Violin Concerto
Concentric Paths
violin and chamber orchestra
- Year
- 2005
- Duration
- 00:20:00
- Categories
- Chamber/Small Orchestra
- Violin and Orchestra
Instrumentation
2(I+II=picc).2.2(I in Bb.II in A).2 – 3.2.1.1 – timp – perc(2): BD/2 low drums/low wood drum/SD/3 low drums of different sizes/large tam-t/3 tam-t/cyms/susp.cym/small bongo/metal guero/wood guero/low wdbl/cowbell/small metal can/metal block (or large anvil) – strings (10.8.6.5.3)
Commission
Commissioned by the Berliner Festspiele and by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Music Director, underwritten by Lenore and Bernard Greenberg
Programme notes
I Rings
II Paths
III Rounds
This concerto has three movements, like most, but it is really more of a triptych, as the middle one is the largest. It is the “slow” movement, built from two large, and very many small, independent cycles, which overlap and clash, sometimes violently, in their motion towards resolution.
The outer movements too are circular in design, the first fast, with sheets of unstable harmony in different orbits, the third playful, at ease, with stable cycles moving in harmony at different rates.
This work was commissioned by the Berliner Festspiele and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and first performed by Anthony Marwood, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and Thomas Adès on 4th September 2005 in the Kammermusiksaal at the Berliner Festspiele.
© Faber Music 2005
Reviews
'[Adès'] Violin Concerto tours the boundaries of madness, with ecstatic babblings, orchestral cataclysms, stammering brass, and limping dinosaur treads.'
New York Magazine (Justin Davidson), 4 December 2011
Availability
Score 0571531059, solo part and piano reduction 0571541887 on sale, parts for hire
Scores and publication
Upcoming performances
- — Philharmonie de Paris: Grande salle Pierre Boulez, Paris (20:00) — France — Composer, Conductor
- — Bridgewater Hall (Manchester, United Kingdom) (19:30) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Bridgewater Hall (Manchester, United Kingdom) (16:00) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Kölner Philharmonie (Köln, Germany) (20:00) — Germany — Composer
- — Kölner Philharmonie (Köln, Germany) (20:00) — Germany — Composer
Previous performances
- — Harpa (Reykjavík, Iceland) — Iceland — Composer
- — Sala Kameralna NOSPR (Katowice, Poland) — Poland — Composer
- — Rhein-Mosel-Halle (Koblenz, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Elbphilharmonie (Hamburg, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Kongresshalle (Lübeck, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Elbphilharmonie (Hamburg, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Philharmonie (Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Philharmonie (Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Philharmonie (Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Boston Symphony Hall (Boston, USA) (20:00) — USA — Composer, Conductor
- — Boston Symphony Hall (Boston, USA) (13:30) — USA — Composer, Conductor
- — Boston Symphony Hall (Boston, USA) (19:30) — USA — Composer, Conductor
- — Tonhalle Zürich (Zürich, Switzerland) — Switzerland — Composer
- — Tampere Hall (Tampere, Finland) — Finland — Composer
- — Het Concertgebouw (Amsterdam, Netherlands) — Netherlands — Composer
- — Barbican Hall, Barbican Centre (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — City of Ostrava Cultural Centre (Ostrava, Czech Republic) — Czech Republic — Composer
- — Jacobs Music Centre (San Diego, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Jacobs Music Centre (San Diego, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Kulturpalast (Dresden, Sachsen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Kulturpalast (Dresden, Sachsen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Symphony Hall (Birmingham, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Orchestra Hall (Minneapolis, MN, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Orchestra Hall (Minneapolis, MN, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Orchestra Hall (Minneapolis, MN, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Teatro Colón (Buenos Aires, Argentina) — Argentina — Composer
- — BBC Radio 3 (United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Bridgewater Hall (Manchester, United Kingdom) (19:30) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Great Hall of the National Philharmonic Society (Vilnius, Lithuania) — Lithuania — Composer
- — Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles, CA, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles, CA, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Sibelius Hall (Lahti, Finland) — Finland — Composer
- — Grosser Saal, Philharmonie (Berlin, Germany) — Germany — Composer, Conductor
- — Grosser Saal, Philharmonie (Berlin, Germany) (19:00) — Germany — Composer, Conductor
- — Isarphilharmonie (Munich, Bavaria, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Isarphilharmonie (Munich, Bavaria, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Isarphilharmonie (Munich, Bavaria, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Seoul Arts Center (Seoul, South Korea) — South Korea — Composer
- — Seoul Arts Center (Seoul, South Korea) — South Korea — Composer
- — Tchaikovsky Concert Hall (Moscow, Russian Federation) — Russian Federation — Composer
- — Berwaldhallen (Stockholm, Sweden) — Sweden — Composer
- — Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall (Tokyo, Japan) — Japan — Composer
- — Tapiola Hall, Espoo Cultural Centre (Espoo, Finland) — Finland — Composer
