You've spent the time and money to build a truly superior A/V system. How about some high-end music to go with it? Regardless of what you normally listen to, there is compelling, complex, subtly textured and exciting music being created right now for you — music that sounds its best with a sophisticated audio system. And it's classical music. Surprised? You're not alone.

At an orchestra's pre-concert reception recently, a wealthy matron of the arts struck up a conversation with composer Walter Ross. "And what do you do?" she asked him. "I'm a composer," Ross replied. The woman stared at him in surprise. "But," she gasped, "I thought all the composers were dead!"

Hardly. Thousands of composers are alive and well and creating new classical music that speaks to contemporary audiences. Just as some eagerly await the latest release from their favorite pop star, others look forward to new music from John Corigliano, Tan Dun, John Tavener and many others. Even though labeled "classical," you'll find the five composers listed below writing in listener-friendly styles you won't need an advanced music degree to enjoy!


1. Philip Glass
Even if you don't normally listen to classical music, there?s a good chance you?ve heard some Philip Glass. In addition to setting the classical world on its ear with his concert music, Glass has written or contributed to scores for almost sixty movies to date, including Secret Window (2004), The Hours (2002) and The Truman Show (1998).

In the 1970s, Glass became one of the main proponents of minimalism. This compositional technique employs repeated patterns that gradually change over time to move the music forward. Using mostly broken major chords, Glass' music (especially when he uses a keyboard instrument) can sometimes sound like '70s prog rock. This isn't entirely by accident. Glass has been involved with popular artists throughout his career. He's written two symphonies based on the music of David Bowie and Brian Eno, and has worked with Ravi Shankar. His Songs from Liquid Days uses lyrics contributed by David Byrne, Paul Simon, Laurie Anderson and Suzanne Vega.

Philip Glass' music stays in constant motion. His accompanying figures can remind you of a rock instrumental groove, or a pop hook, or even an ambient chill-out, depending on the context. Rather than long, involved melodies, Glass lets the harmonies speak for themselves.

What to listen for
Glass tends to favor transparent orchestral textures, so it's important that your audio system accurately reproduce both highs and lows. The more detailed the sound your system can reproduce, the more you'll appreciate his music. Your subwoofer won't get much of a workout, but your woofers and tweeters will have an opportunity to really shine!

Recommended recording
"Low" Symphony (Point Music 438150)
Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra; Dennis Russell Davies, conductor

This isn't another lame release where an orchestra plays transcriptions of rock tunes! Inspired by the Low album of David Bowie and Brian Eno, Philip Glass selected themes from three of the instrumental tracks. These became the starting points for the movements of his symphony. Although the tunes are recognizable, Glass treats the material as his own, and takes it in surprising directions.

The murmuring arpeggios of the strings and the open voicing of the chords are classic Glass. For folks familiar with Bowie and Eno, this is a great place to start, and the "Low" Symphony is also an excellent overall introduction to Glass' music.


2. Arvo Pärt
If you're into ambient music, Arvo Pärt may be more your style. This deeply religious Estonian composer struggled under Soviet rule in the 1960s, at one point giving up writing music entirely. When he broke his self-imposed compositional silence in 1976, Pärt's new-style works quickly took hold, particularly in the West. He's currently one of the most sought-after composers for new music, especially for choirs.

When Pärt began composing again, he turned his back on the strident, angular music that was the fashion for classical avant-garde, and adopted what he called a "tintinnabuli" (Latin for "little bells") style. Like the ringing of small bells, his music has many quiet moments. Silence is an important element in Pärt's music, and especially as it contrasts to the sounds that precede and follow it. Pärt was also inspired by medieval religious music. Like Gregorian chant, his compositions move along serenely at their own pace, sometimes just a single note at a time.

What to listen for
Pärt's tintinnabuli style is almost equal parts silence and sound. To fully appreciate this subtle texture, your high-end system should be using the best possible connectors and a clean power source to minimize electronic noise. Pärt's also concerned about the way sound decays, especially in his choral music, which sometimes treats the acoustic space as another instrument. Your speakers should give you good stereo separation, while maintaining a continuous soundfield across your listening area.

Recommended recording
De Profundis (Harmonia Mundi 907182 for CD, 807182 for SACD)
Theatre of Voices; Paul Hillier, conductor

Pärt's choral music on this disc sounds like something from the Middle Ages — sort of. With no audible pulse, the music glides from one note to the next like dandelion seeds in a gentle breeze. If your system can play SACDs, that's the version to get. You'll get the full effect of Pärt's tintinnabuli style, where the echoes of one note can provide harmony for the next. Included in this disc is the "Magnificat," one of Pärt's most popular choral compositions.