Contemporary (i.e. still living) Composers...

[Pengelli]

Someone on the message board (I think),mentioned Hugh Wood's Piano Concerto. I have a collins cd single of it,and it's better than some recent stuff I've heard. Even better again,Frederic Devreese's Piano Concerto No 2 which is like a cross between Prokofiev and Gershwin. Fantastic stuff. I've played it again and again,and can't understand for the life of me why it's not more well known. But then again,Dutch/ Belgian composers don't seem to have much luck,generaly speaking,even in their own country,it seems. The Marco Polo cd is definately one of their better efforts.
Incidentally,Devreese,b. 1929, only just scrapes in here because he's ,(as far as I know),still alive.
I also quite liked Rouse's 'Der gerettete Alberich';although possibly only because the percussionist, (I forget who),was so good.

[Pengelli]

Actually,of all these works,it's the Devreese I would recommend,especialy for the Piano Concerto No 2. I think it should be a popular work. In fact,I think it's one of the best attempts ever by a serious composer to assimilate popular and classical music in the form of a concerto;and the best  concerto of it's kind since Gershwin and Ravel. Tremendously exciting,and don't be put off by the fact that it's a Marco Polo production. The performances and recording are actually very good. In fact,the whole cd is good.

[JimL]

On the strength of those last two posts I've ordered the Devreese disc from Canada.  The 3rd and 4th PCs also sound intriguing.  His 1st won a prize (1949 Prijs-Town-Ostend).  There are also a VC, a CC and a symphony in his oeuvre.  He also composed two operas (one, for TV, also won a prize).  Sounds like my kind of contemporary composer!

[Pengelli]

There is a detailed review on Classical net by Steve Schwartz of the Piano Concerto's cd which raves about the Concerto's and the pianist. It was actually reading this that made me buy it,although I listened to some bits on Amazon first.
There is also a far less enthusiastic review somewhere else,which I totally disagree with,of course.  (I can't remember where at the moment).
While I would be the last person to say it's as good as Ravel,Gershwin or Prokofiev,another obvious influence,I should have mentioned,it certainly was a suprise;and allot better than some other works of this kind that I have heard.
The other Concerto's are equally interesting,but not as immeadiately approachable as the 2nd. Although,I personally enjoyed the whole cd. In fact,I think I wil buy No1,now,if I can!
NB :The pianist is fantastic.

[Pengelli]

Jiml: On the strength of you're post  & the enthusiastic review on Musicweb,I have decided to push the boat right out & order the Cypres 2 cd set, of 'Gemini',and other works. So,let's hope I AM right.
Had a listen to the Concerto's 2-3, again &  there seems to be a bit of Bartok thrown into the mix,as well.
Judging,by his biography,Frederic Devreese is a very contemporary eighty one years of his age, and hopefully stll hale & hearty. (My parents are currently Seventy eight).
I think I could risk playing my mum this one!!!!

[chill319]

"I think I could risk playing my mum this one!!!!"
My mom is 89, and she will definitely be hearing Devreese 2.

[Pengelli]

That's reassuring. I remember nearly making my mum jump out of her skin playing Jon Leif's 'Saga Symphony',in the spectacular BIS recording,some years ago. Periods of stillness,then,out of the blue,an almighty THWACK from the percussion department.
Another unepected and very loud Thwack was the one near the beginning of the Richard Strauss tone poem, 'Tod und Verklarung',in the Telarc recording under Previn. Those were back in the days when cd's from Telarc & Varese Sarabande used to carry fun warnings about how they coul damage your hi-fi system! They never did my equipment any harm,and I used to wonder if they were like those pop or rap cd's that carry stickers warning buyers that they contain explicit language & references to sex. Of course,they actually sell more copies that way!
Incidentally,has that ever been applied to classical cd's? I believe that there are some rather fruity sounding opera's around these days. Although whether,recordings of neglected composers like Cornelis Dopper,for example,would fly off the shelves if they were marketed with such labels would be open to question,and very probably the trades descriptions act!

[John H White]

At the risk of being branded a pedant, which I probably am,  could we please use the phrase ," present day composers" instead of  "contemporary composers". Haydn and Mozart were contemporary composers, as were J S Bach and G F Handel, meaning that they lived at the same time as each other. There, I've had my tuppence worth, in old English money of course)

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Or maybe just a plain "current composers"?

[Pengelli]

Well it's easier to spell,now that Big Birds unavailable.

[wunderkind]

I'll nominate the Norwegian composer (b.1943) Kjell Flem.  The Aurora label has a CD of his Piano Concerto and two orchestral works.  The Concerto is a powerful piece and runs to almost 40 minutes.  It's quite striking.

[wunderkind]

And....one more....

Thomas Svoboda (b.1939).  His two Piano Concertos are very good, as is his Symphony No.1 - all of which have been recorded on CD.

[JimL]

Someone on this forum (or its predecessor) sang the praises of Svoboda to the skies.  It was edurban or febnyc, I think.  David can speak for himself.  I'm not so sure febnyc checks us out anymore.

[eschiss1]

Incidentally,just out of interest,because it's not really appropriate here,I suppose;but what exactly do users of this message board really think of Birtwistle,Maxwell Davies,Lachenmann,et al? Do you all hate them? Myself,I find I used to try those sort of composers years ago & find myself saying to my  mother, (long suffering),that was quite interesting;then after two or three spins,the cd would never see the inside of my cd player again...........believe me, I did try.
After that,it was back to Malcolm Arnold,Havergal Brian,Bax,Martinu,Dvorak or Khatchaturian,etc;tut,tut! (We're talking about the late 70's, 80's. Not many opportunities to hear Raff or Bantock,then!).

I like some of what I've heard by them (Maxwell Davies' symphonies on brief acquaintance so far seem fascinating, so do some other works. Have heard a very little Lachenmann and think the same.) But then I adore the Second Vienna School and some descendents (Roger Sessions' music for example) which may well make me very much the outlier on this forum. (But then like Schoenberg (which is the proper spelling; he Americanized it) I also would not for a moment be without Brahms, both Brahms the progressive and Brahms the archaist who loved, studied and knew his collections of Scarlatti and of Renaissance double-chorus works.)
Eric

[Pengelli]

I'm open minded. I find trying that sort of nusic interesting. It's just I don't come back to it too much! As to Maxwell Davies; I think his symphonies are interesting to listen to. Indeed some of the later one's are quite approachable. In fact,almost melodious. (Although,not the sort of melodiousness that Malcolm Arnold admirers would recognise!). Come to think of it,Maxwell Davies,himself, is pretty unsung,these days, compared to the likes of Birtwistle or Lachenmann,to name just two. Especially his symphonies.
As to Sessions. I have a cd of some symphonies by him; but unlike Maxwell Davies it all seems like allot of plinkety plonk noises and general gloom.( I gather his music is a bit neglected these days.).