# Anyone hear of Thomas Ades (contemporary composer)?



## Richard8655 (Feb 19, 2016)

Last night my local classical radio station played a few pieces by British composer Thomas Ades, and I was much impressed. In particular, his violin concerto “Concentric Paths”. Just incredible. Seemed to reach into the deep, if not somewhat dark, recesses of emotion.

Now have to find some good recordings.


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## Judith (Nov 11, 2015)

Yes. Steven Isserlis performed his "Lieux Retrouves" at one of his recitals and was very nice.


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## Richard8655 (Feb 19, 2016)

Excellent! I’ll look for that work as well.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

In the 2016-17 American orchestral season, Ades was the 7th most-performed living composer.

https://www.bsomusic.org/stories/the-data-behind-the-2016-2017-orchestra-season/


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## Richard8655 (Feb 19, 2016)

Nevertheless, not frequently played or performed in my area. Would not be common repertoire. But good to have the exposure.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Richard8655 said:


> Nevertheless, not frequently played or performed in my area. Would not be common repertoire. But good to have the exposure.


I've never heard Ades' music in concert either. He was programmed by fewer than 10% of the orchestras surveyed. It doesn't take much to be the 7th most-performed living composer, at least in the US!


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## Richard8655 (Feb 19, 2016)

KenOC said:


> I've never heard Ades' music in concert either. He was programmed by fewer than 10% of the orchestras surveyed. It doesn't take much to be the 7th most-performed living composer, at least in the US!


Yes, that sounds like my situation here too. I imagine he's performed more in the UK, his home country.


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## Rambler (Oct 20, 2017)

As an Thomas Ades admirer in the UK I'm still to hear his music live in concert.

I have and would recommend the following CD's:

On EMI discs entitled 'Asyla', ; Life Story' and 'Living Toys'.

On Signum Classics a chamber music disc 'The Twernty-fifth hour'

On Warner his opera 'The Tempest'

On LSO Live a disc including Asyla, Tevot and Polaris.


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## Richard8655 (Feb 19, 2016)

Rambler said:


> As an Thomas Ades admirer in the UK I'm still to hear his music live in concert.
> 
> I have and would recommend the following CD's:
> 
> ...


Excellent. Thanks!

I've probably been buried in Baroque too long to notice some very good contemporary composers.


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)

Arcadiana, his string quartet, is terrific.
Piano Quartet is pretty good too.
Asyla is terrific 
I own a cd of his violin concerto, Concentric Paths. Coupled with the Sibelius. Augustin Hadelich as soloist. 

I quite like the music of Thomas Ades. It would be terrific to hear it live.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

Just a few months ago, the Met did the US premiere of his recent opera "The Exterminating Angel " 
,based on the famous film of the same name by Luis Bunuel , with the composer conducting . This was apparently a big success both critically and with the usually rather conservative Met audience . 
The Met has also recently done his opera "The Tempest " based on the famous Shakespeare play , also with the composer conducting , which was broadcast by PBS . 
There is also a live EMI recording of it from Covent Garden with the composer conducting . Both are well worth trying . I haven't seen the Met production of Exterminating Angel but very much want to when it comes out on DVD .


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

I haven't anything by Thomas Adès since his violin concerto which I remember seeing on TV performed at the Proms under his baton over a decade ago. The output which I heard up until then was accessible but substantial enough to chew on. Maybe he was fortunate to have his works championed and recorded right from the beginning, but the end products justified it.

His official op.1 - the _Five Eliot Landscapes_ song cycle for high voice and piano - was an impressive way to open his account (it reminded me somewhat of Michael Tippett's later art songs). Amongst the other early works I really like are _Arcadiana_ for string quartet, _These Premises Are Alarmed_ for orchestra, _Living Toys_ for chamber ensemble, _Catch_ for clarinet quartet and the opera _Powder Her Face_.


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