Showcase a composer from your country

[Eldritch]

And let's try to avoid the "usual suspects", shall we? :)

As for myself, Sibelius may be the "greatest" and internationally most celebrated Finnish composer, but he is not my favourite one. That distinction (whatever it is worth) goes to Uuno Klami (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uuno_Klami).


Uuno Klami (20 September 1900 – 29 May 1961) was a Finnish composer. He was born in Virolahti. Many of his works are related to the Kalevala. He was also influenced by French music, in particularly by Maurice Ravel and the group Les Six. Klami is probably the only composer who has participated in five armed conflicts (2 wars in Karelia, the Finnish Civil War, the Winter War of 1939-40 and the Continuation War of 1941-44).

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[Turkophagos]

Iannis Xenakis (Greek pronunciation: [ˈʝanis kseˈnakis ], Greek: Γιάννης Ξενάκης) (May 29, 1922 – February 4, 2001) was a Romanian-born Greek ethnic, naturalized French composer, music theorist, and architect-engineer. He is commonly recognized as one of the most important post-war avant-garde composers. Xenakis pioneered the use of mathematical models such as applications of set theory, varied use of stochastic processes, game theory, etc., in music, and was also an important influence on the development of electronic music.

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[Eldritch]

^ Too bad you didn't choose Nikos Skalkottas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikos_Skalkottas) -- I discovered him just today.

His 36 Greek Dances is great stuff. I love folk-influenced classical. :thumb001:

[Damião de Góis]

Pedro de Cristo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_de_Cristo)

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[Damião de Góis]

Our king D. Dinis of the 13th century was also a composer :p

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_of_Portugal

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[Matritensis]

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[Damião de Góis]

Carlos Seixas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Seixas)

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[Treffie]

Karl Jenkins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Jenkins) :thumb001:
(we don't give this guy enough recognition in Britain IMO)

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Can't embed this one, worth listening to

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cdxG1uicVU&feature=watch_response

[Damião de Góis]

Karl Jenkins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Jenkins) :thumb001:
(we don't give this guy enough recognition in Britain IMO)


That first song is very mainstream. I'm trying to think where i know it from, but it has probably been used for many things.

[Treffie]

That first song is very mainstream. I'm trying to think where i know it from, but it has probably been used for many things.

Perhaps he's had more recognition that I had thought :)

[Damião de Góis]

Carlos Paredes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Paredes), the guitar master:


Carlos Paredes, ComSE, (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈkaɾluʃ pɐˈɾedɨʃ]; February 16, 1925 – July 23, 2004) was a virtuoso Portuguese guitar player, born in Coimbra, son of the equally famous Artur Paredes. He is credited with popularising the medium internationally during the 20th century, being frequently considered to be the most talented Portuguese musician in the 20th century. For the way he played, he was known as the "Man with a Thousand Fingers".

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[Turkophagos]

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Juan del Enzina is my favourite composer of all times. :thumb001:




^ Too bad you didn't choose Nikos Skalkottas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikos_Skalkottas) -- I discovered him just today.

His 36 Greek Dances is great stuff. I love folk-influenced classical. :thumb001:


He's quite famous, I tried to avoid the "usual suspects". If you love folk-influenced classical then you'll like Manolis Kalomoiris:

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[Matritensis]

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[Absinthe]

Adding to what Chimo and Eldritch already said :)

Jani Christou (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jani_Christou)

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[Eldritch]

^ I think it's unspeakably lame that Naxos has nothing by Christou. :mad:

*** *** ***

Right, here is Kaija Saariaho (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaija_saariaho).

http://www.operatoday.com/content/Saariaho_medium.gif

Rva Saariaho is a spectralist (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectral_music) composer whose music takes some getting used to. Especially her operas seem to be appreciated by the critics, though. Her early compositions maddeningly often feature superfluous electronic noises, however.

Not this one, though:

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[Scrapple]

Terry Riley

http://imgur.com/igYHl

Great Minimalist composer.

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[Mis4Music]

Sorry, but I can't. None of my favorite classical composers are from the USA.

[Comte Arnau]

Of all contemporary Catalan composers, I mostly appreciate Jordi Savall's work, although I like him more as a performer than a composer properly.



Savall has been one of the major figures in the field of Western early music since the 1970s, largely responsible for bringing the viol (viola da gamba) back to life on the stage. His characteristic repertory ranges from Medieval to Renaissance and Baroque music, though he has occasionally ventured into the classical or even the romantic period.

Love most of his performances, yet I've always felt particularly haunted by the Iberianness of his variations of Marais' Folies d'Espagne. A Spanish theme, a French composer, a Catalan performance. An Iberian soul.


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These are Folies for guitar by another Catalan composer from the classical period, the great Ferran Sor, considered the best guitarist in the world of the early 1800s.


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