Philip Glass: Symphony No. 14, "Liechtenstein" / Piano Concerto No. 1, "Tirol" / Echorus
A rare and thrilling chance to hear a new work by the great minimalist composer Philip Glass. Composed and premiered in 2021 amid so much global upheaval, the intimate Symphony No. 14 for string orchestra begins on a note of reflective calm underpinned by rolling arpeggios and bracing harmonies. “Movement II” suspends eerie, fragile themes above rocking accompaniment, while the final movement moves dramatically from chamber introspection to full-orchestra intensity. Piano Concerto No. 1 “Tirol”, composed in 2000, turns the traditional notion of a concerto on its head, with its tranquil outer movements surrounding a rhythmic, driving heart. British concert pianist Martin James Bartlett and the LGT Young Soloists are alive to every subtlety of this beautiful work.