Would love to turn this into a thread of everyone's favourite pieces by female contemporary composers. Please share yours below! - ThreadSky

rebeccafranks.bsky.social • 100 days ago

Would love to turn this into a thread of everyone's favourite pieces by female contemporary composers. Please share yours below!

Reposted from Dudeski

Female, contemporary composers are dominating the Euro scene. I became totally fascinated by them and Saariaho is my complete favorite. I have a crush on her. She’s born the same year as me and died at age 70 tragically a brain cancer, I have all her recordings.

Comments

norbster.bsky.social•99 days ago

There are so many great composers such as: Manuela Kerer/toyflsjodler, Margareta Ferek-Petric/mind control (no major tom), Talia Amar/Labyrinth, Karastoyanova-Hermentin/string quartet, etc. etc. etc.
We performed a lot of wonderful works with Reconsil
https://www.ensemblereconsil.com/past-concerts

norbster.bsky.social•99 days ago

Last year I listened to this wonderful opera by Julia Purgina:
https://youtu.be/MgI_-PbMGCc?si=rJFAckVri550XjIE

kathy1nicholson.bsky.social•100 days ago

Anything by Joanna Marsh, but I love the Arabesques and SEEN particularly.

rebeccafranks.bsky.social•100 days ago

I don’t know these - will listen (if they’re recorded). Thanks!

joshuakosman.bsky.social•99 days ago

Katherine Balch, Artifacts (violin concerto)

sarahfritz.bsky.social•92 days ago

lol can’t believe I missed this last week. Hooray!!!!

karlhenning.bsky.social•99 days ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRpoz1nHfxg

karlhenning.bsky.social•99 days ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWyNu4j0rEE

karlhenning.bsky.social•99 days ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByD0_-dApKw

eamonnquinn.bsky.social•98 days ago

Linda Catlin Smith is consistently great. https://open.spotify.com/track/61rJcuMM22uc0VM1b3wgnm?si=XpSDDFe6RneQLdrHtj6ilA&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A4w9KULOOjjVEdX0hb2ysRw

eamonnquinn.bsky.social•98 days ago

Clara Iannotta
https://youtu.be/gpacCqHMSTY?feature=shared

eamonnquinn.bsky.social•98 days ago

Lisa Streich
https://youtu.be/N2WpAA_8S9w?feature=shared

robdeemer.bsky.social•99 days ago

There are so many, picking a favorite would be impossible! That being said, I’d be remiss if I didn’t let you know of a resource that might help folks find works by women composers 😁

kghist.bsky.social•99 days ago

Thanks so much for encouraging this thread - greatly enjoying

rebeccafranks.bsky.social•98 days ago

It’s really brightened my week!

kghist.bsky.social•98 days ago

Me too! Made me wonder if we should consider a listening club like the Haydners

rebeccafranks.bsky.social•97 days ago

That could be interesting idea… maybe something for January? (New year etc…)

kghist.bsky.social•97 days ago

Good idea

kghist.bsky.social•100 days ago

Dobrinka Tabakova. Bulgarian-British composer. I love everything she writes - so elegant, compelling.

colla-voce.bsky.social•100 days ago

So many... Judith Bingham The Drowned Lovers just sprang into my head...

rebeccafranks.bsky.social•100 days ago

Seconded!

lottinewstead.bsky.social•100 days ago

Love love love her music!!

kghist.bsky.social•100 days ago

High five Lotti!

lottinewstead.bsky.social•100 days ago

🙌

jessicaduchen.bsky.social•97 days ago

Anything and everything by my collaborator-in-chief, Roxanna Panufnik! I recommend starting with 'Four World Seasons' and 'Love Abide'.

jembenson.bsky.social•99 days ago

Some suggestions in the link (not all contemporary) - a particular shout-out for the Thorvaldsdottir and the Wallen. I was also seriously impressed by the music on Dani Howard’s debut album earlier this year.
https://jembenson.substack.com/p/music-hack-twelve-neglected-pieces

jembenson.bsky.social•99 days ago

I should of course have tagged @errollynwallen.bsky.social in… 😀

rebeccafranks.bsky.social•98 days ago

I heard a percussion concerto she wrote earlier this year which I liked a lot.

