Happy Hump Day!!! Time for beautiful music...

7) Max Richter - On the Nature of Daylight 2004
     Richter is a contemporary classical composer.  There has been some debate among music scholars as to whether or not his work should be considered classical but I definitely consider it classical.  The hardest thing for a lot of music scholars to get over is the fact that the form of many of his pieces is so simple.  This piece, for instance, is basically one chord progression repeating with a new voice added each time. The musical form is definitely classical though, and is actually called a "Canon." 

'Canon: a musical form in which a tune is imitated by individual parts at regular intervals; known as a round when each part is continuously repeated. In simple examples, such as "London Bridge is Falling Down," the successive voices enter at a same pitch and at the same speed.  In more elaborate examples, such as the canons in J.S. Bach's keyboard work [optional listening] known as the Goldberg Variation, the voices may enter at different pitches and present the tune at different speeds or even backwards or upside down (in inversion). ' -Enjoythemusic.com

If you give another listen to the famous classic Pachelbel's Canon in D major which was written more than 300 years ago, you will clearly notice the same repetitive form.  If you give a listen to the work of post-rock band Godspeed you! black emperor [optional listening] you will also notice the same form although you will probably end up in an electric guitar-induced frenzy (Godspeed is DEFINITELY NOT classical because the conception of their songs is entirely organic and by ear and not at all rooted in any written tradition).  To me it is clear that Richter's work is art music from a written tradition (aka classical music).  Richter has released albums, done film and television scores.  This piece is riveting.

Suggested listening for those looking to weep over gorgeous string music:

A)Beethoven - String Quartet Opus 132, Movement 3

B)Ralf Von Williams - Fantasia on a Theme by Tallis

C)And today's arguably popular selection: Sigur Ros - Track 3 from the album ()