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

DorchadasAnn Cleare

Ann Cleare – Dorchadas [w/ score]

What does the female composer Ann embed in those sensual, shocking masses of sound? Her music is sculptural, tinged with colors drawn from timbre.

By listening intently to everything she perceives simply by being alive and returning it to us as music, her presence has become indispensable to the world of contemporary music.

Four Sea Interludes from the opera Peter GrimesBenjamin Britten

Britten – Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Op 33a – Oramo

How vividly the sea is depicted in this piece! At the same time, it also gives me a sense of déjà vu, as if I’ve heard this sea somewhere before.

The faint scent of Impressionism suggests the strong influence of Britten’s teacher, Frank Bridge (an English Impressionist).

The sea that Britten brings to the opera is the North Sea in its many guises.

The sea is a mirror that reflects the human heart, bestowing and absorbing all kinds of emotions—joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure.

This piece exemplifies that perfectly.

Choral piece: “Jerusalem”Charles Hubert Parry

Parry – Jerusalem (Last Night of the Proms 2012)

This piece is a lavish work in which Elgar arranged for orchestra a choral piece with organ accompaniment composed by Parry.

It is also famous for being sung on the Last Night of the Proms, the summer classical music festival held in London over eight weeks each year.

What could be more delightful than having everyone join their voices to sing a piece you composed yourself?

B. Bartok. Ballet suite from The Miraculous MandarinDmitri Jurowski

B. Bartok. Ballet suite from The Miraculous Mandarin

The Miraculous Mandarin is one of Bartók’s mature works.

It was originally composed as accompaniment for a pantomime, but it is also often performed as a ballet or as an orchestral piece on its own.

Its story—where the virginity of a young girl redeems a protagonist who has become zombified—caused a major scandal at the time of its premiere.

Schoenberg “Gurre-Lieder”Donald Runnicles

Schoenberg “Gurre-Lieder” BBCSO/Runnicles 2002 Proms

Alongside Transfigured Night, The Song of Gurre was the work that marked the composer’s starting point, culminating his essays in German music up to the 20th century.

Its massive five-wind orchestration—requiring, among other things, six bassoons—and a large mixed chorus to match make it an ideal introduction to the modern-music giants of the Second Viennese School.

Overture from The Threepenny OperaKurt Weill

Kurt Weill – Overture from The Threepenny Opera

When such a comical melody is performed with that distinctly German, hard-edged resonance, it becomes impossible to tell whether it’s a tragedy or a comedy.

It’s Brecht’s play The Threepenny Opera set to music by Weill, and since the overture already has this level of quality, the rest of the production is filled with even more strikingly original pieces.

Stravinsky ‘Soldier’s Tale’Leo Geyer

Stravinsky ‘Soldier’s Tale’ Performed by Constella Ballet & Orchestra

Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale, in contrast to his ballet music that employed large orchestras, stages a Russian fable with a small ensemble that’s almost like chamber music.

There’s also a suite version, but I’d prefer to watch it together with footage of an actual staging featuring pantomime or ballet.