Asyla

Instrumentation

3(II+III=picc.III=bfl).3(II=ca.III=bob.ca ad lib).3(I+II=Bb+A.II=bcl.III=cbcl).3(III=cbsn) – 4.3(III=ptpt).2.btrbn.1 – perc(6): 5 or 6 timp/3 or 4 rototom/5 finger drum or bongo/2 bell plate/tuned c.bells/4 t.bells/ch.cym/2 hi-hat/3 tins/geophone/2 water gong/2 ratchet/washboard/11 tuned gong/2 susp.cym/choke.cym/2 SD/sandpaper blocks/bag of metal knives & forks/glsp/cyms/BD/crot/BD+pedal – harp – keyboards(2): I=grand pno/upright pno.II=upright pno (tuned ¼ tone flat)/grand pno/cel – strings (16.16.14.12.10)

Commission

Commissioned by the John Feeney Charitable Trust for the CBSO

Programme notes

Please contact promotion@fabermusic.com for a programme note

Reviews

'It was a cracker… a stunning array of original sounds… Asyla is a little masterpiece.'

The Times (​Richard Morrison), 31 August 1998

'The inventive energy of the music drives the work. The imagery is so vivid and apparently so explicit.'

The Guardian (Andrew Clements), 4 October 1997

'Adès’ fertile invention and cunning manipulation of a mammoth ensemble have established Asyla as a work of striking originality… Under the composer’s baton its elements of propulsion and suspense were clothed in a radiant orchestral fabric.

The Daily Telegraph (Geoffrey Norris), 16 August 1999

'It is a thrilling, original work… The orchestra worked brilliantly to master its frenetic rhythms and eerie textures… The effect was exuberant, noisy, disconcerting and intriguing.'

The Times (Richard Morrison), 9 September 2002

'The musical language is virile and pungent. Echoes and influences…mix and meld, transformed by Adès’ alchemy into a sonic landscape of ferocious beauty and constant surprises.'

The Times (Geoff Brown), 16 August 1999

'Adès delights the ear… A symphony in all but name, it is totally original, uncompromisingly serious, utterly of our time and a teasing, tingling delight to the ear. This is music that orchestras are going to want to play, and audiences to hear, again and again… Asyla represents a quantum leap. While embodying his familiar sense of adventure, fluency and invention, is does so in a weighty four-movement sequence of breathtaking confidence and scale.'

Financial Times (Andrew Clark), 3 October 1997

'His music is a layering of events that shows a tremendous sophistication, from the gamelan-like clanging bells at the very opening to the wild, restless trumpet solo at the end of the first movement, to the finale… Asyla is music with an eerie, compelling beauty from a composer we will surely be hearing much from.'

Star Tribune (Michael Anthony), 21 November 1997

'It is an unflinching and profound work – easy to see why Rattle is attached to it… Most of the audience were also hyperventilating as it furiously built on its own remorseless momentum.'

The Guardian (Alan Rusbridger), 9 September 2002

'Adès tests extravagances in Asyla and takes the audience along as voyeurs. He plunges into his own psyche, obsessing on weird sounds, luxuriant melodies and captivating rhythms. His is inward music and music of the outside world at the same time.'

Los Angeles Times (Mark Swed), 5 June 2000

'A brilliantly achieved piece, in which Adès explores a sound-world whose influences range from Ligetian disjointedness to Ravelisan sensualism, but which never sounds merely derivative.'

The Sunday Times (Stephen Pettitt), 6 June 1999

Availability

Score 057151863X on sale, parts for hire

Scores and publication

• Publisher information
• View score

Upcoming performances

• 19 November 2026 — The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester (19:30) — United Kingdom — Composer, Conductor
• 18 December 2026 — Wiener Konzerthaus, Großer Saal, Vienna, Austria (19:30) — Austria — Composer
• 19 December 2026 — Musikverein (Vienna, Austria) (15:30) — Austria — Composer
• 21 December 2026 — Musikverein (Vienna, Austria) (19:30) — Austria — Composer

