Is anyone here in to this kind of music? I have some CD's from Steve Reich (The Desert Music, Proverb/City Life, Music for 18 Musicians), Arvo Pärt (Alina) and Philip Glass (Koyaanisqatsi, Glassworks).
I want to explore some more of this great music. Any suggestions?
Brian Eno does some stuff like minimalist classical. Brutal Arduor is my personal favorite, it is kind of like a completely twisted and eerie Pachabel's Cannon
Head-Fi-holic: With headphones would just be a benny.
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Originally posted by wab
Is anyone here in to this kind of music?
Well, less so than I have been, but you mentioned two of my favorites (Koyaanisqatsi and Glassworks), so I felt I had to speak up. Are those the only two you own, or is that a coincidence? Those really are my two favorite works by him. I also like Einstein on the Beach, especially the big finale.
Completely different -- yet I find I can listen to them in a similar light:
In the Nursery - Hindle Wakes -- very pretty neo-classical performed by very small ensembles (I.E. chamber) and some synthetics & production. I just play it over and over, maybe that's why I think of it as minimalistic.
Also, there are a couple of tracks on the Ghost in the Shell soundtrack (particularly, 1, 6, and 10...I think)...again, I can listen to these repeatedly. When I was asked by my girl at the time to provide a comp. of some of my favorite music, I put this and Koyaanisqatsi (the opening sequence) back to back and it fit quite well. I can still listen to that comp.
Wab, if you like Tortoise and Jim O'Rourke, you'll love Schoenberg.
Just kidding, but anyway, I would consider looking to the beginning of the century as well, as some of its music is just as challenging as the current classical scene. I would check out Bartok's string quartets, stuff by Webern, Berg, Boulez and Schnittke. I am not too familiar with the really modern stuff (say 80s-present), so I cannot offer too much more help. If I had to pick one, I would probably say Schnittke.
Stu
P.S. Who is your avatar? His smile is a little frightening.
Good area to delve into, at least one of my favorite ones. Arvo Part is worth some more exploring. My recommendations there would be "Tabula Rasa" (Although the sound quality of the ECM recording it debuted with is a little dated and hissy, Gidon Kremer's performance is stunning.) and "Fratres." Later on, he turns to long, liturgical music which can be a little fatiguing but is often wonderful.
Michael Torke is an American with pop ideas incorporated into his music. His "Ectastic Orange" disc contains some of his best stuff, but there are several others to check if you take to that one.
Graham Fitkin is similar to Torke with some different twists and a still less classical, more pop-influenced idea of organizing his pieces.
Michael Nyman fits in here somewhere. His film scores are very popular, but I'd single out his string quartets as something for you to consider.
I'm beginning to like a Russian named Vladimir Martynov, but I don't own any recordings yet because I've only encountered his pieces in concert so far. Recordings of his stuff do exist.
There are some performers to watch who consistently come up with interesting new music: Kronos Quartet and Gidon Kremer, particularly when performing with his Kremerata Baltica.
I've not become fond of the Riley-Adams-Glass kind of minimalist music, and I think none of the above would fit with them exactly although there is a lot of borrowing or influence.
There are other composers that are more traditionally classical in outlook that might be worth a look. Try Rodion Shchedrin's "Mischievous Melodies" and his "Carmen Suite." If that goes down well, look into "The Sealed Angel," "Not Love Alone," and "The Humpbacked Horse." (I swear I'm not making any of this up. I'm not that creative.)
Have you tried Shostakovitch in some of his more radical moods? I'm thinking especially of his fourth symphony and his string quartets.
There's much more, but those are the major ones that readily come to mind. Have fun, and post again with your impressions. Then maybe we can think of some others more specifically suited to the taste you are developing.
Well, less so than I have been, but you mentioned two of my favorites (Koyaanisqatsi and Glassworks), so I felt I had to speak up. Are those the only two you own, or is that a coincidence? Those really are my two favorite works by him.
Those are the only Glass CD's I have..
Today a friend of mine played a CD with some organ works of his, I usually hate organ music but this was very cool too.
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P.S. Who is your avatar? His smile is a little frightening.
It's Richard D. James AKA Aphex Twin. BTW did you know the Philip Glass Orchestra performed his piece "ICCT Hedral". Pretty cool if you ask me!
Anyways.. I will check my local library for the music you all mentioned, thanks!
I'll second the Terry Riley. (Rainbow in Curved Air; Shri Camel)
Also try Gavin Bryars (Jesus Blood.. is deeply moving; Sinking of the Titanic is highly regarded but not my favorite; Man in a Room Gambling is infectious)
Also Bang on a Can (they've done Eno's Music for Airports, recently released a performance of Riley's In C; Industry is quite good; Lost Objects is good)
David Lang's Passing Measures
Kronos Quartet. (Black Angels)
Get more Glass. Aguas de Amazon. 1000 Airplanes. Satyagraha.
Get more Reich. Tehillim. Drumming. (or just splurge for Works and get it over with)
ByteSchlepper, thank you so much for mentioning Gavin Bryars. Today I got Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet and Sinking of the Titanic from the library. Both are simply beautiful works, especially Jesus Blood... The beautiful composition, the moving old man's voice and then Tom Waits comes in (I am a BIG Tom Waits fan).. it's just all is so right.
Also, I got a CD (with no title?) from Terry Riley and Tabula Rasa by Arvo Part. I will listen to those tommorow.
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wab-
i'm really into minimalist music. i just saw philip glass & the philip glass ensemble perform "koyaanisqatsi" live with the move. i even recorded it.
i have all of his operas on cd, the best is "akhnaten". it is his most monumental composition and most original.
of glass' other recordings, "aguas de amazon", "powasqaatsi", "1000 airplanes on the roof", "mishima", "low symphony", "glassworks", and "danceworks" are among my favorites.
also check out steve reich's "different trains" and "electric counterpoint". brian eno has also done a bit of minimalism, check out his "thursday afternoon", "music for airports", "neroli", and "ambient #4" (ok, that's ambient music but it crosses over). glad to see there are other folks out there who get this stuff!
yeah, steve reich is the man. for the most part at least.
try some of Sir Malcolm Arnold's symphonies. maybe not really minimalist, but he does use various tonal forms and tempi to get the most out of music. I'd reccomend Symphony #s 5,7 and 9, with maybe the 9th being my favorite. Go to www.musicweb.uk.net for reviews. they have a 3 or 4 page rave of his 7th and 8th symphonies. oh yeah, and they're all available on Naxos for super cheap.
Also, on ECM (= good sound) try some of Veljo Tormis' music. I have "Litany to Thunder" and it's fantabulous. Sort of folk-music inspired classical, but very beautiful and rather modern at times.
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