I once thought my CD collection would be completed at some point, barring
a few new composers, or some new interpretation of favourite works.

I'm glad that the parade of new composers keeps on coming while I gain
exposure to musicians new to me (Repin, Sofronitzky, etc.), and excellent
new works by known composers (Klami's and Veale's VCs, Ligeti's Requiem,
Messiaen's 3 Liturgies and the Turangalila, Dag Wiren's Cello Concerto
and Rodrigo's 2nd, "como un divertimento," Adaskin's chamber music,
Irving Fine's too-few orchestral works, etc.).

For those who, like me, avidly seek out fresh CM, here are some of my
musical 'discoveries' of 2002:

- Michael Nyman (1944-): 3 concerti with orchestral accompaniment: for
sax-and-cello, for harpsichord, and for trombone (Argo).  I hesitated
about this, as his music for films had disappointed.  But this Nyman
hasn't struck me as dreary motoric minimalism: all three works are
enjoyable, in what I consider a post-Schnittke not sound but manner of
seeming unpolished, somehow left incomplete.  I'd bought this for the
harpsichord concerto, which does sparkle the brightest.

- Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901-1953): 'Two Movements for Chamber Orchestra'
(1926) is an intriguing 7-minute piece (on Delos 1012) that confirmed
my impression gathered by DG's 'Portraits' CD of a highly imaginative,
abstract composer.  As good as any USAmerican neo-classical composer,
imo.  Pity there's so little there.

- John Kinsella (1932-): Irish symphonist: there's a not-hugely joyous
yet splendid #3, 'Joie de Vivre,' and his #4, 'The Four Provinces' (Marco
Polo).  I've only found one string quartet on a Chandos, and web browsing
informs me of a recently composed Cello Concerto that I'd like to hear.

- Willem Pijper (1894-1947): Top-notch Dutch tonal composer.  Recommendable
one-CD collection of an array of his output: Symphony No 2; Piano Concerto;
Six Adagios (for Orchestra); String Quartets 4 and 5.  (Rotterdam POorch,
on Composers Voice CD 1) In his case, there are more recorded works.
I'd avoid the weaker, early chamber pieces.

- Hendryk Andriessen (1892-1981): Another fine Dutch tonal composer,
unknown to me, and seemingly underrecorded.  Recommended CD?  Concerto
for Cello; Concertino for Oboe; Concerto for Violin (NM Classics 92066).
There's also a symphony (#4) well worth hearing, on Olympia.

- Marcel Landowski (1915-1999): Symphonies 1, 3 and 4 (Pretre, on Erato).
It took time to penetrate his idiom, but I now find these symphonies
captivating, even irresistible.  Along with Bernard Stevens, to my ear,
he seems to abhor flashy musical statements, yet amply rewards the
attentive ear.  Stevens is more traditional and Romantic, but both
are equally underrecorded, or they share a regrettably small output.

- Andre Jolivet (1905-1974): There's more than the two trumpet-&-orchestra
works we all know.  Very distinctive, challenging and rewarding, to my
ear, are: the 3rd Symphony (1964), the Cello Concerto (1962), and the
concerto for Piano and Orchestra (1949-50) -- if you can find them.  Wild
music on the verge of chaos, yet so fine and colourful in its orchestration
as to indicate that all's well in hand.  Some adventurous label should
devote a few CDs to fresh performances.

- Elisabetta Brusa (1954-): Extraordinary: tuneful yet strong, fiercely
dissonant, superbly orchestrated works of a very high order.  Review to
come of both Naxos CDs, time permitting.

- Ahmet Adnan Saygun (1907-1991): Turkish composer of considerable
distinction.  I can't detect traces of Hindemith, who I recall began a
music school in Turkey in the 30s, but Saygun's music sounds thoroughly
western to me.  Haven't heard a second-rate piece: it's well-orchestrated,
self-confident and vigourous, yet can also be delicate and subtle.
Neo-Romantic, yet blessed with a strong dissonant sense.  Rewarding
releases (CPO & Koch-Schwann) of three symphonies, two piano concertos,
a concerto da camera, a viola concerto, and more.

- John McCabe (1939-): A (fourth) case of saving the best for the last.
I like everything I've heard.  That includes the Symphony #4 ('Of Time
and the River') and Flute Concerto, the three String Quartets, and his
ballet 'Edward II' -- all on Hyperion.  'Must confess I had the
symphony/flute concerto CD in my collection for some time, but they
hadn't really twigged ...or maybe my tastes have changed.  I'd found
them dry and dispassionate; too cerebral.  Now consider him an expressive
composer of great refinement, cerebral yet muscular.  If you like Robert
Simpson at his most gripping and Rawsthorne at his most approachable,
you can't go wrong with McCabe.

(With thanks to friends in France and Holland, for exchanges that put
me on to some of this music.)

Bert Bailey