I got introduced to Varese through 'musique concrete' styles … Love his stuff.
I had a "synthesizer phase" while in high school where I learned to appreciate the use of "strange" sounds. In general, I enjoy the experimentation of
timbre as an elemental part of music.
I am by no means an expert on Musique Concrète but from what I have heard of it (e.g. Stockhausen, Schaeffer), it isn't always "easy" to enjoy it on an emotional level. It is certainly interesting but very often it doesn't surpass the level of "interesting", unfortunately.
If you know some works that are worth listening to, please feel free to recommend some
.
Though my fave 20th century stuff is more in the 'Minimalism' school with Steve Reich, Terry Reilly and to an extend Philip Glass.
In all honesty, I never understood the appeal of Minimalism. Sure, when done well, it can be very pleasing, effective and create emotionally powerful results. But I can't help but feel that the self-imposed limitations and repetitiveness prevents it from exceeding a certain level of depth.
I can understand a composer creating a Minimalist work trying to get the most out of it within a given "rule set" as a challenge. But the idea of being an "exclusive" Minimalist composer, that I never understood. I guess I am more drawn to "Megalomaniac" type of music like that of Wagner, Mahler or Scriabin
.