It says much for the Berliner Philharmoniker’s enlightened programming that it can present a feast of performances of John Adams’ music, recorded in a single season (2016–17) under a host of top conductors. Harmonielehre and the violin concerto Scheherazade.2—with Leila Josefowicz as the magnificent soloist—are conducted by the composer. Alan Gilbert gives us a thrilling Short Ride in a Fast Machine, Gustavo Dudamel conducts the atmospheric City Noir, and Simon Rattle takes on The Gospel According to the Other Mary superbly. Meanwhile, Rattle’s successor as the orchestra’s chief conductor and artistic director, Kirill Petrenko, gives us the intensely moving The Wound-Dresser with Georg Nigl as the powerful soloist. Glorious, idiomatic playing throughout.
Disc 1
Disc 2
Disc 3
- Claudio Abbado & Vienna Philharmonic
- Carlo Maria Giulini & Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
- Daniele Gatti, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra & Julia Kleiter
- Gregor Piatigorsky, Boston Symphony Orchestra & Charles Munch
- Herbert von Karajan & Philharmonia Orchestra
- The Cleveland Orchestra & Mitsuko Uchida
- Kurt Masur & Gewandhausorchester