mendel.mendellee.com•99 days ago

"Red" by Jane Rigler
"Second Nightmare for Kiku" by Natachia Diels
Erin Gee's "Mouthpiece" series
anything by Eve Beglarian

mirandacello.bsky.social•99 days ago

There are so many it would be hard to narrow down, from a listener's point of view. From a performer's point of view, I really love playing Graciane Finzi's "Theme and Variations on El Cant dels Ocells." Also, "Dirge and Deliverance" by Dorothy Rudd Moore. I dream of playing Anna Clyne's "Dance."

rebeccafranks.bsky.social•99 days ago

Great to hear the performer’s point of view 🙏

bskarl7777.bsky.social•94 days ago

Here's a cool piece by Unsuk Chin:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gcATmasWRA

leahbroad.bsky.social•99 days ago

Errollyn Wallen Photography
Anna Meredith Nautilus
Dobrinka Tabakova Cello Concerto
Ayanna Witter-Johnson Ocean Floor
Caroline Shaw Plan & Elevation
Roxanna Panufnik Kyrie after Byrd
Missy Mazzoli Vespers for Violin
Sally Beamish String Quartet No. 2
Shelley Washington Big Talk
Anna Clyne DANCE

kghist.bsky.social•99 days ago

Love this list. Some great faves plus a couple to explore

johnivorholland.bsky.social•98 days ago

I'm in love with Sally Beamish's 'Variations on a Theme of Benjamin Britten' ❤️ Combining so many of my favourite things in one piece.

roy-gb-iv.bsky.social•97 days ago

Ruth Gipps — Opalescence* Op72 [ob,hp]

Ruth Gipps — Quintet Op16 [ob,cl,++]

Ruth Gipps — Knight in Armour Op8 [orch]

* Opalescence: marvelous earworm writing from ~4'20"→ End

As sson as I figure out uploading audio here I'll post Opalescence extract + other bits

maticevska.gay•99 days ago

A few favourites spring to mind:

Djordjević: Quicksilver https://youtu.be/XnoOuyVozb0?si=VVW7dZsCxd13iMQj

norbster.bsky.social•99 days ago

Fantastic list!

maticevska.gay•99 days ago

Younghi Pagh-Paan: Wundgeträumt https://youtu.be/QzZ_ajijz_A?si=dUTBNiCjKUvtWRZk

maticevska.gay•99 days ago

Michelle Lou: Heart/Lung

https://youtu.be/bzBP-J6I2bE?si=30msdjNlh0wyjaR5

maticevska.gay•99 days ago

Elena Rykova: 101% Mind Uploading https://youtu.be/YaIfjoKnU6Q?si=pYjPimy7NsYqd-e2

maticevska.gay•99 days ago

Malin Bång: splinters of ebullient rebellion https://youtu.be/QmMQwjXDpCo?si=Nem9HEAyTmPihbop

maticevska.gay•99 days ago

Liza Lim: Invisibility https://youtu.be/7M2OpM80L4E?si=24Hbqqh0EZkS_DZ2

spushor.bsky.social•98 days ago

101% Mind Blowing

paulhembree.bsky.social•99 days ago

YEAHHHH MICHELLE

maticevska.gay•99 days ago

I was so excited about the Kairos release this year i think it’s one of my top 5 in their catalogue now.

danieldubei.bsky.social•99 days ago

currently listening to Dora Pejacevic's Symphony in F# minor, which is fantastic.
LOVE Lili Boulanger particularly the Cortege from Morceau de piano.
Doreen Carwithen is great
LOVE Cecile Chaminade's Guitare, Op. 32. She's got a ton of great music
Louise Farrenc's music is great!
(continued...)

danieldubei.bsky.social•99 days ago

Fanny Hensel has fantastic piano music
Vitezslava Kapralova - great music
Marianna Martines is great classical era music
Emilie Mayer has great symphonies
Kaija Saariaho's L'Amour de loin is fantastic
Clara Schumann's music is fantastic
Maria Szymanowska, the pre-Chopin Chopin :)
(continued)

danieldubei.bsky.social•99 days ago

Julia Wolfe is making great music today. So are Hildur Gudnadottir, and Pinar Toprak in film scores.

berrrnarrrdo.bsky.social•98 days ago

Not to repeat Shaw's Orange, I was mesmerized by Liza Lim's Extinction Events and Dawn Chorus.