Previous performances

• 28 February 2026 — Koninklijk Conservatorium (Den Haag, Netherlands) — Netherlands — Composer
• 27 February 2026 — Koninklijk Conservatorium (Den Haag, Netherlands) — Netherlands — Composer
• 29 November 2024 — Konserthus (Oslo, Norway) (19:00) — Norway — Composer
• 28 November 2024 — Konserthus (Oslo, Norway) (19:00) — Norway — Composer
• 9 June 2024 — Newmark Theatre (Portland, OR, USA) — USA — Composer
• 8 June 2024 — Newmark Theatre (Portland, OR, USA) — USA — Composer
• 8 June 2024 — Newmark Theatre (Portland, OR, USA) — USA — Composer
• 7 June 2024 — Newmark Theatre (Portland, OR, USA) — USA — Composer
• 6 June 2024 — Newmark Theatre (Portland, OR, USA) — USA — Composer
• 27 October 2022 — Koerner Hall, Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto, ON, Canada) — Canada — Composer
• 29 October 2021 — Helsinki Music Centre (Helsinki, Finland) (19:00) — Finland — Composer, Conductor
• 15 January 2021 — Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall (Tokyo, Japan) — Japan — Composer
• 12 September 2019 — Konserthuset (Malmö, Sweden) — Sweden — Composer
• 12 August 2019 — Tanglewood Music Center (Lenox, MA, USA) (20:00) — USA — Composer, Conductor
• 7 February 2019 — Konzerthaus (Berlin, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 7 February 2018 — Konzerthaus (Dortmund, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 15 November 2017 — Konzerthaus (Dortmund, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 14 November 2017 — Konzerthaus (Dortmund, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 14 September 2017 — Barbican Hall, Barbican Centre (London, United Kingdom) (19:30) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 14 September 2017 — BBC Radio 3 (United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 3 August 2017 — Teatro Colón (Buenos Aires, Argentina) — Argentina — Composer
• 13 November 2016 — World Conference Center (Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 30 October 2016 — BBC Radio 3 (United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 26 October 2016 — Teatro dell'Opera (Rome, Lazio, Italy) — Italy — Composer
• 21 October 2016 — The Broad Stage (Santa Monica, CA, USA) — USA — Composer
• 10 October 2016 — Rosegarten (Mannheim, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 30 September 2016 — BBC Radio 3 (United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 13 August 2016 — BBC Radio 3 (United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 22 May 2016 — Jacoby Symphony Hall (Jacksonville, FL, USA) — USA — Composer
• 21 May 2016 — Jacoby Symphony Hall (Jacksonville, FL, USA) — USA — Composer
• 20 May 2016 — Jacoby Symphony Hall (Jacksonville, FL, USA) — USA — Composer
• 16 March 2016 — Barbican Hall, Barbican Centre (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer, Conductor
• 17 February 2016 — BBC Radio 3 (United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 8 October 2015 — Koncerthuset DR Byen (Copenhagen, Denmark) — Denmark — Composer, Conductor
• 23 April 2015 — Koncertna dvorana Vatroslava Lisinskog (Zagreb, Croatia) — Croatia — Composer
• 2 March 2015 — Symphony Center (Chicago, IL, USA) — USA — Composer
• 15 January 2015 — Zellerbach Hall, University of California, Berkeley (Berkeley, CA, USA) — USA — Composer
• 17 October 2014 — Auditorio Fabio Lozano, Universidad de Bogotá Jorge Tadeo Lozano (Bogotá, Colombia) — Colombia — Composer
• 26 September 2014 — Alte Oper (Frankfurt am Main, Hessen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 25 September 2014 — Alte Oper (Frankfurt am Main, Hessen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 19 April 2014 — Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 18 April 2014 — Hall One, The Sage Gateshead (Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 17 April 2014 — Liverpool Philharmonic Hall (Liverpool, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 7 December 2013 — Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 26 April 2013 — Gewandhaus (Leipzig, Sachsen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 25 April 2013 — Gewandhaus (Leipzig, Sachsen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 22 February 2013 — Berwaldhallen (Stockholm, Sweden) — Sweden — Composer
• 21 February 2013 — Berwaldhallen (Stockholm, Sweden) — Sweden — Composer
