
The series begins on March 22nd
with a mixed line-up of New World sparkle. Alberto Ginastera (Danzas argentinas) is Argentina’s most
important composer. His Piano Concerto
No. 1 (1961) is atonal but attractive, with imaginative orchestration and
crashing rhythms. It will be matched by Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring (1944), which soars with the promise of American
life. The line-up is competed with two UK premieres from California-infused maestros,
Andrew Norman and John Williams of Star
Wars fame.
The second and third nights are both
devoted to a single titanic work. On the 23rd, Dudamel and his
orchestra will play Oliver Messiaen’s Des
canyons aux étoiles (1974), a visionary masterpiece inspired by the canyons
of Utah. Vividly expressive, it will be played before new visuals by photographer
Deborah O’Grady, who has spent her life depicting the sublimity of nature.
The LA Phil’s Barbican residency comes to a
close with Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 (1983-6),
the longest piece by a composer given to gigantism. The opening movement alone
lasts over half an hour. A passionate hymn to the glories of nature, it
combines orchestral and choral forces to astounding effect. With Dudamel and
the LA Phil, it promises to be spectacular.
What | Dudamel and the LA Phil, Barbican Centre |
Where | Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS | MAP |
Nearest tube | Barbican (underground) |
When |
On 22 Mar 16, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM On 23 Mar 16, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM On 24 Mar 16, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM |
Price | £15-65 |
Website | Click here to book via the Barbican website |