# Has a good piece of classical music been written since Jan. 1 1900? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 3, 2008, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-good-piece-of-classical-music-been-written-since-jan-1-1900/436060 "2008-02-03T04:00:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![cactus\_waltz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@cactus\_waltz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cactus_waltz)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-good-piece-of-classical-music-been-written-since-jan-1-1900/436060/41 "2008-02-03T15:37:04Z")
I would like to re-iterate **Satie**. A fantastic composer, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![stratosphear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@stratosphear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stratosphear)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-good-piece-of-classical-music-been-written-since-jan-1-1900/436060/42 "2008-02-03T16:23:36Z")
41 Posts and no one has made mention of the numerous classical works of the late Frank Zappa? :eek: 😕 ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-good-piece-of-classical-music-been-written-since-jan-1-1900/436060/43 "2008-02-03T17:08:35Z")
[QUOTE=stratosphear] 41 Posts and no one has made mention of the numerous classical works of the late Frank Zappa? :eek: 😕 [/QUOTE] Most would consider [Francesco Zappa](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francesco_Zappa) “late baroque”, but YMMV. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-good-piece-of-classical-music-been-written-since-jan-1-1900/436060/44 "2008-02-03T17:30:27Z")
Oddly enough, I just watched an episode from last week’s _The Colbert Report_ where Colbert interviewed a guy named Alex Ross who just put out a book called [The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century](http://www.amazon.com/Rest-Noise-Listening-Twentieth-Century/dp/0374249393/). Both Colbert and I were kind of shocked to find out that it is almost exclusively about “classical” music in the 20th century and barely touches on rock or jazz at all. So, if you’re wondering about “classical” music in the 20th century
there’s a book on it. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-good-piece-of-classical-music-been-written-since-jan-1-1900/436060/45 "2008-02-03T19:59:39Z")
[QUOTE=cactus waltz] I would like to re-iterate **Satie**. A fantastic composer, IMHO. [/QUOTE] And his protéges, _Les Six_: Poulenc, Milhaud, Honegger
 and the other three. ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-good-piece-of-classical-music-been-written-since-jan-1-1900/436060/46 "2008-02-03T20:09:38Z")
[QUOTE=RickJay] Hey, lots of fine orchestral music has been written as movie soundtracks. Surely that must count? If music written for operas can be regarded as great art, why not for movies? [/QUOTE] I came specifically to name Danny Elfman. I have pieces from several of his soundtracks in amongst all those classical composers on my playlist. And some Oingo Boingo, too, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-good-piece-of-classical-music-been-written-since-jan-1-1900/436060/47 "2008-02-03T20:41:12Z")
[QUOTE=dalej42] Do you think a good piece of classical music has been written since January 1, 1900? [/QUOTE] You must have missed this thread: [The Essential Music Library: Contemporary Classical](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=345831) ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-good-piece-of-classical-music-been-written-since-jan-1-1900/436060/48 "2008-02-03T21:40:35Z")
[QUOTE=ZipperJJ] Oddly enough, I just watched an episode from last week’s _The Colbert Report_ where Colbert interviewed a guy named Alex Ross who just put out a book called [The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century](http://www.amazon.com/Rest-Noise-Listening-Twentieth-Century/dp/0374249393/). Both Colbert and I were kind of shocked to find out that it is almost exclusively about “classical” music in the 20th century and barely touches on rock or jazz at all. So, if you’re wondering about “classical” music in the 20th century
there’s a book on it. [/QUOTE] Wynton Marsalis likes to call jazz “American Classical music”, to highlight its seriousness, complexity, and the virtuosity of its best players. I think that’s a bit of a stretch, but you could say that many educated people these days regard 20th century jazz in many of the same ways that 20th century people regarded 19th century\* (or earlier) “classical” music. \*I know, most of that was “Romantic”. You know what I mean! ---
**Author:** ![ErinPuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@ErinPuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ErinPuff)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-good-piece-of-classical-music-been-written-since-jan-1-1900/436060/49 "2008-02-03T22:23:00Z")
[QUOTE=fachverwirrt] And his protĂ©ges, _Les Six_: Poulenc, Milhaud, Honegger
 and the other three. [/QUOTE] (Auric, Durey, and Tailleferre, if anyone was wondering) I’m doing a project (undergraduate honors thesis) on the three that people have heard of. It’s about their religious music; I resisted the temptation to subtitle it _A Catholic, a Protestant, and a Jew Go Into a Bar_. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-good-piece-of-classical-music-been-written-since-jan-1-1900/436060/50 "2008-02-03T22:24:58Z")
I’ll add Ottorino Respighi’s “The Pines of Rome” and “The Fountains of Rome.” I was also very impressed by Don Gillis’s “Symphony X: Big D” ---