• 29 October 2012 — Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (Portland, OR, USA) — USA — Composer
• 27 October 2012 — Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (Portland, OR, USA) — USA — Composer
• 1 September 2012 — Gewandhaus (Leipzig, Sachsen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 27 March 2012 — Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia (Rome, Lazio, Italy) (19:30) — Italy — Composer, Conductor
• 26 March 2012 — Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia (Rome, Lazio, Italy) (21:00) — Italy — Composer, Conductor
• 25 March 2012 — Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia (Rome, Lazio, Italy) (12:00) — Italy — Composer, Conductor
• 24 March 2012 — Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia (Rome, Lazio, Italy) (18:00) — Italy — Composer, Conductor
• 28 January 2012 — Grande Auditório, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian (Lisbon, Portugal) — Portugal — Composer
• 27 January 2012 — Grande Auditório, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian (Lisbon, Portugal) — Portugal — Composer
• 19 November 2011 — No Venue (São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil) — Brazil — Composer
• 18 November 2011 — No Venue (São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil) — Brazil — Composer
• 17 November 2011 — No Venue (São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil) — Brazil — Composer
• 20 September 2011 — Palace of Arts (Budapest, Hungary) — Hungary — Composer
• 22 January 2011 — Lubbock Memorial Civic Center (Lubbock, TX, USA) — USA — Composer
• 21 January 2011 — Lubbock Memorial Civic Center (Lubbock, TX, USA) — USA — Composer
• 15 January 2011 — Welfensaal, Kultur-u. Kongresszentrum Oberschwaben (Weingarten, Baden-Württemberg, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 13 January 2011 — Gustav-Siegle-Haus (Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 12 January 2011 — Kultur- und Kongresszentrum Liederhalle (Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 21 October 2010 — Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House, Sydney — Australia — Composer, Conductor
• 20 October 2010 — Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House, Sydney — Australia — Composer, Conductor
• 17 October 2010 — Koerner Hall, Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto, ON, Canada) — Canada — Composer
• 30 May 2010 — No Venue (Hamburg, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 4 May 2010 — No Venue (Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 3 May 2010 — No Venue (Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 2 May 2010 — No Venue (Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 4 November 2009 — Konserthuset (Stockholm, Sweden) — Sweden — Composer
• 10 May 2009 — No Venue (St Louis, MO, USA) — USA — Composer
• 9 May 2009 — No Venue (St Louis, MO, USA) — USA — Composer
• 8 May 2009 — No Venue (St Louis, MO, USA) — USA — Composer
• 2 February 2008 — No Venue (Munich, Bavaria, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 31 January 2008 — No Venue (Munich, Bavaria, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 30 January 2008 — No Venue (Munich, Bavaria, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 11 January 2008 — No Venue (Dresden, Sachsen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 29 November 2007 — Háskólabío (Reykjavík, Iceland) — Iceland — Composer
• 28 October 2007 — No Venue (St Petersburg, Russian Federation) — Russian Federation — Composer
• 28 June 2007 — Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 26 May 2007 — Tivolis Koncertsal (Copenhagen, Denmark) — Denmark — Composer
• 31 March 2007 — Symphony Hall (Birmingham, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 29 March 2007 — Symphony Hall (Birmingham, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 9 February 2007 — Salle Olivier Messiaen, Maison de Radio France, Paris (20:00) — France — Composer, Conductor
• 3 December 2006 — Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles, CA, USA) (14:00) — USA — Composer, Conductor
• 2 December 2006 — Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles, CA, USA) (20:00) — USA — Composer, Conductor
• 7 October 2006 — No Venue (Venice, Veneto, Italy) — Italy — Composer
