and her husband and son) this past spring and so heard a little bit about Adsonore. A lot of time, but none of it "interview time," so I'll have to go to Norway eventually, if only to get that interview done.

There's a very funny account of one person's interaction with the installation here:

http://jilltxt.net/?p=448

[Henk]

Re-exploring this important thread, important because it's about the state of classical music of today. Many composers mentioned in this thread aren't active anymore I think. The question was about nowadays composing composers.

A list of composers I have investigated, whose works are available on cd, and want to investigate further:
- Robin de Raaff. One of the best, progressive and most interesting composers nowadays imo.
- Bruno Mantovani. Really have to get some of recordings of his work, but they are not easy to order.
- Julian Anderson. Love the two recordings I have of his work.
- Ivan Fedele. Still figuring out if I like it much.
- Edward Top. His string quartet is great.
- Per Norgard. Sound a bit too late-romantic to me, but want to investigate.
- Marc-Andre Dalbavie. I found some recent releases of his work.
- Giorgio Battistelli.

These are imo great composers but I think the list is too short to conclude the state of today's classical music composing is very high and works of high level are being made in large amounts. I'm sure this list is not complete. So I want you to provide more nowadays composing composers (with noting recordings / works).

Henk

[some guy]

Henk,

I just looked over the thread, too, and I wouldn't say that "many" of the composers mentioned so far are not active. A few, sure. (Some are dead, which is pretty inactive.)

All of the ones I've mentioned are active. I just saw several of them a couple of weeks ago and got more fresh, new CDs from them.

Anyway, here's some more names for you, since you seem to want them. I don't have information about recordings readily available from where I am. (The internet connection here in Hotel **** is really sucky.) But with Google (and your fast, I'm sure, connection), it should be easy to find things:

Zbigniew Karkowski
Lyn Goeringer
Francisco Meirino (Phroq)
Francisco Lopez
Elsa Justel
Christian Marclay
Alice Shields
Ross Bolleter
Ricardo Mandolini
Horatio Vaggione
Fausto Romitellli
Lidia Zielińska
Heiner Goebbels

If these people are inactive, then they've just stopped in the last week or two!!

[Henk]

Thanks. I will do some research on the internet to found out more about these composers.

I forgot to mention the French composer Bacri. He makes very nice, though not great imo, serial music.

Henk

[UB]

I forgot to mention the French composer Bacri. He makes very nice, though not great imo, serial music.

Henk

Henk according to what I have read, Bacri did not write any serial music since 1984 when he was 23. I do not seem to have any recording of his early works - maybe there is not any? - so I can not comment on what it sounded like but I am listening to his Symphony #6 and it sound much more like Roussel than Webern. Is it great? I don't know but I have enjoyed anything of his I have heard.

[Dana]

How much you wanna bet that by the time this thread is over there won't be single contemporary composer who is going to remain unmentioned?

New rule! New rule! For every list on this thread, the poster must write at least ten words justifying WHY you find that composer interesting!

1. Sofia Gubaidulina - She has a lot in common with Shostakovich, particularly in how she uses silence and sparsity in sound.
2. Rebecca Clarke - One of the best American composers of the latter 20th century, particularly in the realm of chamber music.

[UB]

Jean-Luc Fafchamps - A 43 year old Belgium composer and pianist who I can not remember hearing before. He is also a member of ICTUS ensemble. I recently heard a CD of his chamber works. My first impression was "another squeak and squawk" composer but as I listen more I found that while there are sections that could be described that way, over-all his music sings. What I found strange about the recording is that it appears to include 4 works that are not included in his list of works. Not recommended for the faint in heart but still recommended from Fuga Libera.

[karlhenning]

How much you wanna bet that by the time this thread is over there won't be single contemporary composer who is going to remain unmentioned?

Plenty who haven't been mentioned yet.

(You don't take much joy in life, do you?)

[Mirror Image]

Jennifer Higdon

Oh how I think she is one of the biggest hacks in Contemporary classical music. She doesn't deserve the attention she gets. Her musical ideas are laughable and anything serious she composed I can't take seriously. I mean I realize this is an old post, but, still, what a joke she is.

[UB]

Oh how I think she is one of the biggest hacks in Contemporary classical music. She doesn't deserve the attention she gets. Her musical ideas are laughable and anything serious she composed I can't take seriously. I mean I realize this is an old post, but, still, what a joke she is.

Although I would not list Higdon in my favorite 50 or maybe even 100 favorite living classical composers, I would suggest that you are going overboard to call her a hack just because you do not enjoy her music.

I think her Concerto for Orchestra and Blue Cathedral are very listenable if you are interested in tonal contemporary classical music. The pieces are well put together, have some depth, and develops tension and release that it seems to me works. I would rather listen to her than most plink, plonk and screech contemporary composers that I explore regularly.

What I love about classical music is that there is such a wide variety of styles and sounds available today that everyone can find what they enjoy and explore to find new composers and music to add to their listening pleasure. One person's hack can be another person's great and that is the way it should be.

