Composer List
(Organized by rough category, with general descriptions of work, and select works. N.B. *Works are required listening)
Experimentalism and Beyond
(Not discussed, but related predecessors – Henry Cowell, Antheil, Charles Ives)
• Harry Partch (USA) (1901 - 74) Interests: Just Intonation, Cultural Studies, Performance Art, Instrument Design, Experimentalism Important Works: Seventeen Lyrics by Li Po (1930 -33), Delusion of the Fury – A Ritual of Dream and Delusion (1965 - 66)
• John Cage (USA) (1912 - 92) Interests: Experimentalism, Algorithmic Composition, Aleatoric Music, Electronic Music, Performance Art, Interdisciplinary Work, Sound Art, Collaborative Performance Important Works: 4:33 (1952), Sonatas and Interludes (1946-48), Concert for Piano and Orchestra (1958), Variations (1958-67), Atlas Eclipticalis (1961-62), Etudes Australes (1974- 75), Number Pieces (1987-92)
• Colon Nancarrow (USA/Mexico) (1912 - 97) Interests: Player Piano, Rhythm Studies Important Works: Studies for Player Piano (1948 - 60 and 1965 - 92)
• Morton Feldman (USA) (1926 - 87) Interests: Visual Art Connections, Graphic Scores Important Works: The Viola in My Life (1970 - 71), Rothko Chapel (1971), Neither (1977), For Philip Guston (1984), Palais de Mari (1986)
• David Tudor (USA) (1926 - 96) Interests: Electronic Music, Performance Art, Visual Art Connection, Sound Art, Collaborative Performance Important Works: Rainforest (iv) (1976), Neural Synthesis 1-9 (1994)
• Robert Ashley (USA) (1930 - 2014) Interests: Experimentalism, Language, Collaborative Performance, Electronics Important Works: She was a Visitor (1967), Purposeful Lady Slow Afternoon (1968), Perfect Lives (1978 - 83), Concrete/The Old Man Lives in Concrete (2006 - 12)
• Alvin Lucier (USA) (b. 1931) Interests: Sound Art, Psychoacoustics, Minimalism, Transmedia Work Important Works: Music for Solo Performer (1965), I Am Sitting in a Room (1969), Music on a Long Thin Wire (1977), Still and Moving Lines in Families of Hyperbolas (1973-74, 84), Sferics (1981)
• Eliane Radigue (France)(b. 1932) Interests: Electronic Music, Pyschoacoustics, Instrument Techniques, Performer/Composers Collaborations Important Works: Adnos (1974, 80, 82), Trilogie de la Mort (1988 - 93), NalDJorlak (2005 - 09)
• Pauline Oliveros (USA) (b. 1932) Interests: Deep Listening, Psychoacoustics, Improvisation, Spirituality Important Works: *Bye Bye Butterfly (1965), I of IV (1966), Sonic Meditations (1974)
• James Tenney (USA) (1934 - 2006) Interests: Psychoacoustics, Electronic Music, Algorithmic Composition, Just Intonation Important Works: For Ann (Rising) (1971), Koan (Having Never Written a Note for Percussion) (1971), Spectral Cannon For Nancarrow (1974), *Koan for String Quartet (1984), Arbor Vitae (2006)
• Christian Wolff (USA) (b. 1934) Interests: Relational Structures, Political Music Important Works: For 1, 2, or 3 People (1964)
• La Monte Young (USA) (b 1935) + Mariam Zazeela (USA) (b 1940) Interests: Just intonation, Fluxism/Conceptual Art, Minimalism, Spirituality, Cultural Studies (India), Electronic Music, Visual Art Connections, Improvisation, Sound Art, Drone Important Works: Trio for Strings (1958, 84, 2001, 2005, 2015), Compositions 1960, *The Well- Tuned Piano (1964 - 71/81 - present), The Tortoise and His Dreams/The Dream House (1964 - present), Four Dreams of China (1962, 1984),
• Terry Riley (USA) (b. 1935) Interests: Minimalism, Just Intonation, Cultural Studies (India), Improvisation, Electronic Music Important Works: In C (1964), A Rainbow in Curved Air (album) (1967-68)
