Noted for its blissful introduction, birdsong via woodwinds, and rumbling thunder of cellos, Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony embodies the calming charm of the countryside. In a letter to one of his beloved pupils, he wrote, “How happy I am to be able to wander among the bushes and grass, under trees and over rocks, no man can love the country as I love it.”
Gustavo Dudamel captures the serenity of the symphony before steering the orchestra into the treacherous depths of Thomas Adès’ Inferno—the fiery first part of the work that won the LA Phil a Grammy for Best Orchestral Performance. Within minutes of hearing the music, “You can feel the lightning bolt of [Adès’] virtuosity, the sense of pure enjoyment as he uses every orchestral resource to create a battery of exhilarating sound from a 75-strong orchestra” (The Guardian).
