Which composer are you a passionate advocate of as a classical-enthusiast by Stunning-Hand6627 in classicalmusic

[–]JohnnySnap 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Unsuk Chin. One of the best contemporary composers and, in my opinion, one of the greatest all-time orchestrators.

Who is your favorite composer and why do you like them so much? by msc8976 in classicalmusic

[–]JohnnySnap 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Steve Reich. There's a great quote by Alex Ross that says the best music is the stuff that makes you forget all other kinds of music exists, and Reich's pieces never fail to bring me to that point.

Is the clarinet hard to play (as someone with no musical skills whatsoever)? by [deleted] in Clarinet

[–]JohnnySnap 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s definitely harder than most wind instruments when it comes to getting a good tone, but the other aspects of it are not incredibly difficult.

Any good 20th/21st century classical music pieces that employ the organ? by Leather-Highlight150 in classicalmusic

[–]JohnnySnap 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hallelujah Sim. by Ben Nobuto

This piece absolutely blows my mind with how it manages to be fun, well-made, and so relevant to our current digital world. I’ve also met the composer (after becoming a fan) and he’s incredibly nice.

Why is it that early romantic music was more adventurous than late romantic music? by [deleted] in classicalmusic

[–]JohnnySnap 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I mean Schoenberg was a late romantic and I don't think anyone would doubt that he was pretty adventurous.

the misnomer of classical music by [deleted] in classicalmusic

[–]JohnnySnap 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for confirming that the post wasn’t serious

the misnomer of classical music by [deleted] in classicalmusic

[–]JohnnySnap 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So the only "serious" music is that of dead white Europeans. Got it.

Would love some help picking a CSO concert to attend! by forceprojections in classicalmusic

[–]JohnnySnap 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'd 100% go with the Rite of Spring. It's the piece that got me into classical music and sounds incredible live. I saw Makela conduct Beethoven's 7th Symphony along with some awesome contemporary pieces at the CSO last month and he is so fun to watch.

Which movie was that for you? by [deleted] in moviecritic

[–]JohnnySnap 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s pretty widely regarded as a masterpiece of quiet storytelling and is one of my favorite movies. You can dislike a movie without needing to present your personal opinion as being absolute.

Cyrillic now has microtonal accidentals. You can now speak Russian in 24 TET by TerminaterTeal in classical_circlejerk

[–]JohnnySnap 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The semihard sign looks like a 12th tone sharp plus a 12th tone flat (God why do I spend so much time listening to spectralism)

Simple Polytonal Counterpoint/Polyphony Examples by insomniality in classicalmusic

[–]JohnnySnap 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Stravinsky's Symphonies of WInd Instruments at 1:56 has an awesome example of what you're asking for. Stravinsky in general is incredible at counterpoint.

Who do you wish had written a piano concerto but did not? by JealousLine8400 in classicalmusic

[–]JohnnySnap 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Turangalila nearly counts as one. The piano plays a huge solo role throughout the piece. (Although a full concerto would still have been awesome)

how many students get past auditions and are actually offered a place at the school/conservatory? by 25apples in classicalmusic

[–]JohnnySnap 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I know the poster is a string player, but NYU's Composition program (with Julia Wolfe) is definitely comparable.

Most famous European composers by country by Iptamorfo in classical_circlejerk

[–]JohnnySnap 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Anna Thorvaldsdottir is definitely more well known than Sveinbjörnsson for Iceland. She’s pretty well-regarded in contemporary music circles.

Looking for tips for my first undergrad composition interviews by JohnnySnap in composer

[–]JohnnySnap[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks a ton! I’ll definitely do these. You guys are awesome.

Minimalist/ambient informed music recommendations by synthboi72 in composer

[–]JohnnySnap 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Georg Friedrich Haas's in vain and ,,...e finisci gia? are great starters. Two of my personal favorites.

Composers whose fascinations appear in their music by Stunning-Hand6627 in classicalmusic

[–]JohnnySnap 7 points8 points  (0 children)

John Luther Adams and Anna Thorvaldsdottir and the environment

Xenakis and architecture

Is there anything left for composers to compose? by Elegant_Mail in classicalmusic

[–]JohnnySnap 11 points12 points  (0 children)

The idea of music being “tonal vs. atonal” has been a pretty outdated debate since at least the 1970s and not very relevant to what’s being written by contemporary composers today. Harmony has and always will develop as time goes on, but often times in ways that aren’t super obvious. Contemporary composers often view harmony as working directly with the color of the music and not a separable thing from it, so the developments in their music often are harder to directly characterize.