Here's my best-of-the-year thing. I don't really believe in ranking art, but lists are fun to make and fun to read. Perhaps this one will help you find the perfect gift for your peculiar niece who likes Stravinsky. The items are in no real order, although I did worry a bit about the uppermost slots.
CDs:
1. Bach, Sonatas and Partitas, Gidon Kremer (ECM)
2. Osvaldo Golijov, Ayre, w/ Dawn Upshaw (DG)
3. Mozart, 1781 violin sonatas, Andrew Manze and Richard Egarr (Harmonia Mundi)
4. Rameau, Une symphonie imaginaire, Marc Minkowski conducting Les Musiciens du Louvre (DG)
5. Beethoven, Late Quartets, Takács Quartet (Decca)
6. Esa-Pekka Salonen, Wing on Wing (DG)
7. Michael Finnissy, Maldon and other choral works (NMC)
8. Bach Cantatas Vol. 8 (Soli Deo Gloria)
9. Gounod and Massenet arias, Rolando Villazón (Virgin Classics)
10. Iberian Requiems, Tallis Scholars (Gimell)
Live events (as of now):
1. John Adams, Doctor Atomic, San Francisco Opera
2. Peter Sellars and Bill Viola's Tristan und Isolde, Paris Opera
3. Jordi Savall at the Temple of Dendur, Metropolitan Museum
4. Lorraine Hunt Lieberson singing Peter Lieberson's Neruda Songs, Carnegie Hall
5. Aprile Millo singing Tosca at the Met, 5/19/05
6. Philip Glass, Koyaanisqatsi, Lincoln Center
7. Osmo Vänskä and the Lahti Symphony, Lincoln Center
8. Schubert/Mark Morris, Rock of Ages, BAM
9. Harry Partch, Oedipus, Montclair State University
10. Franz Schreker, Die Gezeichneten, Salzburg Festival
Some other notable new or new-ish scores:
Mark Adamo, Lysistrata
Steve Reich, You Are (Variations)
Pascal Dusapin, Perelà
Raphael Mostel, Night and Dawn
Kyle Gann, Studies for Disklavier
Franghiz Ali-Zadeh, Apsheron Quintet
Alvin Curran, Inner Cities
Nico Muhly, A Good Understanding and Keep In Touch
Michael Giacchino, Music for Lost
Louis Karchin, Orpheus
We salute the heroes:
Ara Guzelimian
Jane Moss
Robert Hurwitz
We like that popular music, too:
1. Antony & The Johnsons, I Am a Bird Now (Secretly Canadian)
2. Amadou and Mariam, Dimanche à Bamako (Nonesuch)
3. Sufjan Stevens, Illinois (Asthmatic Kitty)
4. Fiona Apple, Extraordinary Machine (Epic)
5. Robin Guthrie and Harold Budd, Music from The Film Mysterious Skin (Commotion)
6. Björk, Drawing Restraint 9 (One Little Indian)
7. Missy Elliott, The Cookbook (Elektra)
8. Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane, At Carnegie Hall (Blue Note)
9. Sleater-Kinney, The Woods (Sub Pop)
10. Osvaldo Golijov, Ayre (DG)
Antony & The Johnsons, “Hope There’s Someone”
Sufjan Stevens, "Decatur"
Sufjan Stevens, “Casimir Pulaski Day"
Fiona Apple, “Extraordinary Machine”
Annie, “Heartbeat”
Missy Elliott, “Lose Control”
Missy Elliott, “Can't Stop”
Daft Punk, “Emotion”
Björk, “Storm”
Sleater-Kinney, "Modern Girl"
The picture shows the first draft of my book, circa 1972.
