Recommend me more like John Adams..

Mickey sg: You are talking about some of my very favorite music; tonal and non-serialist 20th century avant garde and minimalist works. I am so happy to suggest these things, and many more if you email me. Keep in mind that it is hard to select a short list, so I am trying to limit it to a few 'essentials'.

1. Morton Feldman "Coptic Light" (Michael Tilson Thomas version) and the CRI masters release of "Music of Morton Feldman" (with the composer conducting and on piano)
2. Toru Takemitsu solo piano (Rodger Woodward version, but NOT the re-issue which has the best pieces missing)
3. Luigi Nono "Das atmende klarsin" (col legno 31871)
4. Jon Gibson "Two solo pieces" (exquisite)
5. Terry Riley "Descending Moonshine Dervishes"
6. John Adams "Shaker Loops" (string quartet version, not over-blown orchestral version)

Email me for more. I live for this stuff

If you really want to go out there in minimalism, try Alvin Lucier and Phil Niblock. They are pure tonal minimalists (as opposed to Reich and Glass who are rhythmic minimalists). Also Folke Rabe and some James Tenney might fall in that catagory. You can get all of this on CD, but it is really hard to get on LP.

By the way, I detest Philip Glass, but I love Steve Reich. His "Octet" is one of my all-time favorites.

Maybe also try the more accessible and less annoying John Cage pieces, like the early solo piano stuff. There is a comp called "In a landsacpe" (Stephen Drury performing) which I am fairly confident you would like (based on what you have written).