Music Born from the New World: Three Masterworks and the Land That Shaped Them

This programme explores America as both a physical geography and a state of mind, featuring works that capture themes of possibility, unease, and radical reinvention. Britten's An American Overture (1941) reflects his American surroundings with wide-open orchestral spaces and New York syncopation. Barber's Violin Concerto (1939) provides a contrast between lyrical, songful movements and a finale of ferocious energy. The evening concludes with John Adams' Harmonielehre (1985), a massive orchestral showpiece that reengages with tonal harmony and symphonic architecture to capture the complexity of the late twentieth century.