• 6 October 2006 — No Venue (Hellerau, Sachsen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 24 June 2006 — ABC Classic FM (Australia) — Australia — Composer
• 29 April 2006 — No Venue (Melbourne, VIC, Australia) — Australia — Composer
• 29 April 2006 — No Venue (Perth, WA, Australia) — Australia — Composer
• 28 April 2006 — No Venue (Melbourne, VIC, Australia) — Australia — Composer
• 28 April 2006 — No Venue (Perth, WA, Australia) — Australia — Composer
• 27 April 2006 — No Venue (Melbourne, VIC, Australia) — Australia — Composer
• 27 April 2006 — ABC Classic FM (Australia) — Australia — Composer
• 28 January 2006 — Carnegie Hall (New York City, NY, USA) — USA — Composer
• 21 November 2005 — Suntory Hall (Tokyo, Japan) — Japan — Composer
• 20 November 2005 — Bayside Performing Arts Centre (San Mateo, CA, USA) — USA — Composer
• 18 November 2005 — National Concert Hall (Taipei, Taiwan) — Taiwan — Composer
• 14 November 2005 — Hong Kong Cultural Centre (Hong Kong, China) — China — Composer
• 11 November 2005 — Pudong Center (Shanghai, China) — China — Composer
• 8 November 2005 — Seoul Arts Center (Seoul, South Korea) — South Korea — Composer
• 5 November 2005 — Poly Theatre (Beijing, China) — China — Composer
• 29 October 2005 — Philharmonie (Berlin, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 27 October 2005 — Philharmonie (Berlin, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 30 September 2005 — Staatstheater (Kassel, Hessen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 29 September 2005 — No Venue (Trondheim, Norway) — Norway — Composer
• 10 June 2005 — ABC Classic FM (Australia) — Australia — Composer
• 28 November 2004 — No Venue (Toronto, ON, Canada) — Canada — Composer
• 21 November 2004 — No Venue (Redwood City, CA, USA) — USA — Composer
• 1 October 2004 — No Venue (Copenhagen, Denmark) — Denmark — Composer
• 18 August 2004 — No Venue (Berlin, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 16 August 2004 — Het Concertgebouw (Amsterdam, Netherlands) — Netherlands — Composer
• 14 August 2004 — No Venue (Santa Cruz, CA, USA) — USA — Composer
• 27 March 2004 — Malthouse Theatre (Melbourne, VIC, Australia) — Australia — Composer
• 8 February 2004 — Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 7 February 2004 — Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 6 February 2004 — Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 23 January 2004 — No Venue (Amsterdam, Netherlands) — Netherlands — Composer
• 22 January 2004 — No Venue (Amsterdam, Netherlands) — Netherlands — Composer
• 16 January 2004 — No Venue (Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 15 January 2004 — No Venue (Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 31 August 2003 — Sparkassen-Arena (Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 4 August 2003 — ABC Classic FM (Australia) — Australia — Composer
• 10 April 2003 — RNE Radio Clásica (Spain) — Spain — Composer
• 23 November 2002 — No Venue (Boston, MA, USA) — USA — Composer
• 22 November 2002 — No Venue (Boston, MA, USA) — USA — Composer
• 21 November 2002 — No Venue (Boston, MA, USA) — USA — Composer
• 20 October 2002 — No Venue (Pittsburgh, PA, USA) — USA — Composer
• 19 October 2002 — No Venue (Pittsburgh, PA, USA) — USA — Composer
• 18 October 2002 — No Venue (Pittsburgh, PA, USA) — USA — Composer
• 22 September 2002 — TivoliVredenburg (Utrecht, Netherlands) — Netherlands — Composer
• 21 September 2002 — BBC 2 (United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 9 September 2002 — Philharmonie (Berlin, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 8 September 2002 — Philharmonie (Berlin, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 7 September 2002 — Philharmonie (Berlin, Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 7 September 2002 — WDR (Germany) — Germany — Composer
• 18 June 2002 — Finnish Radio (Finland) — Finland — Composer
• 28 February 2002 — Salle Pleyel (Paris, France) — France — Composer
• 27 February 2002 — Salle Pleyel (Paris, France) — France — Composer
• 9 February 2002 — Flagey (Brussels, Belgium) — Belgium — Composer
• 8 February 2002 — De Singel (Antwerp, Belgium) — Belgium — Composer
• 8 February 2002 — No Venue (Paris, France) — France — Composer