Also, recently I attended the premiere of a piece by Clarice Assad, Raízes, and I really liked it - and would love to listen it again.

voicesbynadia.bsky.social•97 days ago

A New Tradition from Thumbprint by Kamala Sankaram!

nweininger.bsky.social•95 days ago

Shaw, To The Hands
Saariaho, Tag des Jahrs
Sarah Kirkland Snider, Unremembered

benarcanafm.bsky.social•100 days ago

Andrea Tarrodi's Liguria, which I heard at the 2017 Proms with fellow Swedes the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic. A wide spectrum of orchestral colours

kghist.bsky.social•99 days ago

Sounds great. Will look her up

kghist.bsky.social•99 days ago

I haven’t come across her before

benarcanafm.bsky.social•99 days ago

That was my first encounter with her music - it was a real thrill to hear live! She shows real flair in her orchestration

rebeccafranks.bsky.social•99 days ago

She’s excellent! There are a couple of cds of her music available that I’ve heard and enjoyed.

edwardgivens.bsky.social•99 days ago

Jan Civil -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2-lbSsS-ig

edwardgivens.bsky.social•99 days ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad05LEfQp40

paulhembree.bsky.social•99 days ago

I really dig Jennifer Walshe's work https://youtu.be/4mihA_ZdZyA?si=K7tL5zEYPPlxeoFk

paulhembree.bsky.social•99 days ago

Michelle Lou is great https://youtu.be/qjxzscz3-5k?si=hpvaSDo7c52whqAk

paulhembree.bsky.social•99 days ago

Fernanda Navarro https://youtu.be/Ap6fOK31pNM?si=HxsBGjlo1u_cl9YA

paulhembree.bsky.social•99 days ago

wow, I didn't know this piece by Jenna Lyle, pretty face melting https://youtu.be/Ux8fYmM8pXU?si=JMWc1GQpOoYgTeNt

rebeccafranks.bsky.social•98 days ago

Me too!

cbritodias.bsky.social•97 days ago

Clara Iannota “Moult”,
K. Saariaho “Notes on Light”
R. Saunders “Void”
(Some examples :) )

hogglestock.bsky.social•98 days ago

Sticking with pieces I've heard live, I would say Jessie Montgomery's Shift, Change, Turn (played by the SPCO), Elena Langer's Orchestral Suite from Figaro Gets a Divorce (BSO) and This Midnight Hour by Anna Clyne (Baltimore).

geshtin.bsky.social•99 days ago

Cecilia Damström's ICE is amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1ySGwYsBOc

pwallinga.bsky.social•99 days ago

...is this a thread where self-promotion is welcome

maticevska.gay•99 days ago

actually i am very interested to know what your favourite of your own works are

pwallinga.bsky.social•99 days ago

It will probably (hopefully) be my opera once it's finished and performed, but for now it's my Prufrock cycle. It's just a really special and deeply personal piece to me. https://soundcloud.com/patricia-wallinga/sets/the-love-song-of-j-alfred-prufrock-1

kghist.bsky.social•98 days ago

Thank you so much for sharing this. So moving

maticevska.gay•99 days ago

I remember listening to this, it's very good :)

maticevska.gay•99 days ago

I ended up including this one though because I adore string quartets as a genre (oops that word again) https://bsky.app/profile/maticevska.bsky.social/post/3lbsehcsomk2n

pwallinga.bsky.social•99 days ago

YAYYYY!!! I still want to add more movements to this, but my initial concept for the overarching theme was very personal to a past version of my life story that doesn't really exist anymore, and I'm still trying to figure out what I would do instead.

