Faced with a great welter of classical music on CD, what's the aspiring collector to do? Here's a thoughtful chronological compendium of works from the twelfth thru twenty-first centuries, with a recommended recording for each. Although in certain instances one might quarrel (as this reviewer does) with the chosen recording, the list of compositions itself is impeccably selected, and as a whole the 1001 is highly informative on all eras, composers, and works cited. Contemporary classical music is by no means everyone's cup of tea (many unfamiliar with the idiom find it as palatable as the sound of a china cabinet and contents toppling down a staircase), but those with inquisitive ears will find here a generous assortment of works written since 1951, each opus persuasively discussed and placed in the ongoing context of Western music. Scelsi, Birtwistle, Gubaidulina, Henze and Rihm may never be household names, but each has composed challenging and memorable music-- they're here along with Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff and many other a familiar name. This 1001 will be a great help to anyone starting or expanding a classical collection.
