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Are there any optimistic 20th century composers ?

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Are there any optimistic 20th century composers ?

Old 08-02-16, 11:49 PM
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Are there any optimistic 20th century composers ?

Hi

Although I can feel elated by some late 20th century works (to me Gorecki's 3rd symphony is close to addictive), I wonder why in our age of extreme comfort, so many composers since Arvo Pärt became famous, write works that enhance anxiety, anguish and gloom ; are there optimistic, enlightening works or composers I may have missed ? I've tried Penderecki, Rautavaara, and many things quoted on this forum but I still find very little material that is so "light-hearted" and "invigorating" as what was produced in Haendel's times when Death wa a daily occurence. Pardon my question if it sounds stupid, I'm quite an ignoramus in Classical Music.If the question has already been asked, please tell me in what sub-forum I can read about it, and I'll delete this thread. Thank you all.
Old 08-03-16, 01:26 AM
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Re: Are there any optimistic 20th century composers ?

Howard Hanson is considered pretty optimistic. It's not Handel, but it's in a 19th-century Romantic style.

Old 08-03-16, 11:37 AM
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Re: Are there any optimistic 20th century composers ?

Steve Reich's "Music for 18 Musicians" always felt very uplifting to me.

What about Gershwin?
Old 08-03-16, 12:01 PM
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Re: Are there any optimistic 20th century composers ?

Or Copland
Old 08-03-16, 01:52 PM
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Re: Are there any optimistic 20th century composers ?

Hamlisch
Old 08-03-16, 09:27 PM
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Re: Are there any optimistic 20th century composers ?

I'm so ignorant of classical music---I have a several pieces that I'm quite fond of (from Tchaikovsky, Rimski-Korsakov, Beethoven) but I have no context to put them into. I need to study more.
Old 08-03-16, 10:18 PM
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Re: Are there any optimistic 20th century composers ?

Originally Posted by Ky-Fi
I'm so ignorant of classical music---I have a several pieces that I'm quite fond of (from Tchaikovsky, Rimski-Korsakov, Beethoven) but I have no context to put them into. I need to study more.
This is all you need. Professor Greenberg is outstanding; he makes the material accessible and entertaining while never dumbing it down.

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Old 08-04-16, 03:56 AM
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Re: Are there any optimistic 20th century composers ?

Ennio Morricone's jauntier scores might be labeled "optimistic," e.g. THE BURGLARS, A FINE PAIR, MY NAME IS NOBODY, LA CAGE AUX FOLLES and some of the themes excerpted on the From Ennio Morricone with Love series of CDs.

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