Birtwistle, Knussen or Ligeti – whose works do other composers find inspiring? Mark-Anthony Turnage Ophelia Dances by Oliver Knussen is the perfect miniature from the best ears in the business. Beautiful textures, and every note counts. I heard this for the first time more than 30 years ago while studying with Knussen and I still marvel at its mastery. Anna Meredith Louis Andriessen's De Snelheid . It's a palm-sweatingly exciting piece where three amplified ensembles crash in the middle of their journeys between high/low, slow/fast and short lines/long lines. For me the appeal is the transparency of ideas and process – ie you know the woodblock taps are going to get faster so can stop worrying about what's going on and immerse yourself in the experience. It's even more impressive live, where chunky shared lines are broken, note by note, to create a dizzying musical tennis match. Simon Holt Deep Listening by Pauline Oliveros instantly comes to mind - it'...
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