Thomas Adès (b. 1971)

[Scion7]

As far as Tippett goes, this one is at least always moving along:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqXFVi3G_to

[Mirror Image]

Thomas Adès's music is too well-crafted to be considered trash in any sense of the word. The thing that gets to some people is that his influences include popular music. If you ask me, that's no different from what Bartók did with his heavy inclusion of Gypsy influences in his music, and we all know how well crafted his music was, too. Adès might not be at the same level of Bartók, but he still deserves to be called a significant composer today.

Agreed. Too many composers have suffered under unjust criticism I think. I mean it's one thing not liking the music, but to go so far and call it "trash" is just childish and uncalled for. I regret saying some of the things I have said about a composer like Messiaen, but I quickly remedied that criticism with simply "I don't like the music."

[Mirror Image]

I haven't received any of the Ades recordings I bought yet but I've really been enjoying this work Asyla:

http://www.youtube.com/v/ia_rM8Y3E_A

I really enjoyed this movement's mysterious atmosphere and darkly tinged lyricism. Beautiful.

[Rinaldo]

Are there any other recordings of Tevot besides Rattle w/ Berliners?

[lescamil]

Are there any other recordings of Tevot besides Rattle w/ Berliners?

None commercially. It has been performed and broadcasted by many other conductor/orchestra combinations, though.

[Cato]

Here is a review of The Tempest:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203897404578076602195199878.html?KEYWORDS=Thomas+Ades

An excerpt:

Act II introduces the courtiers of Milan and Naples, shipwrecked on the island. The thrusting vocal lines of the nefarious Antonio (Toby Spence) reminded me of Igor Stravinsky's "The Rake's Progress," contrasted with the despairing laments of the King of Naples (sung with heartrending beauty by William Burden), who believes his son Ferdinand is drowned. Comic relief arrives with a raucous countertenor-bass duo of drunken retainers, Trinculo (Iestyn Davies) and Stefano (Kevin Burdette). The musical moods of the score shift constantly, underlining its seamless dramatic arc. And when Mr. Adès interrupts the tumult for a moment of lyricism, such as Ariel's unearthly aria "Five fathoms deep," the hymnlike accompaniment of Caliban's "Friends don't fear," or the Ferdinand-Miranda love duet, the effect is pure, sensual enchantment.

[Joaquimhock]

Thomas Adès's music is too well-crafted to be considered trash in any sense of the word. The thing that gets to some people is that his influences include popular music. If you ask me, that's no different from what Bartók did with his heavy inclusion of Gypsy influences in his music, and we all know how well crafted his music was, too. Adès might not be at the same level of Bartók, but he still deserves to be called a significant composer today.

The idea of Bartok and Kodaly was to not be influenced by Gypsy music but to search for authentic old peasant Hugarian, Romanian Slovakian etc. musical tradition.

An interesting article here about this complex issue: http://www.passiondiscs.co.uk/articles/laszlo_kelemen.htm

[Rinaldo]

Saw The Tempest broadcast from the MET and I'm torn between really, really liking it and realizing that it's more of a 20th century music potpourri than a truly original piece. But the highlights - Caliban's break into lyricism especially - are beautiful. Plus Keenlyside's Prospero was just friggin' awesome. Great pacing in the libretto as well.

[Mirror Image]

After seeing this thread revived, I have to say I'm not impressed with Ades. The one work which I continue to enjoy is Tevot. That's about it. He's quite inconsistent. I wish for a better recorded performance of this work though.

[bhodges]

Saw The Tempest broadcast from the MET and I'm torn between really, really liking it and realizing that it's more of a 20th century music potpourri than a truly original piece. But the highlights - Caliban's break into lyricism especially - are beautiful. Plus Keenlyside's Prospero was just friggin' awesome. Great pacing in the libretto as well.

Your comments echo those from friends who have seen it, as well. I'm going to catch the Live in HD rebroadcast on November 28.

--Bruce

[CRCulver]

Out this month on BIS is a new recording of the Violin Concerto "Concentric Paths" with Peter Herresthal as soloist. Curiously, the conductor is Andrew Manze, who usually sticks with music between (period-instrument) Baroque music and Brahms.