pwallinga.bsky.social•99 days ago

Ahhhhh thank you!!!! The bass-baritone I wrote it for is a mentor and dear friend, and he truly sings the ever-loving shit out of it. I would love to have more baritones pick it up, but this recording would be hard to beat imo.

pwallinga.bsky.social•99 days ago

OK for some non-self-promotion, here are two kickass pieces my choir sang recently; both are a rare combination of musically inventive and cleverly practical. I literally emailed Juhi Bansal to thank her because this is the most comfortable and well-written "pedal tone choir" writing I've ever seen.

pwallinga.bsky.social•99 days ago

And I linked this one way deep down a thread yesterday, but Reena Esmail's Tuttarana. The syllables (a type of Carnatic vocal percussion language!) are no joke, but what would have been an exhausting piece by a worse composer has plenty of breaks per section without sacrificing sound.

kghist.bsky.social•98 days ago

Thanks for introducing me to this

rebeccafranks.bsky.social•98 days ago

Just catching up with replies! I think you’ve replied with both music by others and some of your own - perfect!

davidnice.bsky.social•99 days ago

Caroline Shaw's Entr'acte. First piece of hers I heard, played by this same marvellous Calidore String Quartet at the East Neuk Festival. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JvFLBe7hWg

rebeccafranks.bsky.social•98 days ago

Hi David!

davidnice.bsky.social•98 days ago

Hello to you too! Long time no see/speak...Hope all well.

rebeccafranks.bsky.social•97 days ago

And the same to you!

singingbetty.bsky.social•99 days ago

Really loved Anna Thorvaldsdottir's ARCHORA when it was premiered at the Proms in 2022. It felt like something bigger than us stirring in the Earth.

rebeccafranks.bsky.social•98 days ago

Love that description

mwilsonkimber.bsky.social•99 days ago

I have a mild obsession with Julia Wolfe's Fire in My Mouth. I don't know that anyone else would like it but I do.

johnivorholland.bsky.social•98 days ago

I adore that, too! I have curated a playlist on YouTube that includes it and I return to it often. ❤️

mwilsonkimber.bsky.social•98 days ago

I assigned it this semester. Cornell U has a great website of primary sources about the fire where you can see some of the texts in their original contexts.

danielketter.com•97 days ago

https://www.juriseomusic.com/store/suite

y2000k.bsky.social•99 days ago

Anna Clyne - have heard a few of her pieces so far and liked them all (Sound & Fury; Color Field)
Anna Thorvaldsdottir - rituals for string quartet; Metacosmos
Lena Auerbach - Icarus
Jessie Montgomery- Rounds

y2000k.bsky.social•99 days ago

Oh I forgot Julia Wolfe's Her Story! It was so good I saw it twice.

deeplyclassical.bsky.social•99 days ago

Everything on all of these!

rebeccafranks.bsky.social•98 days ago

Yes! 💪

spushor.bsky.social•98 days ago

Kaija Saariaho is possibly the greatest post World War II composer and Anna Thorvaldsdottir is right behind her. Olga Neuwirth is another genius from Austria. She rocks.

elliewilsonuk.bsky.social•100 days ago

Missy Mazzoli Vespers for Violin

brucehodges.bsky.social•99 days ago

As a longtime fan of Sofia Gubaidulina, I have loved 'Offertorium' (1986) for years, but then along came 'In tempus praesens' (2007), written for Anne-Sophie Mutter (terrific).

In 2012 the MET Orchestra and its concertmaster, David Chan, did it at Carnegie. Holy moly, what a piece.

1/2

brucehodges.bsky.social•99 days ago

A single comment on the score: the solo violin stands out starkly, since the orchestration has no violins at all.

Glad to see many versions, most of which I have not yet heard. This one from 2011 looks promising, with Vadim Gluzman, the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, and Jonathan Nott.

