Contemporary Classical Composers - new discoveries

@mahgister You are correct. It’s only about the music. As an opera, it’s "stupid." Half the audience left in mid-opera. This was pre-Covid and a full house. The recording of the music sounds great. Compare Glass’s compositions to Newman’s. Which do you prefer? I also love Busoni, Scriabin, some Berg and Webern, etc. I am picky as to music but have a wide era and type of music appreciation that. Most of this forum’s samples I understand but don’t want to hear again. Certainly not a 12 hour? piano work.

I’ve liquidated 18,000 LPs/78s to date because I have a rule, if I don’t desire to hear a recording three times annually, out it goes. I still have about 10,000 LPs and CDs to cull (many opera duplicates as late friends donated classical vocal and operas I already have and boring CDs of very lesser known composers whose music isn’t "special" to me).

Aside-my middle name is Phillip and my last name translates (Yiddish) to glass bottle-maker ergo Philip Glass! I generally dislike his "music." I’d rather my name  be associated closer to Charles Valentin Alkan.

Prior to Omar, my favorite two "modern" operas are from the 1950s, Barber’s Vanessa and Moore’s Ballad of Baby Doe (with Sills 5 arias in my head whenever I think of them). So, this Omar was very special.

While I have heard and appreciate Busoni's Doktor Faust (in my permanent collection) my favorite and my wife's is Boito's Faust (saw it with Ramey) and Gounod Faust (too long for her). 

Except for Glass who i like , i dont think we will argue much about music if i read your posts..

For the Busoni Faust i like it a lot because of Dietrich Fischer Dieskau who sing it at his peak... No other will have done better...

My best to you...

Recently came across the band Bliss. It's ambient neo-classical crew that wonders me with every of their album. 

Lucas Richman: 3 movement symphony - This Will Be Our Reply, 1988 

Skip to 20:40, third movement (written first, other movements later to fill in)

Full orchestra & chorus   This is a great modern work (like Leonard Bernstein's great works).  I performed at Disney Hall on 8/2019 West Coast Premiere with LAJS/Korean orchestra, 90 singers.  Compare to avantgarde music (which has it's place).  This is emotionally targeting more people, like Bernstein.  This and his 2000 full orchestrated Dachau Lied (also premiere and sung for 2000 students in 2023 with me among the 16 male singers) unavailable due to musician guild restrictions.  Our performance had people on the edge of their seats it was electrifying (studio and LA Phil musicians).