Music like The Draughtsman's Contract Soundtrack

August 31, 2010 4:29 PM

Recommend some music similar to a couple Michael Nyman pieces.

I really like the songs Chasing Sheep is Best Left to Shepherds and An Eye for Optical Theory (both originally from the soundtrack to The Draughtsman's Contract). I especially like them for running. The qualities I'm looking for are: dense, driving, mostly major key, with a slow but steady build. By density I mean that there are a lot of sonic layers and very few gaps in the sound. It can be repetitive.

Generally the longer the better. Instrumental is probably going to work better than something with vocals. Non-electric instruments preferred but not essential. Bonus points for harpsichord.

(The other songs from the soundtrack are kind of slow and dour, so they don't make for very good running music.)

posted by jedicus to media & arts (11 answers total)

Anything by Michael Torke. I think you'd like his One album. Here's one composition on it.

Gorecki's Harpsichord Concerto. Bonus points!
posted by John Cohen at 4:58 PM on August 31, 2010

Some of Alexandre Rabinovitch's pieces remind me a little of Nyman, for example Die Zeit, Incantations & Six Etats Intermediaires. There's not so much harpsichord, but plenty of celesta.
posted by misteraitch at 5:07 PM on August 31, 2010

If I remember the liner notes correctly then Henry Purcell was an inspiration for Nyman in that period. Perhaps worth exploring or someone with a better ear/education than me might have a specific suggestion.
posted by Fiery Jack at 5:57 PM on August 31, 2010 [1 favorite]

Works by other Minimalist composers might fit the bill:

John Adams Short Ride in a Fast Machine (also check out Tromba Lontana, although it might be a bit on the slow side for running)

Steve Reich Music for 18 Musicians, Different Trains

Performances by the Balanescu Quartet often have that Michael Nyman flavor, even when covering Kraftwerk pieces (e.g. Computer Love, Autobahn)

(I also love Michael Torke, especially "Bright Blue Music")
posted by needled at 7:22 PM on August 31, 2010

Oops - correct link for Computer Love, that other one was for Robots.
posted by needled at 7:28 PM on August 31, 2010

A Man in a Room Gambling.
posted by ovvl at 7:44 PM on August 31, 2010

Lemon Jelly, for example Nice Weather for Ducks. Motion Trio have recently released a multi-accordion version of Chasing Sheep and other Nyman pieces. If you like the baroque "ground bass" used by Nyman (the repeating bass line) have a listen to groups like L'Arpeggiata, eg their version of Zefiro Torna. Lastly, Duphly's La Victoire, a fantastic driving harpsichord piece, there's a great recording by Mitzi Meyersen, sample here.
posted by amestoy at 1:43 AM on September 1, 2010

Check out the soundtrack of The Truman Show to see if you might like some Philip Glass. I'm listening to the tracks you linked and they're a little less dour than a lot of Glass's output (nevermind the operas) but you might find something of interest there. If so, try Glassworks.
posted by codger at 6:16 AM on September 1, 2010

Have you listened to other pieces by Michael Nyman? "MGV" for example, is a longish piece inspired by high speed train travel. (On that same CD is "The Piano Concerto," a reworking of his score for the movie "The Piano" into a longer more "classical" piece. It's also excellent.)

There's also this album of string quartets by Nyman.
posted by dnash at 7:48 AM on September 1, 2010

Thank you all for the suggestions and recommendations. There's a lot of great music here, although most of it doesn't quite work for running, at least not for me. I do like the Motion Trio arrangements, though, so that gets best answer.
posted by jedicus at 8:16 AM on September 7, 2010

It might miss one or two of your criteria, but I was struck when I heard "Cornered" by Kraak and Smaak and thought of you and this thread. Check it out at youtube.
posted by codger at 3:18 PM on September 13, 2010