2/2

markvalencia.bsky.social•99 days ago

Saariaho: L'Amour de loin

lottinewstead.bsky.social•100 days ago

Anna Clyne’s Dance

kghist.bsky.social•99 days ago

Yes! III is my fave

kghist.bsky.social•99 days ago

Lotti, we think as one

lottinewstead.bsky.social•99 days ago

Well that’s a lovely thing. Very honoured x

kghist.bsky.social•99 days ago

Me too!

nightafternight.bsky.social•99 days ago

Cassandra Miller recommendations:

* Traveller Song/Thanksong - Quatuor Bozzini (Black Truffle)
* Just So - Quatuor Bozzini (Another Timbre)
* O Zomer! - Apartment House, BBC Scottish Symphony, others (Another Timbre)
* The City, Full of People - Chamber Choir Ireland (LCMS)

All on Bandcamp.

nightafternight.bsky.social•99 days ago

Catherine Lamb recommendations:

* Curva Triangulus, Ensemble Proton (Another Timbre)
* Atmospheres Transparent/Opaque, Ensemble Dedalus (New World)
* Prisma Interius VII & VIII, Harmonic Space Orchestra (Sacred Realism)
* String Quartets, JACK Quartet (Kairos)

All but the last on Bandcamp.

spushor.bsky.social•98 days ago

Catherine Lamb - very interesting. I’m glad you mentioned the label.Kairos - very sophisticated European label that’s on IDAGIO the streaming app that has a ton contemporary music by women.

challengercliff.bsky.social•99 days ago

I recently heard ABLAZE THE MOON by Grace Evangeline-Mason live in concert by the BBC Phil. A short work, but magnificent

spushor.bsky.social•94 days ago

I’ve like female composers my entire adult life, but since 2014, I’ve been listening to Radio France absolutely incredible iOS app that has contemporary music that has women composers of the ones I’ve been discussed in this thread. France Musique Contemporaine.

spushor.bsky.social•98 days ago

Kaija Saariaho speaks before BBC and its orchestra in Laterna Magica Masterpiece.

https://youtu.be/wZC5cvfn8iw?si=_40qbceASEUz2K2T

bjornheile.bsky.social•99 days ago

Younghi Pagh-Paan, /Sori/
Rebecca Saunders, /Skin/
Linda Catlin Smith, String Sextet
Clara Ianotta, /echo from afar/
Sarah Nemtsov, /Ophelia/
Jennifer Walshe, /XXX_LIVE_NUDE_GIRLS!!!/
Catherine Lamb, /Point/Wave/
Kaija Saariaho, /Du Cristal/
Chaya Czernowin, /Heart Chamber/
Olga Neuwirth, /Orlando/

doctorfluffy.bsky.social•100 days ago

‘Living Torch’ by Kali Malone

kghist.bsky.social•99 days ago

I’ll have to give this a try

larkingrumple.bsky.social•99 days ago

Missy Mazzoli: Dark with Excessive Bright
Anna Clyne: DANCE

emmabmusic.bsky.social•97 days ago

I LOVE Anna Clyne's Dance - brilliant piece.

iggeneweat.bsky.social•98 days ago

Listen online or listen back to Radio Monalisa. Every fortnight by Patricia Werner Leanse the best music by women https://www.concertzender.nl/en/?s=monalisa&lang=en&chronological=true&exact_matches=true&category=

professorberry.bsky.social•99 days ago

Anything by Gubaidulina, but especially the 4th string quartet and Sieben Worte

michaelnat.bsky.social•97 days ago

💥 Alice in Wonderland #UnsukChin

sambuttler.bsky.social•99 days ago

Hilary Tann's Shakkei. Stunning oboe concerto, an absolute joy to play. https://open.spotify.com/track/63scmj8xQNqdQk6S6zL5kd?si=kgHAI9LdTiOydqaF5kOWlg&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A1RierhnYDFq1SP21Zdzaz0

eugeneryder.bsky.social•98 days ago

📌

akseltoll.bsky.social•99 days ago

Oh, god, there are too many! But I'm a big fan of Nana Forte (like Iam non dicam (see below) and Ego en campana) and Evelyn Seppar (Cities), just to mention a couple choral composers off the top of my head. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnnWDPMIRJk&ab_channel=KammerkoretNova-Topic

rebeccafranks.bsky.social•98 days ago

🙏

akseltoll.bsky.social•98 days ago

Oh! And Maja Linderoth's brilliant Sonatform denaturerad prosa (Sonata form denatured prose) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZOfETfa_4Y&ab_channel=TheNorwegianSoloists%27Choir

akseltoll.bsky.social•99 days ago

Evelin Seppar, sorry! I forget that Estonian doesn't do the letter y.

