Some good contemporary orchestral classical listening

[The Listener]

I was just listening to some of my favourite orchestral classics lately and thought that I would really like to listen to some new and fresh orchestral music of the same quality if it exists.

I ask for any suggestions of superbly recorded new composers, but not of an overly "intellectualized", progressive for progressive sake music, but some rich "sound journey".

Let me explain - I mean colorful music, with rich orchestration, interesting harmonies, emotionally engaging, interesting rhythmic elements and superb performances of the orchestra and the soloists. I mean some contemporary equivalent to works such as Britten's "War Requiem" (the composer conducting, top of the top soloists, a beautiful 60's Decca recording), which I just listened to yesterday and I felt that I was transported into some sublime realms, swimming in those amazing vocal harmonies, spinned in the vortex of the warlike brass - his trademark horn calls, orchestral swirms and swells, climaxing and relaxing in amazing rhythms and dynamics, very imaginative and beautiful melodies, too. Something that doesn't disregard "melody" as many contemporary pieces do. Or the other well-known masterpiece I really enjoy - Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" - a real exotic sound journey, engaging imagination like not many other works can. I like a beautiful Deutsche Grammophon recording with Claudio Abbado as conductor.

So, I am interested in some contemporary composers and high end recordings of that kind of very imaginative, rich orchestral music.

Although I also like more "intellectual", progressive contemporary music, that is not what I am now looking for - I also like Gyorgy Ligeti, Georges Aphergis, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Sofia Gubaidulina, Arvo Part, Gloria Coates, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, John Adams, etc.

But I am specifically asking for something contemporary that could be compared in magnitude, imagination and richness of musical language to those mentioned works and not being "too contemporary" in style (meaning, not too much forced atonality, very abstract, cold musical language, despising "old ways"), but something that feels more "evolving" from the emotion and older classical tradition - harmonic (but in new and freer ways), interesting melodies, not based on chaotic rhythm but an interesting and complex one - something in the vein of the mentioned works - War Requiem (my all time favorite classical piece) or The Rite of Spring. And of course - recorded beautifully as those 60's and 70's Decca recordings were.

[aracu]

Dutillux, Chandos label, BBC Philharmonic, 1997

colourful, modernist, tonal, excellent performance/recording

[king2070lplaya]

Penderecki - threnody for the victims of Hiroshima

Tamberg - Trumpet concerto

Eotvos, Saariaho, John Adams, Golijov, there's so much out there

go to the library and pick out

[Plush]

Consider Veljo Tormis's "Curse Upon Iron."

Also "In Principio" by Arvo Part

[The Listener]

Thank you for all the suggestions, two were right on the spot, and I never heard about those composers until now - I am pleasantly surprised by Dutilleux, I like what I read about him and the first impressions from the audio clips were promising...
And Veljo Tormis, I found a nice album "Lithany to Thunder" from ECM a minute ago, that I chose to be my Christmas listening now, ehe.

Thanks, I'll check all new suggestions that I don't know already, feel free to post more ideas...

[daivadisc]

Try the Per Norgard Symphonies 3 and 7 on DaCapo -- a rich and imaginative sound and gorgeous recordings.

daivadisc

[GIACOMO-_]

Jennifer Higdon
"Concerto for Orchestra and City Scape"

Conductor Robert Spano
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

TELARC RECORDING

Jack Renner, 2005 Grammy Adwards winner, best engineer ablum.

Amazon.com: Higdon: City Scape / Concerto for Orchestra: Jennifer Higdon, Robert Spano, Atlanta Symphony: Music

[hughesmr]

This latest release from Jarvi/Cincinnati is worth a look also: ("Baltic Portraits"):

Amazon.com: Baltic Portraits: Tuur, Sallinen, Salonen, Part, Sumera, Jarvi, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra: Music

[The Listener]

Great suggestions!

Per Norgard being the most outstanding revelation... His Symphony no.3 is exactly the kind of new music I was looking for... and again - Veljo Tormis - I had great "transcendence" time with his music yesterday. How do they perform that on such a high artistic level... those complex choral parts... wow.

[daivadisc]

Originally Posted by The Listener

Great suggestions!

Per Norgard being the most outstanding revelation... His Symphony no.3 is exactly the kind of new music I was looking for... and again - Veljo Tormis - I had great "transcendence" time with his music yesterday. How do they perform that on such a high artistic level... those complex choral parts... wow.

I'm glad you enjoyed the Norgard Third -- you'll grow to like it even more as you relisten to it.

daivadisc@gci.net

[The Listener]

Originally Posted by daivadisc

I'm glad you enjoyed the Norgard Third -- you'll grow to like it even more as you relisten to it.

daivadisc@gci.net

I'm sure I will...

I also checked the Chandos version, which I suspect might be even a bit better for my taste - less "clear" recording - more blended, more ambience sound around instruments, so the high pitched bells and percussion are less in your face, the sense of depth seems greater, strings envelop you more, etc.; I can't state the preference for performance since I only heard short clips of it, but the first impression was that the Chandos recording sounds a bit more "mysterious"... but I just bought the flac versions from DaCapo directly, so it will be this version for some time still and I'll check the Chandos recording later.

