Now here's an interesting composer...

There is hope for the future of contemporary classical music. I recently discovered the music of the Austrian composer Olga Neuwirth (b.1968) and I was immediately impressed by this amazing composer. I think she's one of the most original and interesting "younger" composers out there and she knows exactly what she's doing. Her works are written in a fascinating idiom which seems to continue and extend the modernist aesthetic in an intriguing, very personal way. Her music has been praised by no one less than Boulez.

Anyone here familiar with this composer?

Some sound samples of her music can be found on this site:
jpc - your global music player - Musik, Filme und Bücher

Well I must say I have only listened to one piece of music written by her (just now) but it was just one note. Can you recommend a more worthy work, since I would like to form an opinion of her by listening to her more accomplished music!

Tbh: I probably won't by able to appreciate this kind of thing. It basically comes down to personal tastes! Nevertheless, it is interesting, and I'm happy to see that people are doing new things in the world of music. Very important to keep pushing the boundaries, but also very important to respect the past!

The music of her I have listened to never really did much for me, but it's very possible that I just haven't found my personal access to it yet. It still interests me and I suppose I'll check some other pieces by her out and see if something has changed for me. (I suppose I'll start with the link you posted, even though that's just samples which don't tell anything about the formal structures of pieces.)

Originally Posted by Gardener

The music of her I have listened to never really did much for me, but it's very possible that I just haven't found my personal access to it yet.

Or maybe it’s also that a piece by Neuwirth doesn’t always reveal all its secrets and subtleties at first hearing. But since you seem to be one of the more open-minded listeners on this forum, you may be interested to check out her opera Bählamms Fest, one of her most convincing works.

I know her!

She came to Oberlin two years ago to do the American Premiere of her opera "Lost Highway," based on the film by David Lynch. I attended both premiere performances and got to speak to her in masterclasses and after lectures.

She's kind of mean, actually .

The opera, "Lost Highway," incorporates live aural and visual electronics, and she wound up redoing all the electronics three days before opening night. Kept the cast and orchestra in rehearsal until 3 AM.

I agree that her music is very good. However, I don't know that she's "hope for contemporary music." I think that title is hard to apply to anyone, given the pluralistic nature of music being produced today. Everyone seems to be trying to break out of the "isms" of the past, either by departing from them entirely, or by mixing aspects of them together to create new aesthetic systems.

I've heard several of her things, and they really don't do very much for me. But one of my co-workers is nuts for her music. So I figure perhaps it's not written for my ears, and there are plenty of composers who fall into that category who are awful damn good, including Boulez (throws hands over head to protect from flying rocks and bottles.)

Uncle Dave

Originally Posted by Uncle Dave

I've heard several of her things, and they really don't do very much for me. But one of my co-workers is nuts for her music. So I figure perhaps it's not written for my ears, and there are plenty of composers who fall into that category who are awful damn good, including Boulez (throws hands over head to protect from flying rocks and bottles.)

Uncle Dave

I despise Boulez

Boulez is the shit. Damn fine conductor, too.

Another great conductor/composer - Esa Pekka Salonen.

Originally Posted by Christopher Dunn-Rankin

I agree that her music is very good.

I'm glad that at least we agree on one thing...

But I have to disagree with you on Salonen - a decent conductor, but a lousy composer (quite unlike Boulez, who excels as both a conductor and a composer).

I despise Boulez

I don't think he's a bad composer, but based on what I've heard about him, he's not a very nice guy.

As for Salonen, I agree that he's an amazing conductor (one of my favorites), but I've never heard any of his compositions.