Ship of Fools: Discovering new composers....

Thread: Discovering new composers.... Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :

......I recently heard a couple of songs (on BBC Radio 3) by Gerald Finzi (1901-1956).

eBay is my friend, so I have obtained two CDs on the Naxos label - songs based on poems by Thomas Hardy (Earth and Air and Rain), and a selection of songs, instrumental, and choral pieces (The Best of Finzi).

IMHO beautiful, sombre, and reflective music of the highest quality, which I am very pleased to have discovered!

Any Shipmates found the same, whether Finzi or any other?

Ian J.

Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :

My favourite new composer CD is that by Philip Stopford with Truro Cathedral choir. Here is a sampler.

Posted by kingsfold (# 1726) on :

I've a hankering to try this Ola Gjeilo CD. We've sung the Ubi caritas which is absolutely gorgeous and I think I want to explore some more...

Posted by Og, King of Bashan (# 9562) on :

Finzi's "God is Gone Up" makes an annual appearance in our Evensong with Eucharist for Ascension. I have to admit that I think the words are a little soupy, but it is a glorious arrangement.

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :

quote:
Originally posted by kingsfold:
I've a hankering to try this Ola Gjeilo CD. We've sung the Ubi caritas which is absolutely gorgeous and I think I want to explore some more...

Get it! It's absolutely wonderful, and I don't know why it didn't get a Grammy except that the Phoenix Chorale had just won one the year before. I'm just a wee bit biased about the Phoenix Chorale [Big Grin]

but they are exceptional. Northern Lights is my favorite of their recordings and my "go to" CD when I'm not sure what I want to listen to.

(Ola Gjeilo was composer-in-residence to the Chorale a couple of years ago. He wound up marrying one of their singers.)

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :

Dobrinka Tabakova is another new-to-me composer. They performed a couple of her choral works at the Three Choirs Festival last year. I have her CD of string music and hope she releases one of choral music some time.

Posted by kaytee (# 3482) on :

quote:

Dobrinka Tabakova is another new-to-me composer.

Me too! I heard the 3rd movement of the Concerto for Cello and Strings on BBC Radio 3 and it blew me away.

I find listening to R3 in the car is a good way to discover new composers that I might not otherwise pick. They play tracks from the Specialist Classical Chart on Tuesdays from 8am, which is handy for checking out new releases during my commute.

I discovered Finzi when a local choir I was part of sang the Seven Poems of Robert Bridges. I was impressed by how well the music fit the words, not something I would have picked up if I was not singing it myself.

Posted by Gracious rebel (# 3523) on :

Finzi is a favourite of mine too. Have come across him in both choral works (I really enjoy singing Clear and gentle stream ) and in clarinet music (both of these are in the context of 'performing' rather than listening).

He has very characteristic harmonies, quirky rhythms, both challenging and soothing.

Posted by Yangtze (# 4965) on :

I discovered Finzi at the Proms a couple of years ago. Wonderful.

My new one is Benjamin Britten. Obviously I've heard bits over the years (including going to Midsummer Night's Dream twice) but I'd always thought I didn't really like him / found him a bit difficult. But I just went to a brilliant, brilliant illustrated talk on him at Greenbelt which has just opened it all up and now I'm desirous of hearing more.

Posted by fletcher christian (# 13919) on :

I've recently discovered Nico Muhly, but the material I have heard is so new it hasn't been recorded yet which is a shame.

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :

A friend introduced me to Finzi's Eclogue for Piano and Strings

I've heard him play it a few times over the years with some excellent string players from our area.

Posted by Sir Kevin (# 3492) on :

Awesome video, Judy! I really enjoyed it. Who is the lady conducting and what is the group?

Posted by Pearl B4 Swine (# 11451) on :

Jennifer Higdon: blue cathedral

She's not too new (born '62). This orchestral piece is astonishingly beautiful.

Posted by Sir Kevin (# 3492) on :

Ta! It sounds like good music to write to.

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :

If you haven't already discovered him, find stuff by Gyorgy Ligeti - breathtaking!

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :

I've heard Ligeti Lux Aeterna sung live by the BBC Singers - it was incredible. Those concerts have introduced me to a number of new composers and musicians, quite often the première performance too.

One of the stand out pieces was this one by a Finnish composer Canticum Calamitatis Maritimae (Jaakko Mäntyjärvi) written in response to the sinking of the MS Estonia.

Posted by Sir Kevin (# 3492) on :

Listening to now it and it is inspiring and exciting.

Posted by orfeo (# 13878) on :

Funnily enough with this Finzi talk, my current process of discovery is with another English composer, Frank Bridge.

There is a box set of his orchestral works which I picked up on sale based on good reviews and a fond memory of 3 of his piano pieces I learnt years and years ago. I decided to work through the set chronologically. The change in his style is quite marked, from pretty little pieces in the early 1900s to something considerably darker in the 1920s.

The Sea is apparently his most well known work. So far I'd also recommend the Dance Poem from around the same time, and also There Is A Willow Grows Aslant A Brook from later on. I haven't actually tried the largest late works yet.

Posted by Cottontail (# 12234) on :

I recently heard a performance of Eric Whitaker's Five Hebrew Love Songs. I thought they were incredibly exciting, and have been exploring the composer ever since. His hypnotic Lux Aurumque is also worth a listen.

Posted by kingsfold (# 1726) on :

Yes indeed, Lux aurumque is lovely: again, something I've sung.

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