feinstruktur.bsky.social•99 days ago

Lili Boulanger's Psalm 130 is great! But already over 100 y old:
https://youtu.be/gYj3nP6l6DA?si=7whraxta1pRoD7Ii

rebeccafranks.bsky.social•98 days ago

Ah, love Lili!

wagnermetal.bsky.social•98 days ago

One of my favorite pieces. Love it 🖤

composer-pseaton.bsky.social•98 days ago

My top tip for a Japanese composer to watch out for in the future. Yamamoto Natsumi won a competition with this piece, and has received commissions from a few pro orchestras in its wake (I preferred the piece of hers I heard in September, but not available online yet)... https://youtu.be/WxrRiYLud_Q?si=IdvvLKeUSIUrdVZd

composer-pseaton.bsky.social•98 days ago

Classically trained, but one of the biggest names in Japanese film music. Hooked on the Massan drama soundtrack. Check out https://harumifuuki.com/

chesterjankowski.bsky.social•100 days ago

I really love Subito con forza by Unsuk Chin—of all the pieces that were written for Beethoven 250, this one is my favorite.

https://youtu.be/3PhS25Rf_bQ

sarahp911.bsky.social•99 days ago

Someone has already mentioned Caroline Shaw, right??

rebeccafranks.bsky.social•98 days ago

Yes 😊

trebryantcomposer.com•99 days ago

https://open.spotify.com/track/1sHlhvVfZoYsHnIAAQn9sm?si=JCIQ4QDgRNaZSE7-9jPqSw

Yuka Kitamura is my favorite composer for any medium, and here is one of my favorites by her.

rebeccafranks.bsky.social•98 days ago

Thanks!

slampreasoprano.bsky.social•99 days ago

Rebecca Saunders' 'O' and 'O Yes & I'
Tania León's 'Atwood Songs'
Kate Soper's 'Ipsa Dixit' (lots of gems in this large work!)
Gilda Lyon's 'A manual for the use of wings'

joshuakosman.bsky.social•99 days ago

+1 on Ipsa Dixit, it's amazing

rebeccafranks.bsky.social•99 days ago

I don’t know some of these - will investigate, thanks!

spushor.bsky.social•98 days ago

Rebecca Saunders is an American who could not get a career in the USA and where to Europe were there’s a huge audience. America’s way behind the scene when it comes to modern classical music.

Europeans are ahead of us now only minimalism is our claimed fame and fading out

listeninghabit.bsky.social•97 days ago

Powerful strings

https://justinajmusic.bandcamp.com/album/silhouettes-remastered

neilfisher81.bsky.social•98 days ago

Unsuk Chin’s Cello Concerto! Ffs someone play it again in the UK

emmabmusic.bsky.social•97 days ago

I remember when Alban Gerhardt premiered it at the Proms (I was his agent's assistant)! Huge piece to learn.

jorgepinto.bsky.social•97 days ago

📌

jorgepinto.bsky.social•97 days ago

I enjoy pretty much everything from Sarah Davachi. E.g.
https://sarahdavachi.bandcamp.com/album/selected-works-i-ii

jorgepinto.bsky.social•97 days ago

And Žibuoklė Martinaitytė sort of approach to minimalism here:

https://starkland.bandcamp.com/album/zibuokle-martinaityte-in-search-of-lost-beauty

jorgepinto.bsky.social•97 days ago

Pretty much everything from Gubaidulina, difficult to choose just one piece from her.

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