- — Adelaide Town Hall (Adelaide, SA, Australia) — Australia — Composer
- — Heinz Hall (Pittsburgh, PA, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Heinz Hall (Pittsburgh, PA, USA) — USA — Composer
- — NorrlandsOperan (Umeå, Sweden) — Sweden — Composer
- — Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, The Music Center (Los Angeles, CA, USA) (19:30) — USA — Composer, Conductor
- — Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, The Music Center (Los Angeles, CA, USA) (19:30) — USA — Composer, Conductor
- — Grange Park (Northington, Hampshire, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Grange Park (Northington, Hampshire, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Southam Hall, National Art Centre (Ottawa, ON, Canada) — Canada — Composer
- — Southam Hall, National Art Centre (Ottawa, ON, Canada) — Canada — Composer
- — Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Town Hall (Birmingham, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Auditório MASP (São Paulo, Brazil) — Brazil — Composer
- — Auditório MASP (São Paulo, Brazil) — Brazil — Composer
- — Colyer-Fergusson Hall, University of Kent (Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Ohio Theatre (Columbus, OH, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Ohio Theatre (Columbus, OH, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Victoria Concert Hall (Singapore, Singapore) — Singapore — Composer
- — Philharmonie (Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Beseda House (Brno, Czech Republic) — Czech Republic — Composer
- — Beseda House (Brno, Czech Republic) — Czech Republic — Composer
- — Cincinnati Music Hall (Cincinnati, OH, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Cincinnati Music Hall (Cincinnati, OH, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Auckland Town Hall (Auckland, New Zealand) — New Zealand — Composer
- — Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts (Kansas City, MO, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts (Kansas City, MO, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts (Kansas City, MO, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Kongregationssaal (Neuburg an der Donau, Bavaria, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Prinzregententheater (Munich, Bavaria, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Konzerthaus (Ravensburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Das Meininger Theater (Meiningen, Thüringen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Mandeville Auditorium, University of California, San Diego (San Diego, CA, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Mandeville Auditorium, University of California, San Diego (San Diego, CA, USA) — USA — Composer
- — St Peter's Church, Notting Hill (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Philharmonie (Berlin, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Das Meininger Theater (Meiningen, Thüringen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Koerner Hall, Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto, ON, Canada) — Canada — Composer
- — BBC Radio 3 (United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Gewandhaus (Leipzig, Sachsen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Gewandhaus (Leipzig, Sachsen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Peel Hall, University of Salford (Salford, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Wolkenturm (Grafenegg, Niederösterreich, Austria) — Austria — Composer
- — Grosses Festspielhaus (Salzburg, Austria) — Austria — Composer
- — BBC Radio 3 (United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Birmingham Hippodrome (Birmingham, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Birmingham Hippodrome (Birmingham, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Music Centre (Helsinki, Finland) — Finland — Composer
- — Chassé Theater (Breda, Netherlands) — Netherlands — Composer
- — Muziekgebouw Frits Philips Eindhoven (Eindhoven, Netherlands) — Netherlands — Composer
- — Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (Portland, OR, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (Portland, OR, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (Portland, OR, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Smith Auditorium, Williamette University (Salem, OR, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Severance Hall (Cleveland, OH, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Severance Hall (Cleveland, OH, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Severance Hall (Cleveland, OH, USA) — USA — Composer
- — New World Center (Miami Beach, FL, USA) — USA — Composer
- — BBC Radio 3 (United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt, University, Chicago (Chicago, IL, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt, University, Chicago (Chicago, IL, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt, University, Chicago (Chicago, IL, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt, University, Chicago (Chicago, IL, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt, University, Chicago (Chicago, IL, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt, University, Chicago (Chicago, IL, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt, University, Chicago (Chicago, IL, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt, University, Chicago (Chicago, IL, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt, University, Chicago (Chicago, IL, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Sadler's Wells Theatre (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Sadler's Wells Theatre (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Sadler's Wells Theatre (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Musikverein (Vienna, Austria) — Austria — Composer
