upbeat and modern classical music

August 5, 2015 10:23 AM

Looking for classical/instrumental pieces in the vein of Michael Daughtery's Metropolis Symphony

I really enjoy listening to Metropolis Symphony while I'm working. It's upbeat, lively, and modern. I also enjoy John Adams' Short Ride in a Fast Machine and Carl Nielsen's The Inextinguishable (though that is older than would prefer in answers to this question). I'm looking for similar pieces.

I am not looking for pieces by the famous old guys. Keep it modern, please. No vocals. Film scores are okay but not ideal.

Bonus points if it's composed by a woman and/or includes a lot of my favorite instrument, the woodblock.

Thanks!

posted by everybody had matching towels to Media & Arts (12 answers total)

Bonus points if it's composed by a woman and/or includes a lot of my favorite instrument, the woodblock.


Ooh, ooh! You want to check out Libby Larsen. It sounds like your tastes go towards minimalism. I don't have any specific Larsen recommendations (I remember playing a few of her pieces in college wind ensemble) but I think if you poked around YouTube you'd find some stuff.
posted by rossination at 10:27 AM on August 5, 2015

Libby Larsen, "Strut" for wind ensemble.
posted by rossination at 10:27 AM on August 5, 2015

You might enjoy Sylvestre Revultas' Sensemayá (1938). The opening section of the first movement of the Metropolis Symphony reminded me of it.
posted by Johnny Assay at 10:31 AM on August 5, 2015

[youtube version of link in question for those without spotify accounts.]
posted by andrewcooke at 10:37 AM on August 5, 2015

I like Bing & Ruth, though it might be too melancholy. Sufjan Stevens’s The BQE is also great, tho' it feels a bit derivative at times.
posted by Going To Maine at 10:45 AM on August 5, 2015

When I read the above-the-cut part of your question I was going to come in here and recommend Short Ride in a Fast Machine!

The overture to Bernstein's Candide is a favorite of mine. Equus by Eric Whitacre is quite lively, but a little darker. I just heard that at the Hollywood Bowl, it was great.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 11:37 AM on August 5, 2015

Perhaps you might enjoy Tyondai Braxton’s Pulse March: it’s certainly upbeat.

Or possibly some of Alexandre Rabinovitch-Barakovsky’s stuff, such as Die Zeit, or Incantations.

For woodblock, have you heard Evelyn Glennie’s arrangement/performance of Steve Reich’s Clapping Music?
posted by misteraitch at 11:49 AM on August 5, 2015

Osvaldo Golijov. A lot of his stuff is more classed as opera, but very upbeat. He uses a lot of flamenco influences, especially with the guitars in his works, so they are pretty lively. Some of his pieces have vocals, but usually in Spanish.

I am guessing you're familiar with Terry Riley?

Missy Mazzoli?
posted by mermaidcafe at 1:44 PM on August 5, 2015

I have recommended this on Metafilter before, but try Steve Reich's Variations for Winds, Strings and Keyboards.
posted by wittgenstein at 7:30 PM on August 5, 2015

Check out William Orbit!
posted by wwartorff at 9:07 PM on August 5, 2015

Misa Tango by Argentine composer Luis Bacalov. It's a mass, it's a tango, and it's got accordion. What could be better?
posted by alms at 7:34 AM on August 6, 2015

Wanted to recommend the music of Jennifer Higdon, whose Blue Cathedral just knocked me out the first time I heard it. Starts out kind of soft and slow, then builds to an amazing climax. You've got to listen to the entire thing to get the full effect. Video here
posted by cartoonella at 5:01 AM on August 7, 2015