And on the non-Easter playlist we have Sir Harrison Birtwistle’s terrific piano concerto ’Resposes. Sweet disorder and the carefully careless’ (2013-14).

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classical.music.apple.com/fi/album/147...

A powerful Finnish premiere of Daníel Bjarnason’s orchestral trilogy I Want to Be Alive with the composer conducting the Helsinki Philharmonic Daníel Bjarnason and the Helsinki Philharmonic rehearsing I Want to Be Alive (2023-25) ahead of the Finnish premiere performance at the Helsinki Music Centre. © Jari Kallio Unveiled upon its spellb…

Looking back at the poweful 🇫🇮 premiere of Daníel Bjarnason’s compelling orchestral trilogy I Want to Be Alive (2023-25) with the composer conducting the Helsinki Philharmonic, coupled with Leila Josefowicz’s fiery take on Szymanowski’s II. Concerto (1932-33).
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Francisco Coll’s terrific new Piano Concerto unveiled by Kirill Gerstein, the BRSO and Sir Simon Rattle Francisco Coll onstage with Kirill Gerstein, Sir Simon Rattle and the BRSO after the world premiere of the Piano Concerto (2025) at the Herkulessaal on Thursday. © BR – Astrid Ackermann Cases in po…

Reporting from the Munich world premiere of Francisco Coll’s terrific new Piano Concerto (2025) by Kirill Gerstein and the BRSO, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, coupled with Roberto Gerhard’s Dances from Don Quixote, Francis Poulenc’s Les Biches Suite and Claude Debussy’s La Mer.
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A dream come true – John Williams’s Viola Concerto staged by Antoine Tamestit, the Helsinki Philharmonic and Caleb Young Antoine Tamestit onstage with Caleb Young and the Helsinki Philharmonic after the European premiere of John Williams’s Concerto for Viola and Orchestra (2009) on Friday. © Jari Kallio A verit…

Reporting from the Helsinki Music Centre, John Williams’s exquisite Concerto for Viola and Orchestra (2009) gets its second-ever staging from Antoine Tamestit, the Helsinki Phil and Caleb Young, coupled with Bernstein Candide Overture (1956) and Shostakovich Symphony 9 (1945).
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Brahms like no other – Herbert Blomstedt conducts the Boston Symphony and Tanglewood Festival Chorus Herbert Blomstedt conducting Brahms with the Boston Symphony at the Symphony Hall. © Michael J. Lutch, courtesy of the BSO There is such unique organicity in music-making under Herbert Blomstedt, t…

Looking back at last week’s lifetime performances of Brahms’s Schicksalslied (1868-71), Nänie (1880-81) and the Fourth Symphony (1884-85) with Herbert Blomstedt conducting Boston Symphony Orchestra and Tanglewood Festival Chorus.

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Terrific 20th century triple-bill with the Chicago Symphony and Klaus Mäkelä Music Director Designate Klaus Mäkelä conducting the Chicago Symphony. © Todd Rosenberg Photography Presenting a splendid program of early 20th century masterstrokes, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra…

A throwback to last week’s top-tier Stravinsky, Gershwin and Milhaud triple-bill with the Chicago Symphony and Music Director Designate Klaus Mäkelä.

[full review below]

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Inferno in paradise – Adès’s imposing ballet score revisited by the LA Phil and Dudamel Music Director Gustavo Dudamel conducting the LA Phil in Ludwig van Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony (1802-08) and Thomas Adès’s Inferno (2019) last week at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. ©…

Reporting from Disney Hall, the LA Phil and Gustavo Dudamel revisit Thomas Adès’s imposing 45-minute ballet Inferno (2019) in jaw-dropping performances, coupled with their invigorating reading of Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony (1802-08).
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Gabriela Ortiz’s astounding Revolución diamantina poignantly staged by the LA Phil and Grupo Corpo Music Director Gustavo Dudamel conducting the LA Phil and members of the LA Master Chorale in Gabriela Ortiz’s Revolución diamantina (2023) with Grupo Corpo. © Timothy Norris, provided courte…

Reporting from Walt Disney Concert Hall, Gabriela Ortiz’s astounding Revolución diamantina (2023) gets its poignantly virtuosic balletic premiere from LA Phil, Los Angeles Master Chorale and Grupo Corpo, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel.
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Thou dost appear beautiful – Philip Glass’s Akhnaten revived at the LA Opera John Holiday in the title role of Philip Glass’s Akhnaten (1983) in the LA Opera revival of the Phelim McDermott production. © Cory Weaver Returning to the LA Opera in Phelim McDermott’s epic…

