Music of a wonderful world

Masterpieces of contemporary (art) music. Recommended popular pieces.

music writerKOH-1
Started working as a music writer as a side job while employed at a record shop, and for over 18 years I’ve contributed to music magazines, disc guide books, mooks, and web media. As a writer my main field is Western music, but as a listener for over 35 years, I always try to keep my curiosity alive with the motto “I like what I like.” I have experience playing in bands, where I was a bassist who handled songwriting and composition. Instruments I’ve played include bass, guitar, and piano. I began studying English in my mid-40s and continue to do so today.

When people hear the term “contemporary music,” I suspect the vast majority don’t even know such a genre exists.

Even if they know a little about it, many probably feel it has a high barrier to entry and seems difficult to grasp.

The influence of contemporary music is deeply rooted across many fields—not only in classical music, but also in minimal music, avant-pop, free jazz, and noise avant-garde.

With celebrated works of contemporary music as the axis, I’ve selected tracks spanning a wide range of genres.

Masterpieces of Contemporary (Art) Music: Recommended Popular Pieces (21–30)

Stravinsky: PetroesjkaAndris Nelsons

Stravinsky: Petroesjka / Petrouchka Concertgebouw Orchestra Live concert HD

Stravinsky: PetroesjkaAndris Nelsons

The second work in Stravinsky’s ballet trilogy.

It’s the first piece where his distinctive voice really comes to the fore, yet it’s not widely known that performers often find it more difficult than The Rite of Spring.

Originally conceived as a short piece for piano and orchestra, it is also known for the prominent role given to the piano.

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Ballet Music: “Eliza’s Aria” from The Wild SwansElena Kats-Chernin

Eliza’s Aria by Elena Kats-Chernin

Ballet Music: “Eliza’s Aria” from The Wild SwansElena Kats-Chernin

It’s a goosebump-inducing masterpiece.

The phrase “contemporary music” tends to evoke things like the sound of helicopters, sitting through four minutes and thirty-three seconds of silence, or performing freely while looking at clumsy drawings written on the score.

But it’s about time we think about what comes after the term ‘contemporary music.’ That may be our responsibility, as people living in the present.

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Suite “Mission”Ennio Morricone

Ennio Morricone – (2002) La Misión [Suite Orquestal]

Suite “Mission”Ennio Morricone

Hailing from Italy and renowned in the field of film music, Morricone’s works evoke a certain wistful nostalgia.

In particular, this piece—composed as the soundtrack for the film The Mission—is a gem of a masterpiece that gives us courage, reminding us that the human spirit is inherently strong.

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Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2Janine Jansen

Janine Jansen Prokofiev Violin Concerto No 2

Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2Janine Jansen

When it comes to Prokofiev, only Peter and the Wolf tends to be covered in school education, but he is one of the key composers who embodied European modernism from the Russian Revolution through World War II.

He wrote two violin concertos, both works in which the composer’s extraordinary talent overflows within a concise instrumentation.

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Suite: Antarctica – Penguin BalletNigel Westlake

Nigel Westlake – Antarctica Suite for Guitar and Orchestra- Mvt III, Penguin Ballet

Suite: Antarctica – Penguin BalletNigel Westlake

Despite being a powerful, macho track, it’s actually a gem brimming with a candy-land charm.

The title “Antarctica” refers to the southern continent, and the song features wooden ships and penguins, weaving a grand epic.

It’s a masterpiece where divine, enchanting magic resounds.

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