| 10 Under 10 (11-20) |
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| 11. |
Paul Dresher (b. 1951)
Channels Passing (1982) [9'47"]
New Performance Group of the Cornish Institute
Track 4, Paul Dresher: Dark Blue Circumstance {New Albion 053} |
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At first it sounds like busy minimalist figuration, then it turns into a melodious pastorale, then back in under 10 minutes.
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| 12. |
Michael Torke (b. 1961)
July (1995) [7'28"]
Apollo Saxophone Quartet
Track 7, Michael Torke: Overnight Mail {Decca/Argo 455 684} |
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A delightful work proving that the saxophone quartet is a viable wind-instrument parallel to the string quartet.
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| 13. |
Judith Lang Zaimont (b. 1945)
Doubles (1993) [8'53"]
Lisa Kozenko - oboe, Dana Burnett - piano
Track 7, Judith Lang Zaimont: Neon Rhythm {Arabesque Z6667} |
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A piece that shows off how beautiful the sound of an oboe is!
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| 14. |
Paul Lansky (b. 1944)
Notjustmoreidlechatter (1985) [7'57"]
Hannah McKay - voice fed through a DEC MicroVaxII Computer
Track 1, Paul Lansky: More Than Idle Chatter {Bridge 9050} |
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It's computer music but don't be afraid; it's far from inhuman sounding. Notjustmoreidlechatter is the final and shortest of three compositions about the limits of language perception featured on this CD. All are under 10 minutes. Be even braver and try all three.
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| 15. |
Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (b. 1939)
Celebration (1984) [8'16"]
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra / John Nelson-conductor
Track 5, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich: Symphony No. 1, Prologue and Variations, Celebration {New World 336} |
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A powerful and joyous overture that takes full advantage of the orchestra by the first woman composer ever to win the Pulitzer Prize for music.
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| 5 Under 5 (16-20) |
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| 16. |
Philip Glass (b. 1937)
Etolie Polaire (North Star) (1977) [2'35"]
The Philip Glass Ensemble
Track 1, Philip Glass: North Star {Virgin 2085} |
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This is the first minimalist music I ever heard and it totally changed the way I think about music. Released on a rock label and originally part of the soundtrack for a documentary about the American sculptor Mark di Suvero, North Star was one of the first recordings of contemporary classical music that left the "classical music ghetto" and reached a general audience. The fact that it is from a film soundtrack, makes it an even more imperative choice for the list given film music's topicality at this year's conference.
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| 17. |
Stephen Montague (b. 1943)
Mirabella (a Tarantella) (1995) [3'00"]
Margaret Leng Tan - toy piano
Track 1, The Art of the Toy Piano - Margaret Leng Tan {Philips/Point Music 456 345} |
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Everything on the Montague's CD Snakebite {ASV 991}, which was given away at the 1997 conference in Atlanta, could have qualified for this list. But alas, this piece is even shorter. A very virtuoso dazzler on a very unlikely instrument that's not just for kids anymore!
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| 18. |
Meredith Monk (b. 1942)
The Tale (1973) [2'47"]
Meredith Monk - voice, Colin Walcott - violin, Steve Lockwood - piano
Track 3, Meredith Monk: Dolmen Music {BMG/ECM New Series 1197} |
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Yes, it's really wacky, but it's also very entertaining and makes us take ourselves a little less seriously. Her all-time masterpiece, which is on the same disc, is Dolmen Music (1979). That one's much more serious, but it's 23'29". The choice is up to you!
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| 19. |
Daniel Asia (b. 1953)
Gateways (1993) [5'21"]
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra / James Sedares - conductor
Track 1, Asia: Concerto for Piano, etc. {Koch International Classics 7372} |
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A thinly veiled homage to The Rite of Spring. Following in the footsteps of his mentor, Leonard Bernstein, Asia writes flashy music with dazzling orchestral climaxes. Yes, it's 21 seconds too long but you'd never know it.
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| 20. |
Charles Wuorinen (b. 1938)
A Solis Ortu (1989) [1'15"]
New York Virtuoso Singers / Charles Wuorinen - conductor
Track 8, Charles Wuorinen: Genesis : Mass : A Solis Ortu : Ave Christe {Koch International Classics 7336} |
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One of the shortest pieces on the entire list. No excuse can be made for not trying it. It even makes up for the 21 extra seconds I snuck in with Daniel Asia's Gateways!
10 more reasons
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