Arvo Pärt is the world’s most performed living composer sixth year running

[guest377]

again......Arvo Pärt is the world’s most performed living composer sixth year running


From Estonian World:

The Estonian composer, Arvo Pärt, has, for the sixth year in a row, been given the title of the “world’s most performed living composer” by the classical music event database, Bachtrack, Estonian World can disclose.

While Bachtrack is yet to officially publish the statistics on its website, it has confirmed in a private tweet exchange that Pärt is, indeed, the world’s most performed living composer sixth year running.

Bachtrack calculates a series of statistics each year that show the number of times the work of each composer has been performed, along with information regarding the “hardest-working” conductors, orchestras and most performed individual works.

Pärt’s music performed all over the world

In September, Arvo Pärt celebrated his 81st birthday with a new album launch. Called “The Deer’s Cry”, the album features the composer’s vocal pieces performed by Estonian vocal ensemble Vox Clamantis and conducted by Jaan-Eik Tulve.

“Pärt’s music is universal, and I think its message is received by Estonians much in the same way as any other people. But what makes it special for Estonians is the fact that he’s ‘one of us’. I’ve always been moved by the loving way people look at him, whether in a concert hall or on the street,” Tulve said on Pärt.

http://estonianworld.com/culture/arvo-part-worlds-performed-living-composer-sixth-year-running/

[cjvinthechair]

That's a quite extraordinary dominance when there's so much out there worthy of performance.
Is it really that he's the best there is...or that he'll now get more 'bums on seats' ?
And if he's not the best living composer, who is ?   Anyone interested in putting forward suggestions ?
For me, in that sort of 'field' of music, I'd still prefer James MacMillan.

[shamus]

A little goes a long way for me. Guess it is, as usual, about money.

[Gauk]

A little goes a long way for me.

Or a lot goes a little way, perhaps?

[guest145]

Is it really that he's the best there is...or that he'll now get more 'bums on seats' ?
And if he's not the best living composer, who is ?   Anyone interested in putting forward suggestions ?
For me, in that sort of 'field' of music, I'd still prefer James MacMillan.

The fact that he's the most-performed does not correlate with being the best. It simply means that he's the most popular.

Identifying who's "the best" is a rather pointless endeavor. Whether we want to admit it or not, subjectivity colors our conclusions. We usually endorse and promote what we like.

That being said, I like much of Part's music, but the only piece I actually love is his Cantus. I like MacMillan's music but there is no single work of his that I love. Actually, I'm very hard-pressed to name a favorite living composer. In thinking about this, I realized that most of my favorite composers were alive in my younger years, but are now gone. Hmmm... I must be getting old :-)

[Gauk]

Actually, I'm very hard-pressed to name a favorite living composer.

That's a good game! As a very mixed bunch, I'll start with Adams, Barry, Bourgeois, Glass, Dillon, Sallinen ... any advances?

[Elroel]

Some advances? Probably not in 'most played' composers, but as to todays composers I fancy? Just a few of many: Kaija Saariaho, Johanna Doderer, Richard Dubugnon, Wolfgang Rihm. Certainly not Philip Glass.

[Gauk]

Certainly not Philip Glass.

I'm aware he is a bit of a bête noir round here. I was listening to his 8th symphony the other evening for the first time, which is perhaps the most powerful of the bunch. Also, it must be unusual to have a three-movement work that goes fast-slow-slow. Glass's double piano concerto, which received its UK premiere this week, also has a slow finale, which is definitely surprising.

[guest145]

Actually, I'm very hard-pressed to name a favorite living composer.

That's a good game! As a very mixed bunch, I'll start with Adams, Barry, Bourgeois, Glass, Dillon, Sallinen ... any advances?

In giving this matter some thought, I was able to come up with a number of living composers who have written works that are among my favorites. However, I can't say that the overall output from any of them qualifies them as a favorite in the pantheon of composers.

If I had assembled this list ten years ago or so, there would have been at least a dozen composers who were still living at that time and who I considered among my favorites. Twenty years ago, there would have been several dozen.

Anyway, here are several living composers who wrote one or more works that I particularly enjoy:

John Adams
Olga Borisova-Ollas
Guillaume Connesson
Gareth Farr
Imants Kalnins
Romualds Kalsons
Aulis Sallinen
Valentin Silvestrov
Joby Talbot
Peteris Vasks