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

[monafam]

After getting a chance to listen to Thomas Schmidt-Kowalski's Naxos set, which lived up to the hype (great stuff), it got me wondering if there are other living composers that compose music in a similar vein.

While someone like Arvo Pärt has his moments as does James Macmillian (for me at any rate), etc. I don't know that they fit the more "Romantic" focus of this forum, and are certainly not unsung.   

I was just curious if anyone knew any other contemporary composers that you thought would fit.

Thanks!

[febnyc]

Jennifer Higdon

Sergio Rendine

Alla Pavlova

for three...

[edurban]

I like the music of the Mexican composer Arturo Marquez (b.1950), whose Danzon No.2 (1994) for orchestra is getting a lot of exposure via the conductor Gustavo Dudamel.  It's colorfully orchestrated and full of good tunes.  The latin rhythms are fantastic.  The same applies to his 'Conga del Nuevo Fuego' and the cello concerto 'Espejos en la arena' (Mirrors in the Sand) in three movements all based on dances: the son, the danzon, and the polka.  The last has been recorded by Carlos Prieto, who commissioned it.  There are at least 8 pieces in the Danzon series, some for chamber group, some for orchestra.

David

[Alan Howe]

I don't know of anyone who is consciously avoiding all modernistic ugliness in music as Schmidt-Kowalski does. For him it's an article of faith...

[thalbergmad]

I have read that the Irish Composer Tom Cullivan still composes in the Grand Romantic style, but i have yet to sample any of his wares.

Thal

[violinconcerto]

Try the music of "Franz Xaver Frenzel"! Its a fictious person invented by composer Friedemann Katt. He composes in an old-fashioned style, but quite original.

Best,
Tobias

[John H White]

Some months back I received a privately recorded CD of a Symphony in Bb completed in 1960 by the Scottish born composer Robert Bruce who is now 94 and long since retired from teaching at Cardiff University in Wales. It is very much in the Romantic tradition.
  Raff enthusiast Avrohom Leichtling was busily churning out symphonies when he was a member of the old Forum but I don't know what style he was composing in.
Rest assured that, when I write anything, it is in my favourite mid-nineteenth century Classico-Romantic style with sonata form outer movements! However, being a largely self taught amateur, I probably don't count.

[Alan Howe]

Leichtling's modernist style wouldn't be particularly attractive to members of this forum. As for Frenzel/Katt, he composes in a baroque style - very nice, but not for this forum either!

[Mark Thomas]

Yes, Avrohom's music is has an individual voice, but it's not a 19th century one. I'm loathe to categorize it, but it's definitely 20th century.

I'll second febnyc's nomination of Alla Pavlova. A number of her symphonies have been recorded by Naxos and, although perhaps not as thoroughly 1900s as Schmidt-Kowalski's idiom, they are written in a very accessible and melodic style, which is nonetheless deeply felt.

[Ilja]

Of course, there's a wide gap between the execrable nastiness of Boulez and the also somewhat artificial super-aestheticism of Schmidt-Kowalski. I love a good dissonant chord when applied with taste and moderation, and I don't mind being able to hear that a piece was composed after Scriabin. The problem arises when composing becomes a mathematical exercise (Stockhausen) or purposely tries to be as oblique as possible for the sole purpose of intellectual posturing (again, Boulez).

Of modern composers, I do find Pärt a tad too 'floaty' (as we in Holland tend to say), But particularly the chamber music of people like Vasks and Rautaavaara can be very alluring. The other end of the spectrum is made up by film composers. Some of them are very original: I definitely have a soft spot for Danny Elfman (for all his mannerism) and the latest efforts of Philip Glass have really impressed me (e.g., The Illusionist). If you want to go into full bombastic mode, Hans Zimmer is probably the man for you, but that's not really my thing.

[peter_conole]

Hi all

I can add one composer who, like Schmidt-Kowalski, avoided modernist ugliness and dreck and composed in a strictly tonal style. The American Richard Diciedue (born 1932). I have recordings of a violin concerto in d and a horn concerto in f, both works of the 1980s. Not earth-shattering music, but pleasing.

I imagine he was subjected to the same kind of nasty treatment Schmidt-Kowalski received from members of the academic elite. He seems to have been active as a composer in San Diego.

Problem: I have not got a clue what has happened to him - he may no longer be composing and perhaps not even be among the living.

regards
Peter

[JimL]

I got the Schmidt-Kowalski CDs earlier this week, but so far, I haven't been able to listen to more than one (4th Symphony and VC).  It sounds like great stuff, but what with all the issues I've been facing (back to school, internship, need for some rather unaffordable dental work) I haven't been able to pay much attention to it.  Remind me to thank Christian and Thomas when I get a chance.

[monafam]

Based on the recommendations I used my Emusic credits to get a work by Higdon and Pavlova (Rendine is saved for later).  The Pavlova symphonies I got were really good. 

The film composers is an interesting study. In some cases, they may be more closely related in terms of some of the genres they choose to emulate, yet, I fear the works themselves are not viewed in the same light as if it were actually a Symphony/Concerto, etc.

One more follow-up -- how would you go about discovering a contemporary composer?  Is it a matter of listening to samples, etc? 

[Alan Howe]

Robert Bruce's Symphony in B flat is a very fine piece - in a recognisably conservative mid-twentieth century idiom (it was completed in 1960) with clear connections through, say, Rubbra, back to Sibelius. It is quite long (39 minutes), but I found it an absorbing listen. The music is very well played by the Polish orchestra involved and as an overall production it's fully up to professional standards.

[Pengelli]

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!).