• Steve Reich (USA) (b. 1936) Interest: Minimalism, Process Music, Intermedia Work, Language Studies Important Works: Come Out (1966), Drumming (1970/71), Music for 18 Instruments (1974-76), Different Trains (1988)
• Philip Glass (USA) (b. 1937) Interests: Minimalism, Visual Art, Intermedia Work Important Works: Two Pages (1969), Music with Changing Parts (1970), Music in Twelve Parts (1971 - 74), Einstein on the Beach (1976), Koyaanisqatsi (1981-82)
• David Behrman (USA) (b 1937) Interests: Electronic Music, Algorithmic Composition, Network Structures, Computer Assisted Improvisation, Performer/Composer Compositions Important Works: On the Other Ocean (1978), Unforeseen Events (1991)
• Maryanne Amacher (USA) (1938 - 2009) Interests: Psychoacoustics, Sound Space, Acoustics Important Works: Sound-Joined Rooms (1979), Head Rhythm/Plaything (1999)
• Annea Lockwood (USA) (b. 1939) Interests: Conceptual Art, Sound Art, Field Recordings, Environmental Issues, Electronic Music Important Works: Piano Transplants (1967 - 2005) The World River Project (1982 -), Wild Energy (2014)
• Tom Johnson (USA/France) (b. 1939) Interests: Minimalism, Algorithmic Composition, Mathematics Important Works: Nine Bells (1973), Rational Melodies (1982), The Chord Catalogue (1986)
• Anthony Braxton (USA) (1945) Interests: Improvisation, Graphical Scores, Social Issues, Philosophy Important Works: Number compositions, Ghost Trance Music (1995 - present)
• Clarence Barlow (UK/India) (b. 1945) Interests: Psychoacoustics, Cognition, Algorithmic Compositions Important Works: Fantasia Quasi Una Sonata (Con “Mantra” Di Stockhausen) (1973), …Until… (1981), Variazioni e un pianoforte meccanico (1986)
• Paul DeMarinis (USA) (b. 1948) Interests: Sound Art and Psychoacoustics Important Works: In Sara, Mencken,Christ and Beethoven There Were Men and Women, The Edison Effect (1993), Firebirds (2004),
• Christina Kubisch (German) (b 1948) Interests: Sound Art, Fluxism, Electronic Sound, Intermedia Work Important Works: The Clocktown Project (1996 -), Electronic Sound Walks (2003 -)
• George Lewis (USA) (b. 1952) Interests: Computer Assisted Improvisation, Free Improvisation, Interactive Systems, Electronic Music, Social Issues, Collaborative Performance, Sound Art Important Works: Voyager (1987 - present), Ikons (2010)
• John Luther Adams (USA) (b. 1953) Interests: Algorithmic Composition, Nature, Mathematics, Just Intonation, Performance Space Important Works: Clouds of Forgetting, Clouds of Unknowing (1991-95), Inuksuit (2009), Become Ocean (2013)
• David Dunn (USA) (b. 1953) Interests: Field Recordings, Chaos Theory, Interactive Systems, Environmental Issues Important Works: Angels and Insects (album) (1992), Autonomous Systems (2003), The Sound of Light in Trees (2006), Listening to What I Cannot Hear (2008) http://www.thewire.co.uk/audio/tracks/listen_david-dunn-composition
• Larry Polanski (USA) (b. 1954) Interests: Psychoacoustics, Cognition, Electronic Music, Algorithmic Composition Important Works: Four Voice Canons (1974 - ), Simple Actions/Rules of Compossibility (1989)
• Michael Pisaro (USA) (b. 1961) Interests: Performer/Composer Collaborations, Post-Conceptual Art, Wandelweiser Important Works: Transparent City (2007), Ricefall (II) (2010), Hearing Metal 3 (2011)
• Carsten Nicolai (Alva Noto) (German) (b. 1965) Interests: Transmedia Work, Electronic Music, Sound Art Important Works: polar (2001)