- — Festspielhaus (Sankt Pölten, Niederösterreich, Austria) — Austria — Composer
- — Musikverein (Vienna, Austria) — Austria — Composer
- — Auditorio Nacional de Música (Madrid, Spain) — Spain — Composer
- — New York City Center, New York (15:00) — USA — Composer, Pianist, Conductor
- — Auditorio Nacional de Música (Madrid, Spain) — Spain — Composer
- — New York City Center, New York (19:30) — USA — Composer, Pianist, Conductor
- — Auditorio Nacional de Música (Madrid, Spain) — Spain — Composer
- — New York City Center, New York (19:30) — USA — Composer, Pianist, Conductor
- — Grosses Haus (Karlsruhe, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Grosses Haus (Karlsruhe, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Saffron Hall (Saffron Walden, Essex, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London — United Kingdom — Composer, Pianist, Conductor
- — Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London (19:30) — United Kingdom — Composer, Pianist, Conductor
- — Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London — United Kingdom — Composer, Pianist, Conductor
- — Aula, Universitetet i Oslo (Oslo, Norway) — Norway — Composer
- — Royal Concert Hall (Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Usher Hall (Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Music Hall (Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Teatro Municipal (São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil) — Brazil — Composer
- — Teatro Municipal (São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil) — Brazil — Composer
- — Auditorio de Galicia (Santiago de Compostela, Spain) — Spain — Composer
- — NRK Store Studio (Oslo, Norway) — Norway — Composer
- — Cincinnati Music Hall (Cincinnati, OH, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Cincinnati Music Hall (Cincinnati, OH, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Orchestra Hall (Detroit, MI, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Konserthuset (Malmö, Sweden) — Sweden — Composer
- — Konserthuset (Göteborg, Sweden) — Sweden — Composer
- — Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House (Sydney, NSW, Australia) — Australia — Composer
- — Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House (Sydney, NSW, Australia) — Australia — Composer
- — Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House (Sydney, NSW, Australia) — Australia — Composer
- — NorrlandsOperan (Umeå, Sweden) — Sweden — Composer
- — Perth Concert Hall (Perth, WA, Australia) — Australia — Composer
- — Perth Concert Hall (Perth, WA, Australia) — Australia — Composer
- — Stadthaus (Winterthur, Zürich, Switzerland) — Switzerland — Composer
- — National Concert Hall (Dublin, Ireland) (20:00) — Ireland — Composer, Pianist, Conductor
- — Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer, Conductor
- — BBC Radio 3 (United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Atlanta Symphony Hall (Atlanta, GA, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Theatre Royal (Norwich, United Kingdom) (19:30) — United Kingdom — Composer, Pianist, Conductor
- — Atlanta Symphony Hall (Atlanta, GA, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center (New York City, NY, USA) (19:30) — USA — Composer, Pianist, Conductor
- — West Road Concert Hall (Cambridge, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer, Conductor
- — Opéra de Dijon (Dijon, Bourgogne, France) — France — Composer, Pianist, Conductor
- — Composer
- — Wiener Konzerthaus (Vienna, Austria) — Austria — Composer
- — Grande Auditório, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian (Lisbon, Portugal) — Portugal — Composer
- — No Venue (São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil) — Brazil — Composer
- — No Venue (São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil) — Brazil — Composer
- — No Venue (São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil) — Brazil — Composer
- — Konserthuset (Helsingborg, Sweden) — Sweden — Composer
- — Southam Hall, National Art Centre (Ottawa, ON, Canada) — Canada — Composer
- — No Venue (Helsingborg, Sweden) — Sweden — Composer
- — Southam Hall, National Art Centre (Ottawa, ON, Canada) — Canada — Composer
- — Hilbert Circle Theatre (Indianapolis, IN, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Hilbert Circle Theatre (Indianapolis, IN, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Aichi Prefectural Art Theatre (Nagoya, Japan) — Japan — Composer
- — Aichi Prefectural Art Theatre (Nagoya, Japan) — Japan — Composer
- — Grote Zaal, Het Concertgebouw, Amsterdam — Netherlands — Composer, Conductor
- — Philharmonie (Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Philharmonie (Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Philharmonie (Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Ruth Eckerd Hall, Richard B. Baumgardner Center (Clearwater, FL, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Symphony Hall (Boston, MA, USA) (20:00) — USA — Composer, Conductor
- — Symphony Hall (Boston, MA, USA) (19:00) — USA — Composer, Conductor
- — Louise Lykes Ferguson Hall (Tampa, FL, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Carnegie Hall (New York City, NY, USA) — USA — Composer
- — David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center (New York City, NY, USA) — USA — Composer