• 11 December 2001 — Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester (Rochester, NY, USA) — USA — Composer
• 8 December 2001 — John F Kennedy Center for Performing Arts (Washington, DC, USA) — USA — Composer
• 7 December 2001 — John F Kennedy Center for Performing Arts (Washington, DC, USA) — USA — Composer
• 6 December 2001 — John F Kennedy Center for Performing Arts (Washington, DC, USA) — USA — Composer
• 29 November 2001 — De Geerhallen, Louis de Geer Konsert & Kongress (Norrköping, Sweden) — Sweden — Composer
• 12 October 2001 — No Venue (Tallinn, Estonia) — Estonia — Composer
• 11 October 2001 — Narva Cultural Centre (Narva, Estonia) — Estonia — Composer
• 29 September 2001 — No Venue (Washington, DC, USA) — USA — Composer
• 13 August 2001 — Radio Clásica (Spain) — Spain — Composer
• 18 June 2001 — No Venue (Vancouver, BC, Canada) — Canada — Composer
• 16 June 2001 — No Venue (Vancouver, BC, Canada) — Canada — Composer
• 22 April 2001 — No Venue (Barcelona, Spain) — Spain — Composer
• 21 April 2001 — No Venue (Barcelona, Spain) — Spain — Composer
• 21 April 2001 — Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 20 April 2001 — No Venue (Barcelona, Spain) — Spain — Composer
• 8 April 2001 — BBC Radio 3 (United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 7 April 2001 — BBC Radio 3 (United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 6 January 2001 — No Venue (Stockholm, Sweden) — Sweden — Composer
• 19 November 2000 — Musikverein (Vienna, Austria) — Austria — Composer
• 12 November 2000 — Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 21 October 2000 — Silvestre Revueltas Hall (Mexico City, Mexico) — Mexico — Composer
• 4 June 2000 — No Venue (Ojai, CA, USA) — USA — Composer
• 2 June 2000 — No Venue (Ojai, CA, USA) — USA — Composer
• 20 August 1999 — BBC Radio 3 (United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 15 August 1999 — Royal Albert Hall (London, United Kingdom) (19:30) — United Kingdom — Composer, Conductor
• 15 August 1999 — BBC Radio 3 (United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 20 June 1999 — Snape Maltings Concert Hall (Snape, Suffolk, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 20 June 1999 — Classic FM (United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 29 May 1999 — Allen Theatre, Playhouse Square (Cleveland, OH, USA) — USA — Composer
• 28 May 1999 — Allen Theatre, Playhouse Square (Cleveland, OH, USA) — USA — Composer
• 27 May 1999 — Allen Theatre, Playhouse Square (Cleveland, OH, USA) — USA — Composer
• 7 May 1999 — RNE Radio Clásica (Spain) — Spain — Composer
• 10 March 1999 — Finlandia Hall (Helsinki, Finland) — Finland — Composer
• 24 October 1998 — Het Concertgebouw (Amsterdam, Netherlands) — Netherlands — Composer
• 23 September 1998 — BBC Radio 3 (United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 30 August 1998 — Symphony Hall (Birmingham, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 29 August 1998 — Symphony Hall (Birmingham, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 30 November 1997 — Musikverein (Vienna, Austria) — Austria — Composer
• 29 November 1997 — Musikverein (Vienna, Austria) — Austria — Composer
• 27 November 1997 — Brucknerhaus (Linz, Oberösterreich, Austria) — Austria — Composer
• 23 November 1997 — No Venue (Zürich, Switzerland) — Switzerland — Composer
• 22 November 1997 — Orchestra Hall (Minneapolis, MN, USA) — USA — Composer
• 21 November 1997 — Orchestra Hall (Minneapolis, MN, USA) — USA — Composer
• 20 November 1997 — Ordway Center for the Performing Arts (St Paul, MN, USA) — USA — Composer
• 10 October 1997 — No Venue (Manchester, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 9 October 1997 — No Venue (Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 4 October 1997 — Symphony Hall (Birmingham, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 2 October 1997 — No Venue (Nottingham, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
• 1 October 1997 — Symphony Hall (Birmingham, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer

Recordings

• This Is Rattle — 2019 — LSO Live (LSO3066)
• Mozart In The Jungle (Season 4) — 2018 — Sony Classical (19075821002)
• Adès: Asyla, Tevot, Polaris, Brahms — 2017 — LSO Live (LSO0798)
• The CBSO Years — 2015 — Warner Classics (0825646100552)
• Asyla — 2013 — GOlive

All recordings of this composition