Reporting from LA Opera, Philip Glass’s Akhnaten returns to the stage as beautiful as ever in Phelim McDermott’s production, conducted by Dalia Stasevska and featuring John Holiday in the title role.
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A quest for musical essence – the BPYO and Zander perform Ives, Debussy and Mahler Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and Benjamin Zander performing in Symphony Hall on Friday. © Paul Mardy Mustered at the Symphony Hall stage on Friday evening, the musicians of the Boston Philha…

Reporting from Symphony Hall, the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and Benjamin Zander delved deep into Ives’s Putnam’s Camp (1911-12), Debussy’s La Mer (1903-05) and Mahler’s First Symphony (1884-88/1889-1910) on Friday evening, delivering a symphonic quest to remember.
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Celebrating Steve Reich at Gardner – Ensemble Signal’s top-tier Music for 18 Musicians in Boston Ensemble Signal performing Music for 18 Musicians (1974-76) in Calderwood Hall at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum on Thursday. © Ally Schmaling Although it seems somewhat unreal, this year we g…

Reporting from Boston, Ensemble Signal brings Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians (1974-76) to Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, inaugurating the Thursday Night Music series with a performance to remember.
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Aquifer and Concentric Paths in Boston – Adès conducts Adès with the BSO and Augustin Hadelich Augustin Hadelich performing Thomas Adès’s Violin Concerto Concentric Paths (2005) with the Boston Symphony under the composer. © Winslow Townson, courtesy of the BSO Returning to conduct the…

Reporting from Boston, Thomas Adès conducts Boston Symphony Orchestra in his one-movement symphony Aquifer (2023-24), the Violin Concerto ’Concentric Paths’ (2005) - with Augustin Hadelich - and Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony (1802-08).
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Aquifer and Concentric Paths in Boston – Adès conducts Adès with the BSO and Augustin Hadelich Augustin Hadelich performing Thomas Adès’s Violin Concerto Concentric Paths (2005) with the Boston Symphony under the composer. © Winslow Townson, courtesy of the BSO Returning to conduct the…

Reporting from Boston, Thomas Adès conducts Boston Symphony Orchestra in his one-movement symphony Aquifer (2023-24), the Violin Concerto ’Concentric Paths’ (2005) - with Augustin Hadelich - and Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony (1802-08).
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A birthday concert to remember – György Kurtág at 100 celebrated in Helsinki Anu Komsi, soprano, and Sakari Oramo, violin, performing György Kurtág’s Kafka Fragments, op. 24 (1985-87) in Helsinki. © Ella Kiviniemi Last Thursday marked the 100th birthday of György Kurt…

Reporting from György Kurtág’s 100th birthday celebrations in Helsinki with Anu Komsi, Piia Komsi, Helga Karen and Sakari Oramo featuring unforgettable performances from Kafka-Fragments, Játékok, The Sayings of Péter Bornemisza and song cycles op. 25 & 26.
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Celebrating virtuosity with a Horn Concerto – interview with Esa-Pekka Salonen Esa-Pekka Salonen in Paris. © Audoin Desforges / Philharmonie de Paris “I thought that new repertoire was needed for the horn. While there are some fine concertos around, not too many of them have …

In conjuction with the first US performances of Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Horn Concerto (2024-25) for Stefan Dohr, an interview with the composer.
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From Salonen’s Leitmotivs to Lachenmann’s Melodies – interview with Stefan Dohr Berlin Philharmonic Principal Horn Stefan Dohr on his home ground at the Berlin Philharmonie. © Simon Pauly “It’s been very, very nice to work with Esa-Pekka [Salonen]. Of course, I didn’t ha…

Ahead of the US premiere of the Salonen Horn Concerto (2023-25) with Boston Symphony, an interview with Stefan Dohr, where we touch upon not only the Salonen novelty but also concerti by Abrahamsen, Lachenmann, Rohloff and Widmann, along with other things soloistic and orchestral

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Bewitching Finnish premiere of Anna Thorvaldsdóttir’s cello concerto Before we fall by Johannes Moser, the Helsinki Phil and Saraste Anna Thorvaldsdóttir in dress rehearsal with cellist Johannes Moser, the Helsinki Philharmonic and Chief Conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste. © Jari Kallio Launching into 2026 with utmost sonic intensity…

Reporting from Helsinki, where Anna Thorvaldsdóttir’s formidable cello concerto Before we fall (2024) received its intense Finnish premiere with Johannes Moser and the Helsinki Philharmonic under Jukka-Pekka Saraste.

