It has to be said that my awareness of post-WW2 music has been limited. There are the minimalists Steve Reich, Henryck Gorecki, Philip Glass, John Adams, Arvo Part and "post-serialists" (if that is even a word) Stockhausen, Xenakis and Boulez, but beyond that my knowledge gets very patchy.

Knowing how ubiquitous atonal or avant-garde music is in the 20th century, I'm looking for music that employs tonality in the traditional sense while still remaining modern sounding. So not something atonal like Stockhausen, but not something post-Romantic like Prokofiev or musical theatre influenced like Bernstein either. I realise Samuel Barber has some admirers on this forum so at least I might have him along with odd-one-out Messiaen as a starting point. In particular, are there any 21st century compositions that stand out for you?

By the way, I realise I said Barber might make a good starting point after asking 'where to start'. Just don't take the thread title too literally. :-p

I'd say listen to more music since WW II of all kinds. It sounds like you're trying to narrow your horizons to include only music that sounds like what you're already used to. It would be like asking in 1910 that you know that romantic music was ubiquitous in the 19th century, but is there anyone since the revolutions of 1848 who still writes classical symphonies and concertos like Haydn and Mozart. The only difference between then and now is that in 1910 you would get a negative answer, whereas in 2010 there are still plenty of people writing "music that employs tonality in the traditional sense while still remaining modern sounding." (I would quibble at "modern sounding"--what does that mean?--but I get your point.)

So for where you are now, Jennifer Higdon, Jay Greenberg, Kimmo Hakola, Guillaume Connesson for people writing in this century (but not OF it!!). And many many more. Joan Tower, Magnus Lindberg, James MacMillan, and on and on. (Starting to seem ubiquitous, eh?)

For when you're ready to branch out a bit, there are Per Norgaard, Ib Norholm, Simeon Ten Holt, Tomas Marco and the like. And then why not give Gyorgy Ligeti a try? Along with Gyorgy Kurtag and Norbert Moret and Isabel Mundry and the like. Soon you'll be listening to Wolfgang Rihm and Helmut Lachenmann and Heiner Goebbels and so forth.

And the world is still even broader than that! As you tune your ears, your world will be getting broader, too. And why not? It's all good fun. (Once you've gotten all these people firmly in your heart and mind, you are welcome to start another thread for the huge chunk of world that's left! In the meantime, I leave you to the Talk Classicals who are similarly circumstanced, and who will doubtless have tons of suggestions beyond the seven I originally mentioned.)

This thread might be of some use to you:Favourite piece of music from the 21st century

Thanks. I've read some reviews, youtubed a bit, and as a result I have now added one cd each from Jennifer Higdon, Kimmo Hakola and Magnus Lindberg to my wishlist at Amazon.

I quite like Ligeti's electronic music and might just warm to his instrumental works given time. The thing with avant garde music is that I have an easier time viewing it as part of a broad spectrum of what constitutes relevant music rather taking the orthodox view that it is the only way forward so I guess this is why I'm looking for some alternatives. Thanks a lot for your suggestions.

If you like Messiaen, you might also like Dutilleux. Thomas Adès is another contemporary composer whose music seems to look back on tradition (eg. his Piano Quintet), but not ape it. Some of Penderecki's more recent works (since the 1980's & '90's) are also more tonal, and kind of neoromantic in a way (check out his Symphony No. 8 'Songs of Transience' on Naxos - a song cycle in the Mahlerian tradition). There's also the Finn Rautavaara, whose music is said to be quite accessible, but I haven't heard much of it to give you a more specific opinion than that.

I'd also second Some Guy's recommendation to be as broad as possible, as you never know what interesting things you may find. As for Ligeti, I find his Etudes quite accessible, written in a style that he referred to as 'non-atonal.' Make of them what you will, but I find them to be quite listenable (as much as Debussy). It's not a bad idea to listen to some of the music of the more established composers, then branch out from there. Good luck...

__________________
"Contrary to general belief an artist is never ahead of his time but most people are far behind theirs" - Edgard Varese

So for where you are now, Jennifer Higdon, Jay Greenberg, Kimmo Hakola, Guillaume Connesson for people writing in this century (but not OF it!!).