• Ryoji Ikeda (Japan/France) (b. 1966) Interests: Sonification, Sound Art, Visual Music Important Works: +/- (1996), Dataphonics (2010), supersymmetry (2014)
• Tristan Perich (USA) (b. 1982) Interests: Analogue/DYI Electronics, Minimalism, Algorithmic Composition Important Works: 1-bit symphony (2010) Surface Image (2013), Microtonal Wall (2013)
Math and Music
• Iannis Xenakis (Greece) (b. 1922) Interests: Algorithmic Compositions, Transmedia Work, Electronic Music, Granular Synthesis Important Works: Herma (1961), Eonta (1963 -64), Psappha (1975), La Legende d’Eer (1977), Tetras (1983), Naama (1984), A l’île de Gorée (1986)
• Per Nørgård (Dutch) (1932) Interests: Just Intonation, Algorithmic Music, Visual Art Influences, Fractals Important Works: Voyage into the Golden Screen (1968), Symphony #5 (1990)
• Alberto Posadas (Spain) (1967) Interests: Electronic Music, Fractals/Chao Structure Important Works: Liturgia Fractal (2003 - 07)
Spectralism
• Gérard Grisey (France) (1946 - 1998) Interests: Spectralism, Psychoacoustics, JI, Algorithmic Composition, Spirituality, Instrumental Techniques Important Works: Partiels (1975) (and Les Espaces Acoustiques (1974-85), Vortex temporum (1994-96, and Quatre Chants pour Franchir le Seuil (1997-98)
• Tristan Murail (France) (b. 1947) Interests: Spectralism, Psychoacoustics, Algorithmic Composition, Electroacoustic Music Important Works: Territoire d’oubli (1977), Gondwana (1980), Déstingétraction, (1982), L’Esprit des dunes (1994)
• Horatiu Radulescu (Romania) (1942 - 2008) Interests: JI, Psychoacoustics, Experimentalism, Mysticism/Numerology Important Works: String Quartet #4 (infinite to be cannot be infinite, infinite anti-be could be infinite) opus 33 (1976-87)
• Jonathan Harvey (UK) (1939 - 2012) Interests: Post-Spectralism, Psychoacoustics, Algorithmic/Formula Composition, Electroacoustic Music, Spirituality Important Works: Mortuos Plango, Vicos Voco (1980), Advaya (1994), Tombeau de Messiaen (1994), Speakings (2007/8)
• Iancu Dumitrescu (Romania) (b. 1942) Interests: Spectralism, Psychoacoustics, Electroacoustic Music Important Works: Medium III
• Ana-Maria Avram (Romania) (b. 1961) Interests: Spectralism, Psychoacoustics, JI, Algorithmic Composition
• Claude Vivier (Candian) (1948 - 83) Interests: Post-Spectralism, Spiritual/Ritualism, Cultural Studies, Language Important Works: Lonely Child (1980), Wo bist du licht (1981), Do you believe in the immortality of the soul? (1983)
• Kaija Saariaho (Finland) (b. 1952) Interests: Post-Spectralism, Electroacoustic, Opera/Theater Important Works: Du cristal (1989), L’amour de loin (2000)
• Georg Friedrich Haas (USA/Austria) (b. 1953) Interests: Just Intonation, Psychoacoustics, Algorithmic Composition, Social Issues, Experimentalism Important Works: String Quartet #1 (1998), in vain (2000/02), String Quartet #3 “In iij, Noct.” (2003), Limited Approximations (2010)
• Magnus Lindberg (Finland) (b. 1958) Interests: Post-Spectralism, Psychoacoustics, Algorithmic Composition Important Works: Kraft (1983-85), Ur (1986), Corrente (1992)
• Philippe Leroux (France) (b. 1959) Interests: Post-Spectralism, Psychoacoustics, Algorithmic Composition, Live Electronics Important Works: (d’)aller (1995), Voi(REX) (2002)
• Peter Ablinger (Austria) (b. 1959) Interests: Spectral Techniques, Psychoacoustics, Phonology, Conceptual Art, Experimentalism Important Works: Augmented Study (2012), Voices and Piano (1998 -)