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This one happens to be my 700th feature for #adventuresinmusic 🥳

After the Fall returns to the West Coast as John Adams and Víkingur Ólafsson team up with the LA Phil John Adams conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic. © Elizabeth Asher, courtesy of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Returning to the podium at Walt Disney Concert Hall last week, Los Angeles Philharmonic…

Reporting from Disney Hall, John Adams and Víkingur Ólafsson team up with the LA Phil for a top-tier take on the composer’s new piano concerto After the Fall, now recorded for DG, framed by splendid readings of Harris 3, Ives The Unanswered Question & Copland Appalachian Spring.
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Millennial messages and harrowing prophecies with Thomas Adès and the New York Philharmonic Yuja Wang performing Einojuhani Rautavaara’s Piano Concerto No. 1, op. 45 (1969) with Thomas Adès and the New York Philharmonic. © Chris Lee Conducted by Thomas Adès, last week’s concerts by …

Reporting from Geffen Hall, Thomas Adès conducts NY Phil & Choruses in a terrific program feat. Ives Orchestral Set No. 2 (1909-15/1919), Rautavaara PC 1 (1969) with Yuja Wang, Kaija Saariaho Oltra Mar (1998-99) and Adès’s own America (A Prophecy) (1999/2024).
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Befittingly, after an Atlantic crossing, some work on reviewing the formidable New York Philharmonic and Thomas Adès performance of Kaija Saariaho’s Oltra Mar (1998-99) with University of Michigan Chamber Choir and EXIGENCE Vocal Ensemble.
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The BSO’s John Williams evening highlights the new Piano Concerto and TreeSong Emanuel Ax performing John Williams’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (2023-25) with the BSO and Andris Nelsons at Symphony Hall on Thursday. © Robert Torres, courtesy of the BSO Segueing th…

Reporting from the BSO’s all-John Williams evening, conducted by Andris Nelsons, featuring the new Piano Concerto (2023-25) and TreeSong (2000) with their dedicatees Emanuel Ax and Gil Shaham as soloists.
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You have to get lucky – Emanuel Ax on performing John Williams and Anders Hillborg Emanuel Ax performing Anders Hillborg’s Piano Concerto No. 2 The MAX Concerto (2023) with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks and Esa-Pekka Salonen in December. © BR / Astrid Ack…

Between his Boston Symphony and BRSO performances, Emanuel Ax discuss the John Williams and Anders Hillborg Piano Concerti, along with some forays into Ludwig van Beethoven.

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Thrilled to get back to this piece six months after the Tanglewood Festival world premiere!! John Williams Piano Concerto (2023-25) with Emanuel Ax & Boston Symphony Orchestra & Andris Nelsons tonight at Symphony Hall!

p.s. Interview with Manny coming up very soon
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Dress rehearsal done! The Finnish premiere of Anna Thorvaldsdóttir’s fabulous new cello concerto Before we fall (2024) with Johannes Moser and Helsinki Phil under Jukka-Pekka Saraste ahead tonight. 🔥
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Between a concerto and a symphony – interview with Anna Thorvaldsdóttir © Anna Maggý “For me, music is always connected. Whether it’s a concerto or an orchestra piece or any kind of music, it’s always about the whole; how all the musical elements come toget…

Anna Thorvaldsdóttir discusses her new cello concerto Before we fall (2024) for Johannes Moser ahead of its 🇫🇮 premiere with Helsinki Phil. Also, a word or two about her symphony-in-progress.

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Pierre Boulez left us ten years ago.

Pictured, Boulez’s grave in Baden-Baden in June 2016 still featuring a temp cross instead of a tombeau proper.

NB the handwritten amendment to the text.

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Two splendid Big Sur pieces to keep me warm on a wintry Sunday here in Finland. #adventuresinmusic

Back at it! Contrary to the custom nowadays, I much rather have my Marche au Supplice without the opening repeat - purely in terms of dramaturgy. This is a one-way ticket, and there’s no turning back. #adventuresinmusic

Harmonielehre to die for – Rattle and Berlin Phil on the John Adams classic Sir Simon Rattle conducting Harmonielehre (1984-85) with Berliner Philharmoniker. © Bettina Stöss Some performances are simply stuff of legends. One of these rare occasions came to pass at the Phil…

If I was to pick just one cherished musical memory from 2025, it would certainly be this unbelievable, life-affirming John Adams Harmonielehre with Berlin Phil and Sir Simon Rattle on 18 October at the Philharmonie.
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