Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes?
Piano concerto by John Adams
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Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes? is a piano concerto by the American composer John Adams. Its title is taken from a saying attributed to Martin Luther.[1] The work was premiered on March 7, 2019 by Yuja Wang and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel.[2] A recording, made by Wang, Dudamel, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic in November 2019, was released digitally by Deutsche Grammophon on April 17, 2020.[3][4] The piece is Adams' third piano concerto, after Eros Piano (1989) and Century Rolls (1997).
| Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes? | |
|---|---|
| by John Adams | |
| |
| Period | Contemporary |
| Composed | 2018 |
| Duration | c. 28 minutes |
| Scoring | Orchestra |
| Premiere | |
| Date | March 7, 2019 |
| Location | Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles |
| Conductor | Gustavo Dudamel |
| Performers | Los Angeles Philharmonic, Yuja Wang |
Composition
The piece is in three movements, played without pauses between them:
- Gritty, funky, but in Strict Tempo; Twitchy, Bot-like
- Much Slower; Gently, Relaxed
- Più Mosso: Obsession / Swing
All three movements in total last about 28 minutes.[5]
The piece is scored for the following orchestra:[5]
|
Percussion (1 player) |
|