Top 10 favorite contemporary classical works since World War II

[jochanaan]

Favorite 10?  Can't limit it that much.  But perhaps my favorite form developed in the 20th century is the "concerto for orchestra."  Of course the most famous one is by Bela Bartok, but there are also concertos for orchestra by Kodaly, Hovhaness, Lutoslawski and Elliott Carter.  All are among my favorites.  (Actually, come to think of it, Hovhaness wrote several Concertos for Orchestra but I'm only familiar with one of them, No. 6.)

[Karl Henning]

Favorite 10?  Can't limit it that much.

+ 1

[springrite]

Favorite 10?  Can't limit it that much.  But perhaps my favorite form developed in the 20th century is the "concerto for orchestra."  Of course the most famous one is by Bela Bartok, but there are also concertos for orchestra by Kodaly, Hovhaness, Lutoslawski and Elliott Carter.  All are among my favorites.  (Actually, come to think of it, Hovhaness wrote several Concertos for Orchestra but I'm only familiar with one of them, No. 6.)

In this case one has to mention the set of CfO by Petrassi!!!

[jochanaan]

In this case one has to mention the set of CfO by Petrassi!!!

Ooooh, I'm not familiar with those!

[springrite]

Ooooh, I'm not familiar with those!

Did anyone else compose these many and, in fact, an intended set?

http://www.amazon.com/Petrassi-Concerti-per-orchestra-Integrale/dp/B00DN47BVG/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1422550808&sr=1-3&keywords=petrassi+concerto+for+orchestra

[jochanaan]

Did anyone else compose these many and, in fact, an intended set?

http://www.amazon.com/Petrassi-Concerti-per-orchestra-Integrale/dp/B00DN47BVG/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1422550808&sr=1-3&keywords=petrassi+concerto+for+orchestra

Hovhaness composed at least eight, but I doubt he intended them to be an actual set.

[springrite]

Hovhaness composed at least eight, but I doubt he intended them to be an actual set.

Indeed, but Petrassi's is like the Art of the Fugue of CfO!

[Dax]

In this case one has to mention the set of CfO by Petrassi!!!

And the one by Hindemith!

[Mirror Image]

And the one by Hindemith!

+1 Very cool work, too!

[EigenUser]

Actually, let's remove Rothko Chapel (not that I don't love it, but just to make room -- plus it gets enough love already) and put in Takemitsu's Dream/Window. Seeing Takemitsu on your list reminded me.

In approximate order:
Ligeti Clocks and Clouds
Ligeti Piano Concerto
Messiaen Des Canyons aux Etoiles
Ligeti San Francisco Polyphony
Ades Asyla
Feldman Piano and String Quartet
Takemitsu Dream/Window
Feldman Coptic Light
Boulez Notations for Orchestra (orchestrated version is post-1970)
Reich Music for 18 Musicians

If I were to add yet another I would say to remove Ligeti's San Francisco Polyphony and add Steven Mackey's Ars Moriendi to the bottom of the list, but I'm not so sure about that. I rarely listen to it (a very sad piece). So, never mind.

While narrow as far as composers go (three Ligeti and two Feldman), I think it is pretty diverse in terms of what the music sounds like and actual style. It encompasses (here we go!) post-serialism (Boulez), post-impressionism (Takemitsu), proto-minimalism (Feldman), mock-minimalism (Ligeti C&C), hardcore-minimalism (Reich), post-minimalism-fusion (Ades), birdsongism (Messiaen), and whatever-the-hell-I-want-to-do-ism (Ligeti PC).

I realized that this list is a disaster. I forgot to include Ohana's In Dark and Blue (a 1990-ish cello concerto).

Remove Ligeti SF Polyphony (ugh, I do love that piece!).

In approximate order (updated -- Takemitsu's Dream/Window has been an (unhealthy?) obsession this past week):
Ligeti Clocks and Clouds
Ligeti Piano Concerto
Takemitsu Dream/Window
Messiaen Des Canyons aux Etoiles
Feldman Coptic Light
Ades Asyla
Ohana Cello Concerto 'In Dark and Blue'
Feldman Piano and String Quartet
Boulez Notations for Orchestra (orchestrated version is post-1970)
Reich Music for 18 Musicians

Ligeti and Feldman appear twice. Makes sense since they are both in my top ten favorite composers of all-time.