PULSE AND PRESENCE: JOHN ADAMS' CHAMBER SYMPHONY

In a portrait of modern creativity by the London Sinfonietta, three voices of contemporary music converge in striking contrast and resonance.  

Opening the concert, Alex Paxton’s sound world is frenetic and multilayered – a high-bandwidth flood of sound that dazzles the ear.  

By contrast, Tansy Davies writes with ritualistic poise, her meditative sonorities unfolding in slow arcs, always with a sense of direction and flow.  

Louis Andriessen's Zilver is a motoric work, moving through serene bursts of sound, rhythmic motion, and a dancelike climax. As Bach did for organ, Andriessen's creation is a chorale variation. It's elegant, punchy, and constantly engaging.

Completing the journey, John Adam’s chamber ensemble piece is witty and energetic, a classic construction that sparkles with invention, and serves as a virtuosic showcase for the London Sinfonietta. 

Programme includes:

Alex Paxton  Scrunchy Touch Sweetly to Fall (UK premiere)
Tansy Davies  Soul Canoe (London premiere)
Louis Andriessen  Zilver
John Adams  Chamber Symphony

London Sinfonietta
Christian Karlsen conductor