I'm glad that you brought this composer to my attention. I'll check more of his work.

[Flute-Picc]

This DG release that includes Arvo Pärt's Third Symphony is really fantastic.
PÄRT Symphonie No. 3 Järvi - Catalogue - Deutsche Grammophon

Also, I like this release with pieces by Hillborg, Gefors, and Boldemann.
VON OTTER / Boldemann Gefors Hillborg - Catalogue - Deutsche Grammophon

If you're looking for something a bit older and more standard (like the Rite you mentioned), you can't go wrong with a good Bluebeard's Castle recording.

[fifthcircle]

It isn't symphonic, but I'd look into George Crumb's music... So much good stuff that he's written and a lot of great recordings including the series of recordings on Bridge records that were done under the direction of the composer.

Another interesting project is the CD Lonely Motel featuring the musicians of eighth blackbird, Steve Mackey (the composer who plays electric guitar), and Rinde Eckart. It is nominated for a Grammy this year and is from a large work that is almost a rock opera, except that more than half of it is great large-chamber music. I mixed the world premiere performance of it and it is a pretty impressive piece of music.

--Ben

[mljung]

Coplands Grohg conducted by Oliver Knussen on Argo [Decca] comes to mind.
And don't forget Shostakovich [e.g. 4th and 8th symph.]

And since you say that you like Britten, conducting Britten on Decca/London

Sinfonia da Requiem [comes with a fine "Cello Symphony"] and also his Piano and Violin Concerto, with soloists a little closed miked in the otherwise magical 1970 recordings from Maltings, Snape

Go for it

::
Mads

[The Listener]

Originally Posted by mljung

Coplands Grohg conducted by Oliver Knussen on Argo [Decca] comes to mind.
And don't forget Shostakovich [e.g. 4th and 8th symph.]

And since you say that you like Britten, conducting Britten on Decca/London

Sinfonia da Requiem [comes with a fine "Cello Symphony"] and also his Piano and Violin Concerto, with soloists a little closed miked in the otherwise magical 1970 recordings from Maltings, Snape

Go for it

::
Mads

Yes, I have that already, actually I have most of those "conducted by Britten" releases on Decca/London - including most of his operas, string quartets, song cycles, etc.

[matyas]

Kaija Saariaho's music is gorgeous. Her roots are in European modernism, but her music is so lushly scored and wonderfully colored. The opera L'Amour de loin is especially beautiful, and there's a great DVD of it on DG.
Much of Gerard Grisey's late music is also surprisingly romantic - check out the song cycle Quatre chants pour franchir le seuil and the chamber orchestra piece Le temps et l'ecume, both on the Kairos label.
If you like Steve Reich and John Adams, check out Louis Andriessen. His music offers a very different take on the minimalist language.

[fifthcircle]

I don't know Saariaho's music particularly well, but I'm going to be recording some of it coming up- both in performance and then a month or so later in a session. I'm looking forward to it.

--Ben

[The Listener]

Originally Posted by matyas

Kaija Saariaho's music is gorgeous. Her roots are in European modernism, but her music is so lushly scored and wonderfully colored. The opera L'Amour de loin is especially beautiful, and there's a great DVD of it on DG.
Much of Gerard Grisey's late music is also surprisingly romantic - check out the song cycle Quatre chants pour franchir le seuil and the chamber orchestra piece Le temps et l'ecume, both on the Kairos label.
If you like Steve Reich and John Adams, check out Louis Andriessen. His music offers a very different take on the minimalist language.

Oh, yes, I like his music which I first heard on a beautifully recorded album "Zilver" by California EAR Unit, a great contemporary classical group that I incidentally saw for the first time at Zagreb Music Biennale, where also Steve Reich was attending in person and I was at London Sinfonietta concert where he was honorary guest among the audience and congratulated the two percussionists who performed his Clapping music.

Everything is connected...

[mixerguy]

cool thread.

anyone else wanna chime in?

[Omicron_9]

A big +1 on the suggestion for Shostakovich 4 and 8, and for Bluebeard's Castle.

A few more:

Arvo Part: 4th Symphony and the Te Deum album on ECM.

Any of Ligeti's orchestral works, but especially Lontano and Atmospheres

Any of Schnittke's orchestral works and also his Choir Concerto.

Alban Berg: Violin Concerto

You mentioned Stravinsky's Rite of Spring; look into his Symphony of Psalms.

Happy hunting for new music!

Regards,
-0.9

[alexaudio]

Originally Posted by hughesmr

This latest release from Jarvi/Cincinnati is worth a look also: ("Baltic Portraits"):

Amazon.com: Baltic Portraits: Tuur, Sallinen, Salonen, Part, Sumera, Jarvi, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra: Music

Greetings everyone - thought I'd chime in (has been a long time since I've been posting on the forums)...

Great suggestion Michael (nice to virtually see you again).

