Classical music from unexpected countries

[PeterG]

We all know and like at least one composer from each of the biggies:
Germany, Austria, Russia, GB, France, Italy, CZ, USA, Sweden, Finland, Ireland, Norway, Hungary, Denmark, Spain etc.

But, and remaining in the western idiom, who are some of the best composers from countries like

Belgium, Greece, Israel, Australia, NZ, Canada, Mexico, Portugal, Poland, Romania, and the Baltic, Balkan and South American countries?
That said, I already know and like a couple of Estonian composers.

[walt]

From Mexico:Carlos Chavez-(1899-1978)


From Greece:Iannis Xenakis-(1922-2001)

[PeterG]

Oh yes, of course. I've only got one Chavez album, on cassette, and its a compo of some of his best known pieces, including Invencion and Tambuco.

[grego]

We all know and like at least one composer from each of the biggies:
Germany, Austria, Russia, GB, France, Italy, CZ, USA, Sweden, Finland, Ireland, Norway, Hungary, Denmark, Spain etc.

But, and remaining in the western idiom, who are some of the best composers from countries like

Belgium, Greece, Israel, Australia, NZ, Canada, Mexico, Portugal, Poland, Romania, and the Baltic, Balkan and South American countries?
That said, I already know and like a couple of Estonian composers.

Baltic states - they have well known names, from all 3 of them. Part, Kutavichus, Barkauskas, Vasks, Plakidis, Tormis, Sumera, Kangro, Kreek, Sink, etc..Romania - agree, very little. I know only Anatol Vieru from Romania, great composer...Poland - not so obscured. You can start from Chopin here. XX century - Penderecki, Lutoslawski, Baird..

[helicase]

Poland:
Henryk Górecki. His 3rd symphony is very popular, and excellent, but I'll go for something else here, Beatus Vir:

Paweł Łukaszewski - Symphony No.2:

Marian Borkowski - De profundis:

[helicase]

Ukraine:
Alemdar Karamanov - Requiem:

Volodymyr Runchak - Symphony for Bayan and Orchestra:

[PeterG]

Baltic states - they have well known names, from all 3 of them. Part, Kutavichus, Barkauskas, Vasks, Plakidis, Tormis, Sumera, Kangro, Kreek, Sink, etc..Romania - agree, very little. I know only Anatol Vieru from Romania, great composer...Poland - not so obscured. You can start from Chopin here. XX century - Penderecki, Lutoslawski, Baird..

Thanks Grego, loads there to investigate. I've only heard of Part.

As for Poland, indeed, silly me, of course I've heard of Chopin, Penderecki, Lutaslawski, as well as Szymanawski and Gorecki. That said, calling Chopin a Polish composer is like calling Charlie Chapin a British filmmaker. Chopin settled in France when he was 21 and his musical career was there and thus based on French culture and conditions.

[Zeuhlmate]

I bought this recently (and recommend it !):

[PeterG]

That Passion by Part is lovely. I once sang a mass in Estonian, when I was a tenor in a cathedral choir, but it wasn't by Part.

[Rarebird]

Belgium:
Karel Goeyvaerts
Wim Mertens

Poland:
Chopin?

[Zeuhlmate]

Per Nørgård - Denmark (Dunno if Denmark is unusual, but he is good)

[PeterG]

Wim Mertens

I've heard the name but not heard any of his/her music

[PeterG]

While I remember, I'd like to give a shout out for Douglas Lilburn (1915-2001) from NZ, I've got one CD, with A Song of Islands and some other pieces. I like it a lot and am minded of Vaughan Williams when I hear it. Not surprising really seeing as he was tutored in composition by the great man, while he was at the RCM in London from 37 to 39. They were close friends.

[rcarlberg]

As for Poland, indeed, silly me, of course I've heard of Chopin, Penderecki, Lutoslawski, as well as Szymanawski and Gorecki. That said, calling Chopin a Polish composer is like calling Charlie Chapin a British filmmaker. Chopin settled in France when he was 21 and his musical career was there and thus based on French culture and conditions.

How about Andrzej Panufnik, raised in Poland but spent most of his career in London?

[Zeuhlmate]

In this thread I would hope countries like Greenland, Easter Islands, Malawi, Cambodia, Antarktis, to pop up
How about changing the thread title to: Unexpected classical music from well known countries ?

[rcarlberg]

The Easter Islands are part of Chile. Antarctica and Greenland don't have very many permanent residents who are human. African countries like Malawi have rich cultural heritages of music, but Western Classical is not part of that tradition. Same goes for Cambodia, which is not an unknown country in my opinion.

Many, perhaps most of the Western Classical composers from the countries already mentioned have travelled and studied with mentors from the mainstream countries. There isn't much "home-grown" classical music that fits the OP description.

[Reid]

Hungary: Liszt, Bartok, Ligeti
Poland: Chopin, Szymanowski, Lutoslawski, Penderecki, Bacewicz, Alexandre Tansman
Finland: Sibelius, Aulis Sallinen, Saariaho, Magnus Lindberg, E.P. Salonen, Kalevi Aho
Argentina: Alberto Ginastera
Switzerland: Honegger
Brazil: Villa Lobos
Holland: Leo Smit, this guy wrote loads of beautiful stuff influenced by Ravel, Debussy, Stravinsky

Lesser known German/Austrian composers: Ernst Krenek, Franz Schreker, Alexander Zemlinsky, Karl Hartmann, Hans Werner Henze, Ernst Toch, Egon Wellesz, Wolfgang Rihm, all great composers worth investigating.

[Rarebird]

I've heard the name but not heard any of his/her music

Wim Mertens definitly is a man.

[Proglodite]

Nikos Skalkottas is Greek - I was listening to 36 Greek Dances this weekend, but this overture is probably more 'proggy'

[Oreb]

Australia

Three of my favourites are:

Peter Sculthorpe:



Ross Edwards:



Brett Dean:

[Oreb]

And a couple more while I'm at it:

Martin Wesley Smith:



Nigel Westlake:



George Lentz:

[Zeuhlmate]

Hans Kox - Interesting guy from Holland

[walt]

Speaking about Australian composers;some years ago i purchased a compilation cd of works by Australian experimental composers,titled "Austral Voices", on the New Albion label.This cd turned me on to Ross Bolleter,Sarah Hopkins,Alan Lamb,Warren Burt and others.

Time to dust off this disc and re-acquaint myself with the music.

Erik Griswold is another noteworthy composer/player from Down Under.Griswold plays piano and prepared piano.I have several of his cds.

[grego]

Thanks Grego, loads there to investigate. I've only heard of Part.

As for Poland, indeed, silly me, of course I've heard of Chopin, Penderecki, Lutaslawski, as well as Szymanawski and Gorecki. That said, calling Chopin a Polish composer is like calling Charlie Chapin a British filmmaker. Chopin settled in France when he was 21 and his musical career was there and thus based on French culture and conditions.

Well, another obvious example is Handel - who is considered German, though he immigrated to England when he was 24, from his native town Halle...And most of his famous works he composed in England. Both countries consider Handel their own) Same thing with Chopin. Of course he is national figure in Poland, - but not in France. As for Szymanovski, great composer, agree. Zemlinsky is not bad too.

[Trane]

Belgium:
Karel Goeyvaerts
Wim Mertens

I'd go a little further (or back in time) at end of XIXth C, there were also

Eugene Ysaye (he's also Machiavel drummer Marc Ysaÿe's grand grandfather)
Henri Vieuxtemps
César Franck
André Devaere
Guillaume Lekeu

the last two were very much influenced on French impressionism, and both died fairly young (during their late-20's)