If I like Arvo Part-where next?

If you go for minimalism, perhaps gregorian chant or anything by Hildegard von Bingen.
And a bit more advanced: Perotin.

I presume you've tried Monteverdi (Vespers?) and T.L. de Victoria (try the Requiem)?

EW

Trio Mediaeval - Soir, dit-elle
ECM n° 1869

Schnittke, perhaps?

The Kronos Quartet renditions of the string quartets are full of mood. That's about all I know of him, though.

Lots of new things for me here (in fact all so far), thanks. My knowledge of classical music is extremely sketchy.

The idea of a Gregorian chant CD makes me think of New Age shops selling candles and body oil!

I cannot find 'T L de Victoria' on Amazon. Can you give me a bit more info? Looks like a lot of recordings of Monteverdi, any you'd suggest specifically?

Sofia Gubaidulina maybe. Another minimalistic composer from former SU, as religious as Pärt and Schnittke. Has written concerts for accordeon, among other things.

Penderecki.
ds

As you probably know, Pärt started out as a conventional modernist serial composer and his reinvention and Tintinnabulation style came after studying Renaissance and Medieval music, hence the "new-age" suggestions! There are a number of contemporary composers who have taken a similar path and have a vaguely similar style but none of equal stature to Part in my opinion. Tavener is a pygmy in comparison.

I'd also recommend Hildegard of Bingen (This is the disc that sold so well it allowed Hyperion to go mad and do commercially suicidal things like record 94 CDs of the entire Liszt piano works). Thomas Tallis is one of the English rennaisance greats. Spem in alium is a masterpiece, complex and mysterious and amazing as pure sound. William Byrd was a pupil of Tallis and the Masses for 3,4,and 5 parts have some of mysticism of his teacher. Tallis' Spanish equivalent might be Tomas Luis de Victoria. His Requiem is wonderful as earwicker suggests. Slightly later, Monteverdi still just about fits into this category although argueably he's the first 'modern' classical composer. Whatever, the Vespers are great music.

I would think that Tallis or Hildegard of Bingen are rather wide of the mark, compared to a living composer, given that both died many centuries ago!

I suggest another living composer: John Tavener's "The Veil of the Temple", just released on an RCA 2CD set (82876 66154-2).

Graham

quote:

Originally posted by graham55:
I would think that Tallis or Hildegard of Bingen are rather wide of the mark, compared to a living composer, given that both died many centuries ago!
Graham

These "If I like X who should I listen to next?" arguements are all gloriously subjective but I don't know than I completely agree with that logic: If someone liked Prokofiev's Classical Symphony would you recommend the contemporary Schoenberg Chamber Symphony or some Haydn from 150 years earlier? Part is doing something similar to Prokofiev in embracing the spirit of an earlier age, just going back a bit further. The Hilliard ensemble, who have premiered and recorded many of his works, seem to agree and often program 14-16th century polyphony alongside Part.

Bruce seems to have tried and not been that impressed by John Tavener. Quite right too, Princess Di was a fan. I'd suggests some John Taverner instead!

More Part: The St John Passion (Passio) is a fabulous piece but you have to dedicate a full 70 minutes to it (one track on the CD, quite rightly) and follow it's slow, hypnotic process. The single modulation (key change) right at the end is like a switch to technicolour after watching a long black and white film.

DJC

I see what you mean, but to a Prokofiev convert I'd suggest Shostakovich (Fifth or Tenth Symphonies) or maybe even Vaughan Williams (London or Fifth Symphonies).

But certainly not Haydn (or Bach or Zelenka), much as I admire all three.

But I do agree with you about Part's Passio.

Graham

Take a look here as well:

www.cdnovecento.com