- — David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center (New York City, NY, USA) — USA — Composer
- — David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center (New York City, NY, USA) — USA — Composer
- — David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center (New York City, NY, USA) — USA — Composer
- — St David's Hall (Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Powell Hall (St Louis, MO, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Powell Hall (St Louis, MO, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Melbourne Town Hall, Melbourne — Australia — Composer, Conductor
- — No Venue (Aspen, CO, USA) — USA — Composer
- — No Venue (Munich, Bavaria, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — No Venue (Munich, Bavaria, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — No Venue (Munich, Bavaria, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — No Venue (Munich, Bavaria, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — Lincoln Center (New York City, NY, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Lincoln Center (New York City, NY, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Lincoln Center (New York City, NY, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Lincoln Center (New York City, NY, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Lincoln Center (New York City, NY, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Philharmonie (Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany) (20:00) — Germany — Composer, Conductor
- — Kölner Philharmonie, Cologne (20:00) — Germany — Composer, Conductor
- — Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles, CA, USA) — USA — Composer, Conductor
- — Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles, CA, USA) — USA — Composer, Conductor
- — Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles, CA, USA) — USA — Composer, Conductor
- — Severance Hall (Cleveland, OH, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Severance Hall (Cleveland, OH, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Konserthuset (Stockholm, Sweden) — Sweden — Composer
- — Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts (Philadelphia, PA, USA) — USA — Composer
- — No Venue (Philadelphia, PA, USA) — USA — Composer
- — No Venue (Philadelphia, PA, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Davies Symphony Hall (San Francisco, CA, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Davies Symphony Hall (San Francisco, CA, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Davies Symphony Hall (San Francisco, CA, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Davies Symphony Hall (San Francisco, CA, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Boettcher Concert Hall (Denver, CO, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Boettcher Concert Hall (Denver, CO, USA) — USA — Composer
- — No Venue (Birmingham, AL, USA) — USA — Composer
- — No Venue (Birmingham, AL, USA) — USA — Composer
- — No Venue (Birmingham, AL, USA) — USA — Composer
- — No Venue (St Paul, MN, USA) — USA — Composer
- — No Venue (St Paul, MN, USA) — USA — Composer
- — No Venue (St Paul, MN, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Suntory Hall (Tokyo, Japan) — Japan — Composer
- — LSO St Luke's (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall (Baltimore, MD, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall (Baltimore, MD, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall (Baltimore, MD, USA) — USA — Composer
- — National Concert Hall (Dublin, Ireland) — Ireland — Composer
- — Concertgebouw (Bruges, Belgium) — Belgium — Composer
- — Het muziek lod (Brussels, Belgium) — Belgium — Composer
- — No Venue (Pamplona, Spain) — Spain — Composer
- — No Venue (Pamplona, Spain) — Spain — Composer
- — Háskólabío (Reykjavík, Iceland) — Iceland — Composer
- — Bridgewater Hall (Manchester, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — No Venue (St Petersburg, Russian Federation) — Russian Federation — Composer
- — Ordway Center for the Performing Arts (St Paul, MN, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Ordway Center for the Performing Arts (St Paul, MN, USA) — USA — Composer
- — No Venue (Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — No Venue (Santa Cruz, CA, USA) — USA — Composer
- — Barbican Hall, Barbican Centre (London, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Finlandia Hall (Helsinki, Finland) — Finland — Composer
- — Maison de la Radio (Paris, France) (20:00) — France — Composer, Conductor
- — Rolf-Liebermann-Studio (Hamburg, Germany) — Germany — Composer
- — University Concert Hall, University of Limerick (Limerick, Ireland) — Ireland — Composer
- — BBC Radio 3 (United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Snape Maltings Concert Hall (Snape, Suffolk, United Kingdom) — United Kingdom — Composer
- — Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles (14:00) — USA — Composer, Conductor
- — Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles (20:00) — USA — Composer, Conductor
- — Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles, CA, USA) (20:00) — USA — Composer, Conductor
- — Royal Albert Hall (London, United Kingdom) (19:00) — United Kingdom — Composer, Conductor
- — Kammermusiksaal, Philharmonie (Berlin, Germany) — Germany — Composer, Conductor
Recordings
- Adès: The Exterminating Angel Symphony & Violin Concerto — 2025 — Pentatone (PTC 5187487)
- Violin Concerto — 2025 — Ondine
- Music Of The Spheres — 2020 — Deutsche Grammophon (4838228)
- Three Studies from Couperin; Violin Concerto — 2014 — BIS
- Violin Concertos — 2014 — Avie (AV2276)