[San Antone]

I think this is the premier of the Violin Concerto with Anthony Marwood, violin, and Ades conducting

https://www.youtube.com/v/CVG5R6sIobo

[Mirror Image]

Seems the Ades Violin Concerto is getting rather popular --- here's another recording appearing in March:

[lescamil]

I just got the Herresthal recording. I think it is as good as the Marwood. The Couperin Studies are a nice complement, but I wish that they would have recorded one of his newer works, such as his new string quartet. The CD is not full by any means, either. There could at least be one more substantial work on there.

[EigenUser]

I've heard parts of the violin concerto and I remember liking it. I'll need to listen to the whole thing.

Here's a funny quote from Ades on the first time he heard one of his works be rehearsed:
"I remember starting the first rehearsal and thinking, I'm making this noise! It was so--you know--modern. It really did sound like horrible modern music: clicks here and pops there, scratching, screeching, one high note, one low note. The thing was now out of my hands; it was an organism crawling around on the instruments. I've never forgotten that moment."

"Asyla" (III-Ecstasio):
http://www.youtube.com/v/l4eakb95H5c

The video starts a little bit late, but it's still worth seeing. Ades (1997) was inspired by the raves and prevalent drug use that apparently was rampant in London in the 1990s (hence the subtitle "Ecstasio"). Commonly in 20th-century music composers call for unusual instruments and techniques (especially in percussion sections). Ades does as well in this work. This piece calls for a quarter-tone tuned flat piano, bags of silverware, and empty paint cans among many other things (I saw the complete performance in the BPO's Digital Concert Hall and cracked up when one of the pianists literally slammed the lid shut). However, I haven't heard this done in such a musical way before. I'm sure Ades got a kick out of including these things in his score, but they really add to the piece and serve more of a purpose than to just make a point. Look (or listen?) for the bright and colorful strobe lights at 2:30 and again at 4:00.

[Mirror Image]

Probably one of my favorite Ades works:

http://www.youtube.com/v/S_vVN7ONPnc

[EigenUser]

"Asyla" has become one of my favorite pieces ever, but I've been giving non-Asyla Ades another chance (not being taken the first time around). I'm surprised that there aren't more fans of his here. Whenever I mention his name people are like "yeah, he's okay." Of course, I know that everyone has different tastes blah blah blah..., but his music seems to reconcile complexity with enjoyability/accessibility. I am really enjoying the violin concerto (even though the opening sounds quasi-stolen from the opening of Ligeti's). Very idiomatic violin writing, at least based on listening. I'd even like to take a crack at it, but the sheet music for the solo part is probably rental-only (thus, nearly unobtainable).

Are there any people here who really like his music? If I like "Asyla" and the VC, what else might I like? I heard "Tevot" a while ago and liked it (not nearly as much as "Asyla", though).

[amw]

Arcadiana
Living Toys
Chamber Symphony
possibly the Concerto Conciso

I don't know any of his more recent music.

[EigenUser]

Arcadiana
Living Toys
Chamber Symphony
possibly the Concerto Conciso

I don't know any of his more recent music.

A couple of months ago there was a local string quartet performing "Arcadiana". I should hear it sometime. At the end of the "Concerto Conciso", the pianist snaps the keyboard lid shut which is really funny. It happens in the first movement of "Asyla" as well. I remember the first time seeing "Asyla" on the BPO digital concert hall -- all of a sudden the camera cut to one of the pianists in time for him to slam the lid shut.

Yesterday I was sitting at the piano and showing my mom where it said that in the score. She panicked because she thought I was going to try it with our piano.

[amw]

At the end of the "Concerto Conciso", the pianist snaps the keyboard lid shut which is really funny.

I always feel there's a certain kinship with the end of Ligeti's Piano Concerto and its high woodblock: an "ok, we're done here" gesture.

In general Ligeti is a massive influence on Adès, so I imagine you'd like most of his music. Another composer strongly influenced by Ligeti you could try is his former student Unsuk Chin (eg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCXGRwtnDYM)