Main content

Man of Many Talents

Donald Macleod asks Thomas Adès about his forays into performing and taking up roles as music director for Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and the Aldeburgh Festival.

Donald Macleod asks Thomas Adès about his forays into performing and taking up roles as music director for Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and the Aldeburgh Festival. Thomas also reveals his compulsion to revisit and edit his scores - sometimes years after they were first composed.

Mazurka for piano, Op 27 No 2
Thomas Adès, piano

The Tempest (Act 3, excerpt)
Ian Bostridge (Caliban), tenor
Cyndia Sieden (Ariel), soprano
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Thomas Adès, conductor

Lieux retrouvés (Les champs)
Steven Isserlis, cello
Thomas Adès, piano

Violin Concerto
Christian Tetzlaff, violin
BBC Philharmonic
John Storgårds, conductor

Concert Paraphrase on Powder Her Face (excerpt)
Thomas Adès, piano

In Seven Days (excerpt)
Nicholas Hodges, piano
London Sinfonietta
Thomas Adès, conductor

Produced by Luke Whitlock

26 days left to listen

59 minutes

Music Played

  • Thomas Adès

    Mazurka, Op.27, No.2

    Performer: Thomas Adès.
    • EMI : 088-560 2.
    • EMI.
    • 6.
  • Thomas Adès

    The Tempest, Act 3, Sc 5: Who was here

    Singer: Ian Bostridge. Singer: Cyndia Sieden. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Conductor: Thomas Adès.
    • EMI 6952342.
    • EMI CLASSICS.
    • 12.
  • Thomas Adès

    Lieux retrouvés (Les champs)

    Performer: Steven Isserlis. Performer: Thomas Adès.
    • HYPERION : CDA-67948.
    • HYPERION.
    • 16.
  • Thomas Adès

    Violin Concerto

    Performer: Christian Tetzlaff. Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: John Storgårds.
    • ONDINE : ODE-14802.
    • ONDINE.
    • 4.
  • Thomas Adès

    Concert Paraphrase on Powder Her Face (4th mvt)

    Performer: Thomas Adès.
    • WARNER : 0885602.
    • WARNER.
    • 4.
  • Thomas Adès

    In Seven Days (Mvts 3 - 7)

    Performer: Nicolas Hodges. Orchestra: London Sinfonietta. Conductor: Thomas Adès.
    • SIGNUM : SIGCD-277.
    • SIGNUM.
    • 3.

Broadcast

  • Wednesday16:00

Beethoven Unleashed – the box set

Beethoven Unleashed – the box set

The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.

What was really wrong with Beethoven?

What was really wrong with Beethoven?

Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems

Composers A to Z

Composers A to Z

Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.

Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week

Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week

The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod’s best stories from the last 20 years

Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem

Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem

What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?

A man out of time – why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...

A man out of time – why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...

The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.

Composer Help Page

Composer Help Page

Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.