I am enjoying this thread, there are some great suggestions, some that I haven't had the chance to listen too. The recordings mentioned of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra are ones that I completed when I was chief engineer of their performance recordings. So if you have any questions regarding them, I'd be happy to discuss and share recording concepts, etc. Another recording that you may want to consider is the release that occurred before the Baltic Portraits, which is called American Portraits with Paavo Järvi conducting:
Tracks:
1. Charles Coleman: Streetscape
2. Jennifer Higdon: Fanfare Ritmico
3. Carter Pann: Slalom
4. Jonathan Bailey Holland: Halcyon Sun
5. Charles Coleman: Deep Woods
6. Kevin Puts: Network

Amazon.com: American Portraits: Coleman, Higdon, Cincinnati Sym Orch, Jarvi: Music

Best,
Alex

[badmark]

Messiaen - Turangalila Symphony

Carlos Chavez - Sinfonia India

Alan Hovhaness - lots of stuff to choose from

[alexaudio]

Originally Posted by alexaudio

Greetings everyone - thought I'd chime in (has been a long time since I've been posting on the forums)...

Great suggestion Michael (nice to virtually see you again).

I am enjoying this thread, there are some great suggestions, some that I haven't had the chance to listen too. The recordings mentioned of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra are ones that I completed when I was chief engineer of their performance recordings. So if you have any questions regarding them, I'd be happy to discuss and share recording concepts, etc. Another recording that you may want to consider is the release that occurred before the Baltic Portraits, which is called American Portraits with Paavo Järvi conducting:
Tracks:
1. Charles Coleman: Streetscape
2. Jennifer Higdon: Fanfare Ritmico
3. Carter Pann: Slalom
4. Jonathan Bailey Holland: Halcyon Sun
5. Charles Coleman: Deep Woods
6. Kevin Puts: Network

Amazon.com: American Portraits: Coleman, Higdon, Cincinnati Sym Orch, Jarvi: Music

Best,
Alex

Thought I'd mention, a few selections were also recorded by Chelsea VandeDrink, who is a very talented young engineer.

[aracu]

Try pandora.com, pay a few dollars, and make stations for:

Ruth Crawford Seeger, Toru Takemitsu, Hans Werner Henze, Lejaren Hiller Josef Matthias Hauer, Norbert Moret, Sofia Gubaidulina, Toshio Hosokawa, György Ligeti, Henri Dutilleux, Per Nørgård, Mauricio Kagel, Magnus Lindberg, Tristan Murail, Wolfgang Rihm, Louis Andriessen, Giacinto Scelsi, Franco Donatoni, Witold Lutoslawski, Olivier Messiaen, György Kurtág, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Julian Anderson, Krzysztof Penderecki, Brian Ferneyhough, Judith Weir, Robert Simpson, etc.

(and Little Walter for some real culture).

[Brian Brock]

joan tower - her Purple Rhapsody is amazing, though last I checked it wasn't available on disc yet... her other stuff is good too though from what I have heard

[dseetoo]

Originally Posted by Brian Brock

joan tower - her Purple Rhapsody is amazing, though last I checked it wasn't available on disc yet... her other stuff is good too though from what I have heard

Sorry for the plug, but the recording of Tower's Purple Rhapsogy is recently released. I did the recording.


ProMusica Chamber Orchestra: Music Store


Best,

Da-Hong Seetoo

[king2070lplaya]

Originally Posted by dseetoo

Sorry for the plug, but the recording of Tower's Purple Rhapsogy is recently released. I did the recording.


ProMusica Chamber Orchestra: Music Store


Best,

Da-Hong Seetoo

That is amazing, man! I used to hear their concerts all the time when I lived in Cbus, happy to see a great ensemble paired up with a great engineer. Will definitely have to check it out!

Would you care to share any details on the technical aspects of the recording?? ;-)

[The Listener]

Originally Posted by dseetoo

Sorry for the plug, but the recording of Tower's Purple Rhapsogy is recently released. I did the recording.


ProMusica Chamber Orchestra: Music Store


Best,

Da-Hong Seetoo

Cool! Is there a possibility to hear some audio clips?

I still buy CDs, but never blind without hearing first, even if just a bit to get the idea of approximate quality and style of performance and what are the works all about if you don't know them as is the case here.

I think that any online shop without previews is doomed to fail.

[tacitus]

If you can cope without strings, there's a lot of good contemporary music for Wind orchestra, much of which has been well-recorded with minimal mics. One disc I'm very pleased with is the Royal Northern College of Music's recording that includes Richard Rodney Bennett's trumpet concerto and other works. And of course, there's lots of Percy Grainger, not exactly contemporary but it may fit into the category you describe. I can dig up some recording info if you think you might like this stuff (or already know you do). Lots of good composers, mainly here in the UK and in the USA.

[fifthcircle]

Originally Posted by fifthcircle

Another interesting project is the CD Lonely Motel featuring the musicians of eighth blackbird, Steve Mackey (the composer who plays electric guitar), and Rinde Eckart. It is nominated for a Grammy this year and is from a large work that is almost a rock opera, except that more than half of it is great large-chamber music. I mixed the world premiere performance of it and it is a pretty impressive piece of music.

sorry to be quoting myself, but a shout out to eighth blackbird who won a Grammy with this project. Definitely worth a listen

--Ben