• Fausto Romitelli (Italy) (1963 - 2004) Interests: Post-Spectralism, Algorithmic Music, Heavy Metal Important Works: Dr. Bad Trip (1998 - 2000) , An Index of Metals (2003)
• Mauro Lanza (Italy/France/Germany) (b. 1975) Interests: Instrumental Modeling, Machines, Algorithmic Music, Toy Instruments Important Works: Aschenblume (2001-2002), Vesperbild (2007), La bataille de Caresme et de Carnage (2012), Regnum Vegetabile (2014)
• Patricia Alessandrini (USA) (b. 1970s) Interests: Spectral Techniques, Instrumental Techniques, Sound Art/Sculpture, Live Electronics Important Works: menus morceaux par un autre moi réunis (2013), Bodied Chambers (2014)
Incorporating Cultural Studies
• José Maceda (Philippines) (1917 - 2004) Interests: Ethnomusicology, Community Performances, Mathematics Important Works: Pagsamba (1968), Ugnayan (1974), Suling-Suling (1985), Sujeichon (2002)
• Chou Wen-Chung (USA/China) (b 1923) Interests: Ethnomusicology (Chinese Music), Philosophy Important Works: Yü Ko (1965), Echoes from the Gorge (1989), Eternal Pine (2008)
• György Ligeti (Germany/Austria/Hungary) (1923 - 2006) Interests: Ethnomusicology (Africa), Algorithmic Music, Process Music, Musical Illusions, Just Intonation Important Works: Chamber Concerto (1969 - 70), Continuum (1970), Horn Trio (1982), Piano Etudes - Book 1 (1985) 2 (1988 - 94), Violin Concerto (1989 - 93)
• Joji Yuasa (Japan) (1929) Interests: Noh Theater, Electronic Music, Architecture Important Works: TIME of Orchestral Time (1975-76), Scenes from Basho (1980 - 89), Cosmos Haptic II (1986), Nine Levels of Ze-Ami (1988),
• Toru Takemitsu (Japan) (1930 - 1996) Interests: Japanese Aesthetics, Film Music, Japanese Music, Experimentalism, Philosophy Important Works: In An Autumn Garden (1973/79), A Flock Descends into the Pentagonal Garden (1977), A String Around Autumn (1987)
• Chinary Ung (USA/Cambodia) (b. 1942) Interests: Enthomusicology (Cambodia and SE Asia), Performer Vocalisation Important Works: Khse Buon (1980), Inner Voices (1986), Spiral (1987), Spiral IX: Maha Sathukar (2006)
• Liza Lim (Australia) (b 1966) Interests: Ethnomusicology, Ritual, Opera and Theater
• Wenchen Qin (China) (b. 1966) Interests: Ethnomusicology, Traditional Chinese Instruments and Arts Important Works: Towards a Far Place (2010/11)
• Yii Kah Hoe (Malaysia) (b. 1970s) Interests: Ethnomusicology, Instrumental Techniques, Traditional Chinese Instruments, Theater Important Works: My Spirit is Soaring
(New) Instrument Techniques
• Luciano Berio (Italy) (1925 - 2003) Interests: Instrument Techniques, Musical Collage, Voice, Theater Important Works: Sequenzi (1958 - 2002), Visage (1961), Gesti (1966), Sinfonia (Movement #3) (1968)
• George Crumb (USA) (b. 1929) Interests: Instrument Techniques, Graphic Scores, Ritual, Numerology, Quoting/Recontextualization Important Works: Ancient Voices of Children (1970), Black Angels (1970), Makrokosmos (1972), American Songbooks I - VII (2001 - 10)
• Helmut Lachenmann (German) (b. 1935) Interests: Acousmatic Instrumental, Instrument Techniques Important Works: *Pression (1969 - 70 rev 2010), Geuro (1970), Kontrakadenz (1970 - 71), Gran Torso (1972), Salut für Caudwell (1977), String Quartet #3 Grido (2000 - 01)
• Evan Parker (England) (b. 1944) Interests: Improvisation, Instrument Techniques (Saxophone), Live Electronics, Collaborations Important Works: Monoceros (1978), Process and Reality (1991)
• Trevor Wishart (UK) (b. 1946) Interests: Instrumental Techniques (vocal), Improvisation, Electroacoustic Music Important Works: Red Bird (1973 - 77), Tongues of Fire (1993, 2000)
