European American Music Distributors Company is a member of the Schott Music Group

The Los Angeles Philharmonic, Led by Gustavo Dudamel, Presents the US Premiere of Thomas Adès's Dawn

Nov. 01, 2020

On November 6, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel, presented the US premiere of Thomas Adès's Dawn – Chacony for orchestra at any distance on Episode 7 of their virtual Sound/Stage Series, pairing it with Duke Ellington's Solitude. They note:

"While the physical toll of the global pandemic is measured in a mountain of data, the emotional impact of our separation from family, friends, and neighbors is not as obvious. In this episode, Dudamel explores the essence of solitude, from one of Duke Ellington’s classic songs to the U.S. premiere of a work by Thomas Adès – composed specifically for a socially distanced orchestra."

Thomas Adès's Dawn – Chacony for orchestra at any distance was premiered by the London Symphony Orchestra and Simon Rattle on August 30 at the Royal Albert Hall. The 7-minute work – the latest in a number of chaconnes which feature across Adès’ output – was broadcast live on both BBC Radio 3 and BBC Four. Full details of the Prom can be found here. The composer says:

"In this piece the sunrise is imagined as a constant event that moves continuously around the world. This eternal dawn is presented as a "chacony" - in the word that Purcell used some 330 years ago, a mile or two away."

Due to uncertainty around the number of players permitted at the time of performance, Dawn is designed to work with an orchestra of flexible size, and with the players placed around the hall in any way. The minimum instrumentation is as follows:

2.2.2.2.cbsn – 2.2(or fl.hn).2.1 – timp – perc(3): vib, bell, 4 gongs – cimbalom (ossia upright piano) – harp – pno – strings (db require low C extension)

Listen to Thomas Adès's Totentanz (2013):
(Totentanz/Thomas Adès/Christianne Stotijn, mezzo-soprano and Simon Keenlyside, baritone/
BBC Symphony Orchestra/Thomas Adès, conductor)

For more information on Thomas Adès, visit: fabermusic.com.

Thomas Adès
Dawn – Chacony for orchestra at any distance (2020)
2.2.2(in A, ossia cl in Bb).2.cbsn – 2.2(or fl.hn).2.1 – timp – 3perc: vib, bell, 4 gongs – cimbalom (ossia upright pno)-hp-pno-str(db require low C extension) Ideal instrumentation: 3*.3*.3*.3 – 4*.3*.3*.1-timp-3perc– cimbalom or upright pno– hp-pno-str(*or more)
7'

News