Jeremy Denk Plays Adams

The Cleveland Orchestra
John Adams, conductor
Jeremy Denk, piano
Steven Banks, saxophone

SMITH Tumblebird Contrails
ADAMS Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes?
SIMON Fate Now Conquers
GLASS Façades from Glassworks
REICH Three Movements for Orchestra

John Adams’s works stand out among contemporary classical compositions for their depth of expression, brilliance of sound, and the profoundly humanist nature of their themes. His piano concerto, which takes its name from a saying attributed to Martin Luther, alludes perhaps, to the seductions of secular art. The tongue-in-cheek piece showcases Denk’s extraordinary virtuosity.