Sunday 9 March saw the London Sinfonietta return to the Southbank Centre for our first London concert of 2025. We asked the audience to leave their assumptions at the doors and discover the unexpected similarities between two giants of 20th century composition through the correspondence between Pierre Boulez and John Cage.
The concert was inspired by the book The Boulez-Cage Correspondence edited by Jean-Jacques Nattiez, translated and edited by Robert Samuels, Cambridge University Press. Exploring this correspondence has given a deeper sense of the people behind the impressions we have of them, revealing their humanity, shared mission, occasional cattiness and mutual admiration, challenge and support of each other.
The audience was led through the evening by Francesca Amewudah-Rivers who played the role of 'researcher'. She read letters between the pieces, providing context of their friendship and driving the evening's narrative forward.
This is no mere overpraise or flattery, but a heartfelt expression of gratitude: to the musicians and organisers for a fantastic night that may well be remembered as one of the best concerts of 2025. " Marat Ingeldeev - Bachtrack
An extremely balanced, informative and enjoyable presentation of the two giants of 20th-century composition with a human face. " Marat Ingeldeev - Bachtrack
Brilliant, bracing, beautifully illuminating exploration of the correspondences (& contrasts) between the music of Boulez & Cage tonight @southbankcentre, by the wonderful @Ldn_Sinfonietta & Francesca Amewudah-Rivers. pic.twitter.com/jmRJyAhDUF
— Geoff Andrew (@Geoff_Andrew) March 9, 2025
Published: 11 Mar 2025