**Author:** ![Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/48db29/32.png) [@Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Key_Lime_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-good-piece-of-classical-music-been-written-since-jan-1-1900/436060/51 "2008-02-03T22:34:54Z")
Elliott Carter and Olivier Messiaen haven’t been mentioned, but they are mentioned in [this week’s New Yorker.](http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/notebook/2008/02/04/080204gonb_GOAT_notebook_ross) ---
**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-good-piece-of-classical-music-been-written-since-jan-1-1900/436060/52 "2008-02-04T09:06:00Z")
_Carmina Burana_ is the most popular piece, but Orff wrote a trilogy, and, strangely, the two others are never heard: _Catulli Carmina_ and _The Triumph of Aphrodite_. Also: William Walton _Concerto for violin_ Charles Widor _Concerto for organ_ Joseph Canteloube _Chants d’Auvergne_ Max Bruch _Concerto for violin, Scottish Fantasy_ Korngold _Concerto for violin_ De Falla, Dvorak, Ginestera, Glazounov, Karl Amadeus Hartmann, Gavin Briars Has anybody mentioned Terry Riley ? ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-good-piece-of-classical-music-been-written-since-jan-1-1900/436060/53 "2008-02-04T11:00:51Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] I’ll add Ottorino Respighi’s “The Pines of Rome” and “The Fountains of Rome.” I was also very impressed by Don Gillis’s “Symphony X: Big D” [/QUOTE] Festivals of Rome sort of leaves me blah, though I particularly like Pines. Orff’s Carmina Burana is 20th century isnt it? What about Greigs Pier Gynt? ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-good-piece-of-classical-music-been-written-since-jan-1-1900/436060/54 "2008-02-04T12:15:22Z")
In case it has not been mentioned: Elgar - Cello Concerto. One of the finest pieces of 20th century music. ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-good-piece-of-classical-music-been-written-since-jan-1-1900/436060/55 "2008-02-04T12:21:30Z")
[QUOTE=aruvqan] Orff’s Carmina Burana is 20th century isnt it? [/QUOTE] Yes, [mid-1930s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmina_Burana_%28Orff%29), and mentioned as early as post #10 in this thread. [QUOTE=aruvqan] What about Greigs Pier Gynt? [/QUOTE] [1875](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peer_Gynt_Suite), so a bit too early for this thread. Although he was active in _recording_ music in his old age until his death in 1907, none of [Grieg](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grieg)’s major compositions took place post-1900 (unless one includes the last few [Lyric Pieces](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyric_Pieces) of 1901). ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-good-piece-of-classical-music-been-written-since-jan-1-1900/436060/56 "2008-02-04T12:36:54Z")
[QUOTE=dalej42] Do you think a good piece of classical music has been written since January 1, 1900? [/QUOTE] Plenty of great orchestral music, whether it’s technically “classical” or not. Henryk Gorecki wasn’t even born 'til 1933, and wrote his magnificent Symphony No. 3 in 1976. (Has John Williams copied that piece yet?) And if you’re interested in the 20th century, that would be January 1, 1901; the entire year of 1900 was still the 19th century. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-good-piece-of-classical-music-been-written-since-jan-1-1900/436060/57 "2008-02-04T12:43:54Z")
[QUOTE=Baldwin] Plenty of great orchestral music, whether it’s technically “classical” or not. Henryk Gorecki wasn’t even born 'til 1933, and wrote his magnificent Symphony No. 3 in 1976. (Has John Williams copied that piece yet?) [/QUOTE] He can’t, it’s still under copyright and Gorecki’s still alive, so Williams would have his ass sued off if he tried. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-good-piece-of-classical-music-been-written-since-jan-1-1900/436060/58 "2008-02-04T12:45:37Z")
I know that Ravel and _BolĂ©ro_ have been mentioned, but I wanted to reiterate it and also to say that if you like _BolĂ©ro_ and haven’t seen [this movie](http://imdb.com/title/tt0083260/), you are missing out on something really great. ---
**Author:** ![Barrett\_Bonden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5e9695/32.png) [@Barrett\_Bonden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barrett_Bonden)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-good-piece-of-classical-music-been-written-since-jan-1-1900/436060/59 "2008-02-04T14:37:27Z")
Stravinsky, Britten, Mahler, and Shostakovich, all of whom have already been mentioned. [QUOTE=MGibson] It works for the layman and if it ain’t baroque then I say don’t fix it. [/QUOTE] Hee hee hee! ---
**Author:** ![Elenfair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cc9497/32.png) [@Elenfair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elenfair)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-good-piece-of-classical-music-been-written-since-jan-1-1900/436060/60 "2008-02-04T14:46:41Z")
Jeebus, folks, just take a spin into Eastern Europe
 then France. “Classical” composers will come out of the woodwork everywhere. Or here, take a whole list! 🙂 [20th century composers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_20th_century_classical_composers) [Still alive and kicking (21st century)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_21st_century_classical_composers) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-good-piece-of-classical-music-been-written-since-jan-1-1900/436060.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-good-piece-of-classical-music-been-written-since-jan-1-1900/436060.md?page=4)