'Classical' music since 1960 that you really care about

[David Ayers]

You know, this is not a bad question. There really are a lot of potential answers, but from my personal point of view it is a question of works which I have heard in performance and which preferably have some sort of performance tradition. I'll pick a handful and see where that leaves me:

Boulez, Notations (orchestral version: surprise choice?)

Ligeti, Violin Concerto (as a composition I'd pick the Piano Concerto, I suppose)

Rihm, Gesungene Zeit (violin concerto as played and also recorded by ASM)

Lindberg, Aura (big bold and um a bit hollow I guess, but fun)

Tippett, King Priam (would I spend much time with the recording? I've got it and never do, but I'd go and see it again any day)

Ades, The Tempest (the recording exposes the faults - it comes across in performance and on record as a series of chunks, but seeing it done is well worthwhile)

Birtwistle, Secret Theatre (a few of his I'd go for, but this is wonderful in performance)

OK I said only a few. Of things I know from record that I am desperate to hear done I'd put Henze 9th Symphony at the top (I missed it at Proms: I kick myself over that) and I would love to hear El Cimmaron done too. Henze day at Barbican coming up mid-Jan so chance to hear Voices, some orchestral works, and Phaedra.

Things I know only from record but still rotate around in some way include the string quartets of Rihm and Maxwell Davies.

All that Rautavaara, Aho etc stuff does nothing for me - just not up to speed IMO and no real performance tradition here in UK. I guess quite a few other things I heard done at one time or another were pretty kickass though whether you want to pore over the records is another matter - I'll throw in George Benjamin, Antara, and Boulez, Sur Incises (OK that stands up well on record!) and - Oh, I'll stop there....

[7/4]

I particularly like Steve Reich.

...

OTOH, I'm not much of a fan of Philip Glass.

I think Glass is heavily overrated, as are most of the so-called minimalists. Riley's original idea was great, but only few created soemting really substantial out of it.

I think even Reich is overrated - some well-trained jazz ensemble given the appropriate rules could improvise something like his works with little problems.

Except that improvising minimalism, it wouldn't sound like Jazz any more.

I heard one of Braxton's minimal classical pieces once. Big ensemble toots on one note for a long period of time. Not Jazz...not even Ghost Trance music...he's awful at minimalism.

Edited December 29, 2009 by 7/4

[blind-blake]

I like this one:

Joonas Kokkonen: Cello Concerto; Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000XQ3BJI/ref=dm_dp_cdp?ie=UTF8&s=music

[MartyJazz]

(snip)

I'm fond of John Adams and have been slowly overcoming a long aversion to the likes of Reich and Glass in the last couple of years (that fear of seemingly static repetition again!).

(snip)

Hopefully people can add to this thread as they encounter things or rediscover things in their collections. Could be a useful resource.

I also share the fear of which you speak re the music of Glass & Reich, however one Glass composition that I was turned onto because it pervades the soundtrack of an interesting French film, "La Moustache", is his Violin Concerto available on the following disc which was the version actually used for the film:

Here