Contemporary - Classical Explorer

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Contemporary

A collection of 34 posts

The vocal music of Arnulf Herrmann

The vocal music of Arnulf Herrmann

This is a compelling disc - it draws you in, making repeated listening both necessity and pleasure

Pasture & Storm: the music of Sadie Harrison

Pasture & Storm: the music of Sadie Harrison

A vitally important disc, full of humanity and compassion while remaining uncompromising in its musical delivery

Igor Levit in Henze's (and Wagner's) Tristan ... and more!

Igor Levit in Henze's (and Wagner's) Tristan ... and more!

A terrific release - emotionally demanding, for sure, but I for one would not have it any other way

Berlin Festival (4): Berlin Radio SO / Jurowski in Xenakis, Bartók and Mahler

Berlin Festival (4): Berlin Radio SO / Jurowski in Xenakis, Bartók and Mahler

The Xenakis and the Bartók, certainly, will live long in the memory

Berlin Festival (2): Berlioz, Adès, Barry

Berlin Festival (2): Berlioz, Adès, Barry

Stimulating fare from Adès, Kuusisto and the Berliner Philharmoniker

Berlin Festival (1): Ensemblekollektiv Berlin / Enno Poppe

Berlin Festival (1): Ensemblekollektiv Berlin / Enno Poppe

Musikfest Berlin 2022 is in full flow ... A phenomenal concert

Images from the Dark Land: George Crumb's Black Angels & Music for a Summer Evening

Images from the Dark Land: George Crumb's Black Angels & Music for a Summer Evening

Dark music, certainly ... difficult music, definitely ... rewarding music, 100%

Thoughts about the Piano: Claudia Chan's fascinating programme

Thoughts about the Piano: Claudia Chan's fascinating programme

Buy this disc for Chan's performance of Xenakis' Evryali alone, then go on to peel away the other discoveries ....

Repost: Eric Tanguy Chamber Music: “In a Dream”

Repost: Eric Tanguy Chamber Music: “In a Dream”

This is richly rewarding music, brilliantly played and recorded

L‘Oiseau rebelle: Contemporary Piano Music from Orléans

L‘Oiseau rebelle: Contemporary Piano Music from Orléans

L’Oiseau Rebelle Music by Langgaard, Bertrand, Lourié, Stockhausen, Kabalevsky, Xenakis, C. P. E. Bach, Cardew, Rossini, Terentyev, C. Schumann and Cage plus Snoop Dogg. Mikhaïl Bouzine (piano). B RECORDS LBM 037 78 mins This is one of a series of discs released by prize-winners to the Orléans Festival of

Psappha Commissions

Psappha Commissions

A remarkable disc that demands - and rewards - active listening. Every piece is a gem in its own right

Edmund Finnis and the Manchester Collective: Shades

Music with a fragile, utterly unique atmosphere

Repost: Birtwistle Chamber Works (BIS)

Repost: Birtwistle Chamber Works (BIS)

A superb disc - the Nash Ensemble reminds us of their place at he top of the chamber tree, while Birtwistle's music remains as uncompromising and brilliant as ever

Visions and Utterances: Concert Review

Visions and Utterances: Concert Review

An invaluable experience for Rebecca Saunders’ blistering new piece and George Walker’s fine Sinfonia No. 5

The Music of Ondřej Adámek

The Music of Ondřej Adámek

Two highly significant World Premieres caught for posterity

Henze from Vienna

Henze from Vienna

One of Naxos' finest ... a celebration of the lyrical side of Hans Werner Henze

Repost: Interview with composer Xiaogang Ye

Repost: Interview with composer Xiaogang Ye

Ye's voice is brilliant, individual, his works perfectly crafted ...

News posting: Nneka Cummins wins the Liverpool Philharmonic's Rushworth Composition Prize

News posting: Nneka Cummins wins the Liverpool Philharmonic's Rushworth Composition Prize

The Liverpool Philharmonic is delighted to announce Nneka Cummins as the winner of its annual Rushworth Composition Prize, establihed in 2015 by the Rushworth Foundation. It forms part of Liverpool Philharmonic’s continuing commitment to the commissioning and performance of new music as well and supporting home-grown talent. The competition

The Beauty of Contemporary Music: Detlef Heusinger

The Beauty of Contemporary Music: Detlef Heusinger

In short, an expression of utmost beauty couched in modernist terms

Rebecca Saunders (II): Solo

Rebecca Saunders

Rebecca Saunders (II): Solo

Performances of the utmost commitment from members of Klangforum Wien; Saunders could hardly ask for finer accounts

The music of Pierre Boulez: Anthèmes +

The music of Pierre Boulez: Anthèmes +

A bargain for all lovers of Boulez, a straightforward invitation to explore for those who wish to take this leap into the Abyss ...

Magnus Lindberg's gritty orchestral music

Magnus Lindberg's gritty orchestral music

... this set of live performances is a fine document of one of our most significant contemporary composers

The Magic of the Manchester Collective

The Magic of the Manchester Collective

From the first time I heard the Manchester Collective in 2018, I was enraptured. That was at Stoller Hall in Manchester, a concert memorably entitled 1001 Demons [https://seenandheard-international.com/2018/03/a-boundary-exploding-approach-to-music-by-manchester-collective/] containing music by Xenakis, Harvey, Vessel, Reich, Gordon, Finnis and Elms. Here on Classical Explorer, we covered

Violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja and the music of Francisco Coll

Violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja and the music of Francisco Coll

Kudos to Pentatone for daring to release this disc and to Kopatchinskaja and Gimeno for their indefatigable belief in Coll's music

Pedal Power! Ecologically friendly commissioning from the London Sinfonietta

Pedal Power! Ecologically friendly commissioning from the London Sinfonietta

(Composer Laura Bowler, photo copyright Robin Clewey) Last week the London Sinfoinetta, a resident orchestra at London's Southbank Centre, announced a trailblazing commission from composer Laura Bowler, Houses Slide. The premiere will take place at the Royal Festival Hall on July 9. The production will be powered entirely by bicycles: