American classical suggestions please

[helicase]

I'm also surprised that nobody mentioned Phillip Glass.

Are you calling me nobody? See post #18

[PeterG]

How about a Canadian composer?.....Christos Hatzis

Wow, that's very interesting. I like the music, not so keen on the trains and Inuit though. I can't make the connexion between them either, maybe I should read about the piece, is it perhaps supposed to represent Canada as whole from aborigine to industry or is it the train and Inuit in conflict?

[PeterG]

How much Copland have you heard? Only a portion of Copland's works compare stylistically with Gershwin, Bernstein or Sousa, if it's that kind of thing that you are turned off by.

You read me well. I haven't heard much & it is that type of stuff I've heard & so it has put me off. I'll investigate further then.

[walt]

Wow, that's very interesting. I like the music, not so keen on the trains and Inuit though. I can't make the connexion between them either, maybe I should read about the piece, is it perhaps supposed to represent Canada as whole from aborigine to industry or is it the train and Inuit in conflict?

Hatzis states(per the notes in the cd booklet) that he has listened to and studied the Inuit culture of northern Canada and was intrigued by the "throat singing" practiced by the Inuit.His love of locomotives stems from his childhood, he says his father was a railway engineer in his native Greece and the sound of trains was indelibly etched in his mind and memory.He says the work tries to reconcile the encounter/ clash of civilizations(the ancient Inuit/the modern, mechanized world).

So states Christos Hatzis.

[PeterG]

I don't think anyone's yet mentioned Howard Hanson or Walter Piston.

I mentioned Piston in my opening post. I really like Piston. And having listened to some Hanson over the weekend I like him as well now, thanks for the tip.

[PeterG]

Okay, first let me say, wow, thanks for all the great suggestions. One thing that strikes me having worked my way thru all the names new to me over the weekend is that the lines between classical, avant-garde, extreme jazz and extreme folk are very fuzzy. And I think that is wonderful, however it means that quite a few suggestions aren't even in what I consider the field of classical, but that is also great as it opens up new styles all the time.
Now instead of reviewing every single composer, I've made three lists having listened to 2 or 3 pieces by each composer, a YES list (Yes I like this & will investigate further), a NO list (no, this isn't for me), and a STANDOUT list (my favorites of all those new names) If a name isn't on a list, it means I already like them, couldn't find them on Spotify or Youtube or they aren't North American

So starting with my STANDOUT list:

Wuorinen
Reich
Ruggles
Hailstork
Carter
Griffes
Lansky
Marshall
Tower

My YES list
Hovhaness
Spiegel
Kay
Babbitt
Lou Harrison
Carpenter
Porter
Feldman
Wolfe
Schwantner
Shatin
Bolcom

My NO list
Lieberman
La Monte Young
Lang
Partch
Walker
Nancarrow
Moondog
Still
Cope
S. Johnson
Ornstein
Shapey
B. Johnston
Rouse
Gordon
First
Rzewski
Coates


Thanks again all, Wuorinen's "Adapting to the Times" is now waiting for me to complete my listening of it.

[rcarlberg]

Jason Martz

What's he done besides "The Pillory"?

[PeterG]

What's he done besides "The Pillory"?

Martz was one of the names I couldn't find a single track by on Spotify or Youtube.

[rcarlberg]

Martz was one of the names I couldn't find a single track by on Spotify or Youtube.

That may be because, so far as I know, he's only done the one 40' piece "The Pillory" plus some improvisations (with Eddie Jobson and John Luttrelle) on the Eurock LP.

[Astraldog]

Are you calling me nobody? See post #18

Sorry helicase. I read this post when I was way tired, but had to answer it anyway. It was just the ravings of a madman. Glad you like Glass. He's awesome.

[Zeuhlmate]

I liked this: Anthracite Fields by Julia Wolfe - the full composition were just broadcasted in The Danish Radio



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exWULt21Z3g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1xmS4stS3o

[Progbear]

Laurie Spiegel-American composer of electronic music.She released a 2cd retrospective of her works last year, titled The Expanding Universe.Mucho good stuff on it.This clip is from that cd,it's titled East River Dawn.

I’ve known of her for years (having read interviews of her talking about some of the obscure synthesizer’s she’s played over the years, like the Hazelcom McLeyvier and the Buchla Touché) but only recently did I discover her music. I love this type of electronic music! Shame on me for not listening to her stuff far earlier! He’s not American, but I recently discovered the wonderful David Behrman at the same time, and his music has much of the same vibe as hers, so if you like The Expanding Universe, give his masterpiece On the Other Ocean a try.

[walt]

Alvin Curran-Songs And Views From The Magnetic Garden-Part II

[chalkpie]

Peter - check this out. Its Copland for people who hate Copland. Just a tremendous piece of music - no cowboy hats or newlyweds settling in the Appalachian Mountains - just badass harmonies and rhythms orchestrated beautifully from a piano piece of his.

[Reid]

Bernstein's Serenade is a great piece, imo. I had been wanting to pick up more of Barber's material, so I sprang for the Marin Alsop box on Naxos. I'm very happy with it. Sonically, it blows away all of the other recordings I own, and most of the performances are more than satisfying.

[walt]

A track from Lois V Vierk's excellent cd "Words Fail Me".

[PeterG]

Peter - check this out. Its Copland for people who hate Copland. Just a tremendous piece of music - no cowboy hats or newlyweds settling in the Appalachian Mountains - just badass harmonies and rhythms orchestrated beautifully from a piano piece of his.

You're right, that's blinking lovely stuff that is. Thanks.

[BrianG]

That may be because, so far as I know, he's only done the one 40' piece "The Pillory" plus some improvisations (with Eddie Jobson and John Luttrelle) on the Eurock LP.

I wrote to Jason for a copy of The Pillory for the station, and he sent his sequel: The Battle. Pretty much more of the same. But what an ensemble he has playing it.
https://www.discogs.com/Jasun-Martz-...elease/1054512

[KGHofSF]

Seconded. I just heard the CD this week. Its some Really powerful Music. Steel Hammer by Ms Wolfe is also thought to be very cool indeed.
regards
KGH

I liked this: Anthracite Fields by Julia Wolfe - the full composition were just broadcasted in The Danish Radio



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exWULt21Z3g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1xmS4stS3o

[Zeuhlmate]

David Crumb, son of George Crumb

[simon moon]

Do foreign born composers, that moved to the US, and did most of their work in the US count?

If so, German born Stefan Wolpe is worth checking out.

[interbellum]

Quote Originally Posted by simon moon: Jason Martz

What's he done besides "The Pillory"?

Martz did a few other things, like "The Pillory / The Battle" from 2007 (which isn't the same album with Jobson):
"An amazing amalgamation of eclectic, experimental, contemporary classical, progressive, industrial, tribal and ambient featuring long and lush Mellotron solos and harsh soundscapes on 2 CDs featuring over 100 musicians and 2 1/2 hours of music."

CDBaby has some of his work for sale: http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/JASUNMARTZ



Website: http://www.jasunmartz.com/

Edit: Just noticed BrianG's post.