• Joan La Barbara (USA) (b. 1947) Interests: Vocal Techniques, Composer/Performer Collaborations, Electronics Important Works: Voice is the Original Instrument (album) (1976)
• Salvatore Sciarrino (Italy) (b. 1947) Interests: Instrument Techniques/Performer Collaborations, Quoting/Recontextualization, Theater, Opera Important Works: Vanitas (1981), Let me die before I wake (1982), La perfezion di uno spirito sottile (1985), L’opera per flauto #1 (1977 - 90)
• Bear Furrer (Austria) (b. 1954) Interests: Instrument Techniques, Algorithmic Music, Opera, and Architecture Important Works: Nuun (1996), String Quartet #3 (2004), Fama (2004 - 2005), Konzert fur Klavier und Orchester (2007)
• Pierluigi Billone (Italy) (b. 1960) Interests: Instrumental Techniques Importants Works: 1+1=1 (2006), Mani.Mono (2007)
• Ken Ueno (USA/Japan) (b. 1970) Interests: Instrument Techniques, Post-spectralism, Improvisation, Interdisciplinary Work, Theater, Sound Art Important Works: Talus (2007), On a Sufficient Condition of the Existence of Most Specific Hypothesis (2008)
• Raphaël Cendo (France) (b. 1975) Interests: Instrument Techniques/Performer Collaborations, Saturationism Important Works: Tract (2007), Charge (2009), Introduction aux Ténèbres (2009)
• Aaron Cassidy (USA) (1976) Interests: Instrument Techniques, Action Music Important Works: I, Purples, Spat Blood, Laugh of Beautiful Lips (2006), Second String Quartet (2010)
• Simon Steen-Andersen (Denmark) (b. 1976) Interests: Instrument Techniques, Action/Gesture Music Important Works: Studies for String Instruments (2007), On and Off and To and Fro (2008)
• Agata Zubel (Poland) (b. 1978) Interests: Instrument Techniques (Vocal) Important Works: NOT I (2013)
• Wojtek Blecharz (Poland) (b. 1981) Interests: Instrumental Techniques, Theater/Opera, Interdisciplinary Work Important Works: Transcryptum (2012), Small Talks (2012-13)
Composer Collective – Ensemble Pamplemoose (USA) including, among others –
• Natacha Diels (USA) (b. 1980?) Interests: Instrument Techniques, Action Music, Theater, Interdisciplinary Work Important Works: On Structure (2012), Nightmare for Jack (a ballet) (2013), Twistisch (2013)
• Bryan Jacobs (USA) (b 1979) Interests: Gesture, Robotics, Live Electronics Important Works: TsTs (2010), Do you need, Do to me, 18 me, 18 mean (2012), Dis Un Il Im Ir (2013), Percussion+Guitar (2015)
Other Composers Worth Knowing Hans Abrahamsen, Laurie Anderson, Mark André, Louis Andriessen, George Aperghis, Natasha Barrett, Richard Barrett, Antoine Beuger, Denys Bouliane, Glenn Branca, Gavin Bryars, Cornelius Cardew, Unsuk Chin, Aldo Clementi, Chaya Czernowin, Zoshia Dicastri, Julius Eastman, Brian Eno, Julio Estrada, Luc Ferrari, Brian Ferneyhough, Jürg Frey, Dai Fujikura, Ellen Fullman, Orlando Jacinto Garcia, Alain Gaussin, Vinko Globokar, Michael Gordon, Heinz Holliger, Toshio Hosokawa, Klaus Huber, Ben Johnston, Mauricio Kagel, Mari Kimura, Jo Kondo, György Kurtág, Klaus Lang, Jean-Francois Laporte, Francisco Lopez, Jose Lopez Lopez, Paula Matthusen, Meredith Monk, Gordon Mumma, Phil Niblock, Luigi Nono, John Oswald, Charlemagne Palestine, Arvo Pärt, Sam Pluta, Enno Poppe, Roger Reynolds, Jean-Claude Risset, David Rosenboom, Somei Satoh, Rebecca Saunders, Wolfgang von Schweinitz, Bent Sørensen, Mathias Spahlinger, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Spencer Topel, Helena Tulve, Edgar Varèse, Eric Wuebbels, Isang Yun, Pamela Z, Frank Zappa, John Zorn