help choosing a contemporary composer

[thalbergmad]

Having seen the scores of scores you have, you are either very rich, very poor (by now) or unmarried (also by now)...

Having placed over 500 orders with different UK Libraries, about 30 in Europe and 15 in USA, you are correct on all 3 counts.

Just filling out one now for the Marlborough Variations by Vogler. Rather charming piece.

Thal

[ahinton]

Having placed over 500 orders with different UK Libraries, about 30 in Europe and 15 in USA,

None with Siberian libraries, I take it?...

Best,

Alistair

[kevinr]

Could I recommend the "Spectrum" series published by the ABRSM, which are collections of piano pieces by contemporary (British?) composers specially commissioned for this series. I think there are 4 books so far.

The collections were compiled by Thalia Myers who has also recorded them.

As well as their instrinsic merits the large number of composers represented should be useful in deciding which ones you might want to follow up. See:

<a>https://www.thaliamyers.com/spectrum</a>

[ahinton]

Could I recommend the "Spectrum" series published by the ABRSM, which are collections of piano pieces by contemporary (British?) composers specially commissioned for this series. I think there are 4 books so far.

The collections were compiled by Thalia Myers who has also recorded them.

Another "Thal", I see...

Best,

Alistair

[lontano]

where do you guys buy the sheet music for this? i usually buy dover publications because they tend to give a large amount of the artists compositions for a very low price. they dont seem to have a book on ginestera (maybe hes still too new)? where do you guys buy the sheets ?

During the '70s thru the mid 80's I bought the only available editions of Scriabin, Messiaen and a host of other "less popular" composers often "on store credit" from the best supplier in town. Eventually I had to "pay up" and become a rational costumer. While costly, I have a select few, hard-bound, some with personal notes, signatures, of those composers and performers I hold in great esteem. I spent a lot of money, and met a lot of great people, yet in the end I remain myself, with a few hardbound early editions, some of which are autographed, works that can now be purchased for half the price (or less).

What this has to do with the original post I no longer know.
Just do your best!
L.

[pianofortepiano]

Try Copland! He wrote the cat and the mouse which is a fun party piece of about diploma standard! I love it and it always gets high marks!

[youjean88]

During the '70s thru the mid 80's I bought the only available editions of Scriabin, Messiaen and a host of other "less popular" composers often "on store credit" from the best supplier in town. Eventually I had to "pay up" and become a rational costumer. While costly, I have a select few, hard-bound, some with personal notes, signatures, of those composers and performers I hold in great esteem. I spent a lot of money, and met a lot of great people, yet in the end I remain myself, with a few hardbound early editions, some of which are autographed, works that can now be purchased for half the price (or less).

^ ouch, perhaps this can be a lesson to the rest of us. dont blow thousands and thousands of dollars on sheet music.  i was tempted to do this too as i love to collect sheet music but i have restrained myself from doing so. perhaps it would be wisest to wait a few years when they will most likely become more easily accessible for cheaper. i was about to dish out 100$ for a collection of alkans major and minor etudes but i think im just gonna wait a few years and see what happens XD.


btw. does anyone know if the SCRIABIN SONATAS are considered contemporary, or are they still considered to be romantic.

[retrouvailles]

btw. does anyone know if the SCRIABIN SONATAS are considered contemporary, or are they still considered to be romantic.

How could they be considered contemporary? They were written about a 100 years ago! Even though the later ones are a bit more adventurous, I would not call them contemporary.

[indutrial]

Contemporary means "of the present time" and doesn't constitute any subgenre or style, least of all ones from the past.

[lontano]

......//
Some early pieces by Xenakis have come to light and have been recently published.

This is news to me. Can you offer more info, or a link to same?

Forgive me but I had to smile at the way you phrased the following:

"The Gershwin Arrangements of Michael Finnissy might also appeal. Many of these are not as challenging as some of his other works."

I was scratching my head wondering which works of Finnissy Gershwin had arranged...

No offense. In my area (replete with Amish and Pennsylvania Dutch) expressions like "Throw the cow over the fence some hay!" are famous.

Otherwise there were a lot of interesting suggestions, but no doubt not so easy to track down.

Lontano