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The University High School Band
The History and Theory of Music

Modern Composers

Eric Whitacre's "Virtual Choir"

In an age of pop music, many composers continue to write within the Western Art tradition, and a few of them have bridged the gap into widespread popular appeal.

Richard Wagner might have recognized modern motion picture studios as the fulfillment of his vision of Gesamtkunstwerk, and film scores have certainly become one of the main media by which orchestral music reaches a wide audience today. Many composers, perhaps most famously John Williams, stand firmly in the styles of the Romantic Period, while still fully capable of incorporating expressionism and minimalism into their music. Other film composers, such as Hans Zimmer, continue to innovate, incorporating electronic instruments and sound looping techniques into their music.

As they have since before the fall of the Roman Empire, many composers continue to score religious and liturgical music. Composers like Morten Lauridsen continue to write beautiful works which, though modern, develop the traditions of Renaissance polyphony. Eric Whitacre, who gained fame with his beautiful and innovative choral works, has moved into many other mediums, and is well known for his forays into "virtual choir" and musical collaboration over the Internet.

Across the world, composers continue to write for choir, band, orchestra, and all manner of new ensembles. It is difficult today to identify an overarching musical style that defines our time. That work may best be left to music historians of the future.

John Williams

Star Wars: Suite for Orchestra

Theme from Schindler's List

Concerto for Horn

Hans Zimmer

Interstellar

The Dark Knight

Morten Lauridsen

O Magnum Mysterium

Eric Whitacre

Cloudburst

Deep Field