Max Richter: Recomposed: Vivaldi – The Four Seasons

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra and conductor David Brophy perform music by Philip Glass and John Adams. Violinist Mari Samuelsen joins for Max Richter’s Recomposed: Vivaldi – The Four Seasons.

Max Richter combines acoustic instruments and electronic means in tonight’s music. His piece Opus 2020 takes musical fragments by Beethoven and treats them as “tape loops”, played by the orchestra. In Recomposed: Vivaldi - The Four Seasons, Richter said he wanted to reconnect with a piece heard “in the supermarket regularly, you’re confronted with it in adverts... slowly you begin to blank it out”. His hope in creating a new hybrid work was to reignite conversation around Vivaldi’s music. Mari Sameulsen joins the SCO to direct from the violin.

Before the interval, musical sketches by Philip Glass for a theatre performance of Samuel Beckett's poem 'Company' and after it John Adams' musical response to his own opera Nixon in China.

Recorded last month at Glasgow City Halls and presented by Stephen Broad.

Max Richter: Opus 2020
Philip Glass: Company
John Adams: The Chairman Dances
Max Richter: Recomposed: Vivaldi – The Four Seasons*

Mari Samuelsen (violin/director*)
The Scottish Chamber Orchestra
David Brophy (conductor)
Chris Ekers (sound)

To listen on most spart speakers, just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Radio 3 in Concert."

Presented by Stephen Broad
Produced by Laura Metcalfe