I got this message today, and after replying I figured I'd post it for anyone else interested in checking out the music I recommended Stefan:

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Stefan
Date: Oct 4, 2008 3:35 AM


Dear Conrad,

How is work going so far? I was just listening to "The Day The Air Turned Blue", "Ode To Isis" (beside best intro on a rock album i know so far), "invocation" and "Source Tags And Codes" ...

if you have time for recommending me some stuff that sounds familiar or from which you gain your inspiration. Especially the ending of "Source Tags And Codes" ..
Yours sincerly stefan
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Hi Stefan,

Sure i could recommend some classical, but I have to admit that a lot of the classical-sounding inspirations I've had are mostly movie soundtracks, and not necessarily pieces written during the classical era. Here are some of the records and recordings that have inspired me recently:

Richard Einhorn - Voices of Light (used as the soundtrack to Passion of Joan of Arc)

Karl Jenkins - Requiem (stumbled across by accident, it was being played on Austin's Classical KMFA - I'm listening to it now, actually)

Gyorgy Ligeti - Requiem For Soprano, Mezzo Soprano, Two Mixed
Choirs & Orchestra (used in the 2001 soundtrack)

Basil Poledouris - Soundtrack to Conan the Barbarian (big influence for Ode to Isis)

Soundtrack to Watership Down (the inspiration behind Source Tags)

Soundtrack to the Shining (which Ligeti also composed for)

Billy Joel - Fantasies and Delusions (yes, this IS the same Billy Joel who wrote Piano Man, but he also composes classical works for solo piano, and they sound very pleasingly like Chopin - I also heard this on KMFA)

Bruno Coulais - soundtrack to Les Choriste

Jerry Goldsmith - soundtrack to original 1968 Planet of the Apes

For older classical music, it would be foolish of me to say "I recommend Stravinsky, Bach, Mozart, etc...", because one must take for granted when listening to classical that you have to really listen to all of it, but personal favorites of mine include Chopin and Vivaldi (the man accused of writing the same thing one hundred times - I assure you that's not true).

afterword:
I also recommend not being afraid to call your classical station when you hear something you like, to ask for info or just to say thanks. Classical shows don't usually have people calling in, so when you call in they're always very excited and eager to tell you everything about the piece.