...when you're ready to branch out a bit, there are Per Norgaard, Ib Norholm, Simeon Ten Holt, Tomas Marco and the like. And then why not give Gyorgy Ligeti a try? Along with Gyorgy Kurtag and Norbert Moret and Isabel Mundry and the like. Soon you'll be listening to Wolfgang Rihm and Helmut Lachenmann and Heiner Goebbels and so forth.

Such pretentious snobbery and arrogance! No one should dare suggest that they have a certain musical preference... unless it is in accord with Some Guy's superior judgment and his preferences. After all... he has repeatedly made it clear that "classical music" is "dead" in the concert halls and can only be found among most esoteric sounds being churned out in coffee shops, on turntables, and in abandoned warehouses. It is only there, and nowhere else, that music which truly speaks of our time may be found.

Certainly... I agree... give an ear to a broad array of music... but make up your own mind... and don't assume that branching out inherently involves a greater sophistication or a discovery of an increasing superiority of music. I began my discovery of classical music with Bach. I branched out into Handel, Vivaldi, Telemann, Corelli, Scarlatti... and then into other musical eras: Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, Debussy, Stravinsky, Messiaen, Penderecki, Glass, Takemitsu, Part, Tuur... none of whom I feel surpass Bach... but all of whom contribute something different. Better or worse is always debatable... more-so when we are talking contemporary music. But certainly... give different music a chance... I would surely give nearly anything a chance... or more than one chance. Some music doesn't resonate upon the first hearing. But in the end you must make up your own mind and follow what gives you pleasure.

A few suggestions for Il Seraglio:

Takemitsu: A Flock Descends into the Pentagonal Garden
Erkki-Sven Tüür: Crystallisatio
Rautavaara: Cantus Articus; Piano Concerto; Symphony No. 3
Morten Lauridsen: Lux Aeterna, etc.
John Harbison- Chamber Music (Naxos)
John Harbison- Music of John Harbison, Volume 1 (Bridge Records)
John Corrigliano: Circus Maximus; Gazebo Dances for band
James MacMillan: Seven Last Words from the Cross (Naxos)
James MacMillan: Mass and other sacred works
Tarik O'Regan: Voices
John Tavener: Lament for Jerusalem (Naxos)
John Tavener: Requiem EMI
John Rutter: Requiem & Magnificat
Carl Vine: Complete Symphonies 1-6
Lorenzo Palomo: Andalusian Nocturnes; Spanish Songs
Osvaldo Golijov: Oceana
Osvaldo Golijov: Ainadamar
Robert Simpson: Symphony Nos. 3, 5, 6 , 7, 9, 11
Yannis Markopoulos : Liturgy Of Orpheus
David Diamond: Symphonies 1,2,3,4 (all Naxos)
Ned Rorem- Piano Concerto 1,2, Violin Concerto, Flute Concerto (all Naxos)
Ned Rorem: Songs Susann Graham
Daniel Catan: Rappacini's Daughter (Naxos)
William Bolcom: Violin Sonatas
William Bolcom - Songs of Innocence and of Experience
Peter Lieberson- Neruda Songs
Peteris Vasks: Cantus ad pacem (organ)
Peteris Vasks: Symphony No. 3; Cello Concerto
Peteris Vasks: Pater Noster

If you like Messiaen, you might also like Dutilleux...

Yes... I though of Dutilleux as well... but thought of him as a little earlier... not quite "contemporary" (however we might define that). But if you like Messiaen I would certainly suggest Dutlleux, Takemitsu... and even Tristan Murail or Julian Anderson.

Thanks for the personal attacks, St. What a charming fellow you are, to be sure!

Somehow this makes me think of Michael Nyman. 'The man who mistook his wife for a hat' - it is a great piece' - tonal and contemporary sounding at the same time.

Don't know what by Messiaen you have heard yet but with relation to him I would suggest starting with:
Turangalila Symphony
Quatuor pour la Fin du Temps
La Transfiguration De Notre Seigneur Jesus-Christ
Trois Petit Liturgies de la Presence Divine