Why be disagreeable about musical tastes unless you just like to start arguments or be disagreeable?

[Mirror Image]

Although I would not list Higdon in my favorite 50 or maybe even 100 favorite living classical composers, I would suggest that you are going overboard to call her a hack just because you do not enjoy her music.

I think her Concerto for Orchestra and Blue Cathedral are very listenable if you are interested in tonal contemporary classical music. The pieces are well put together, have some depth, and develops tension and release that it seems to me works. I would rather listen to her than most plink, plonk and screech contemporary composers that I explore regularly.

What I love about classical music is that there is such a wide variety of styles and sounds available today that everyone can find what they enjoy and explore to find new composers and music to add to their listening pleasure. One person's hack can be another person's great and that is the way it should be.

Why be disagreeable about musical tastes unless you just like to start arguments or be disagreeable?

Well you have a right express your opinion just like I have a right to express mine. If you don't agree with my opinion, then that's fine, you shouldn't take offense to it. I just don't think Higdon is worthy of any of the accolades she receives. She sure as hell didn't deserve that Pulitzer Prize.

[UB]

I have no problem with your opinion of Higdon or any other composer. The only offense I took was at the way you expressed  your thoughts as if anyone who thought differently obviously had no idea what was - IYHO - was good classical music. You could have just as easily said that you did not find her music appealing and then give some composers or music that are written in a tonal or near tonal style that others who do like her music might explore to broaden their listening.

Maybe Sally Beamish who is the CotW on BBC would not be a big stretch. Or Thomas Ades or another composer you respect or at least do not think are hacks.

I just do not think you need to tear down one composer to champion another. Perhaps you could get more people interested in composers you enjoy - and I agree with many of your choices - if you used a little honey instead of vinegar in more of your posts.

BTW you are welcome to the last word on this subject because I have said all I want on it.

[Elnimio]

How is Jennifer Higdon a "hack"?

[johncarey]

One of my favorite contemporary composers would undoubtedly be Kapustin. His music is not only unique, expressive, and complex, but it's also extremely accessible. In addition to this, he has written an absolutely massive amount of music that showcases a huge variety of different styles and a unique fusion of genres (jazz, rock, latin, etc.) within a classical idiom. It's quite shocking to me that his music isn't more popular than it is; many of his works still have yet to be recorded, despite the fact that his music is so idiomatic (especially for piano). My personal favorite piece by him is the Piano Quintet, Op. 89 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUC47xJc6ucz) -- such brilliant writing! His more popular-music oriented works are also crafted extremely well, such as the Concert Rhapsody, Op. 25 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxYjJEMwocs).

I'm also a huge fan of Corigliano and Penderecki, though I do feel that some of Penderecki's later work has become a bit predictable. And then, of course, there's Elliott Carter, who has miraculously managed to be exceptionally prolific at an age when most are practically unable to dress themselves (for those who don't know, he has actually written and published over 50 new works since he hit 90... he has recently turned 103!  )

[Elnimio]

It's hard to credit the validity of that opinion from someone whose favorite "composer" appears to be Stockhausen...

[some guy]

It's hard to credit the validity of that opinion from someone whose favorite "composer" appears to be Stockhausen...

Best to stick with the opinions themselves rather than going for the credibility of the person holding them.

[johncarey]

One of the reasons is because his music is quite familiar, derivative & highly diluted .. mimicking stylistic trends and cliches. That sort-of pastiche can be amusing for a short while but you'd wish the guy would grow beyond this into something must more fascinating, but he'd have to unlearn & shed a lot of excess baggage in order to do that .. it pales next to the real stuff imo.

I think it's a bit harsh to categorize Kapustin outside the realm of "real stuff." Perhaps his earlier works are cliche and derivative, but I can't see how that same criticism could be applied to works such as that Piano Quintet I linked to. Yes, he does heavily mimmic stylistic trends, but the context in which he uses them, harmonically, melodically, and formally, is undeniably original and well thought out. If there's another musician that has created something remotely similar to that quintet, then I'd certainly love to hear it!

Ultimately, it is probably much too soon to measure Kapustin's greatness (or lack thereof) due to fact that so much of his music has yet to be recorded. However, do you really think that your criticism of Kapustin is really an explanation for his lack of popularity? Wouldn't that aspect of his music make it generally more appealing to the masses? If you're looking to please crowds, I feel that Kapustin would be a somewhat obvious choice.

[Mirror Image]

How is Jennifer Higdon a "hack"?

Perhaps in hindsight, "hack" isn't the word I should of used. I suppose Higdon is a very capable composer or else she wouldn't be recognized as being one. I will say that of the works I've heard of hers --- Violin Concerto, Concerto for Orchestra, and Cityscape, I have not heard a composer with an original voice or even one that has made any kind of emotional impact on me. I understand her music means something to someone, but it's just not my cup of tea. This is the nicest way I can put it.

[Mirror Image]

Don't even get me started on Kapustin...