| 10 Under 10 (31-35) |
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| 31. |
Victoria Jordanova (b. 19??, Yugoslavia)
Once Upon A Time (1993) [8'38"]
Victoria Jordanova - harp
Tracks 8 & 9, Victoria Jordanova: Requiem for Bosnia {CRI eXchange 673} |
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It's hard to believe that these serene microtonal harp lullabies were created by someone from the war-torn former Yugoslavia. But this CD also contains her brutally real 1993 Requiem for Bosnia [20'16"] scored for harp, broken piano and child's voice, which is much more difficult (but worth it) listening.
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| 32. |
Reza Vali (b. 1952, Iran)
Folk Songs for String Quartet (1995) [8'12"]
Cuarteto Latinoamericano
Tracks 1 & 2, Reza Vali: Persian Folklore {New Albion 077} |
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Even further proof that the string quartet has become a world medium - a work by an Iranian composer played by a Mexican quartet. How's that for multiculturalism!
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| 33. |
Egberto Gismonti (b. 1947, Brazil)
Frevo (1995) [5'51"]
Egberto Gismonti, piano; Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra / Gintaras Rinkevi ius - conductor
Track 4, Egberto Gismonti: Meeting Point {BMG/ECM 1586} |
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Known for decades in jazz and Brazilian music circles, Gismonti here blends elements of jazz and Brazilian dance music into an action-packed mini-concerto that runs under 6 minutes.
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| 34. |
Gavin Bryars (b. 1943, England)
Incipit Vita Nova (1989) [6'02"]
David James-countertenor, Annemarie Dreyer-violin, Ulrike Lachner-viola, Rebecca Firth-cello
Track 1, Gavin Bryars: Vita Nova {BMG/ECM New Series 1533} |
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Music rarely gets more beautiful than this!
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| 35. |
Peteris Vasks (b. 1946, Latvia)
Cantabile for String Orchestra (1979) [8'19"]
Riga Philharmonic Orchestra / Kriss Rusmanis - conductor
Track 1, Peteris Vasks: Message {Conifer Classics 236} |
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Hearing this extremely beautiful music, you'd never realize that it was filled with tone-clusters and chance operations. The trick is that Vasks only uses the diatonic scale!
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| 5 Under 5 (36-40) |
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| 36. |
Arvo Pärt (b. 1935, Estonia)
für alina (1976) [3'21"]
David Arden, piano
Track 1, Górecki; Pärt: Solo Piano Works {Koch International Classics 7301} |
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This beautiful tiny solo piano piece contains all the ingredients of Pärt's quiet musical revolution.
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| 37. |
Obo Addy (b. 1936, Ghana)
Wawshishijay [Our Beginning] (1991) [4'50"]
Kronos Quartet
Track 6, Pieces of Africa - Kronos Quartet [Nonesuch 79275] |
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A very unusual meeting of European classical traditions and Ghanian traditional drumming on a disc of string quartets spanning the entire African continent. Everything on this album is worth exploring. This made the list because it's the shortest piece on the disc. Folks who think that this music is somehow a popular music "crossover" are ignoring the fact that most of the African traditions which inspired these quartets are even older than the European string quartet.
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| 38. |
Steve Martland (b. 1959, England)
Re-mix (1986) [4'50"]
Steve Martland Band
Track 4, Steve Martland: Crossing the Border {BMG/Catalyst 68345} |
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Music that is as current as today's headlines from England's "punk classical" composer.
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| 39. |
Paul Desenne (b. 1959, Venezuela)
Coplas del Mangle (1993) [4'21"]
Abraham Abreu-harpsichord, Antonio Mayorca-violin, Ulises Ascanio-violin, Florentino Mendoza-cello
Track 10, Paul Desenne: Tocatas Galeonicas {Dorian Discovery 80129} |
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A unique blend of South American rhythms and baroque sensibilities, and truly fun!
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| 40. |
John Tavener (b. 1944, England)
Chant (1995) [3'58"]
Steven Isserlis-cello
Track 12, John Tavener: Svyati {BMG Classics 68761} |
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This flowing Byzantine-like solo cello melody is a palindrome, (e.g. it's the same backwards as it is forwards). If there is a mike break announcing the work is a palindrome, listeners who turn off the radio when they hear a solo cello might stick around. They'll want to find out how the piece ends!
10 more reasons
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