Oeuvre: In Seven Days

The Iceland Symphony Orchestra opens its season with a dazzling showpiece by Thomas Adès.

Commendably fine playing from the LPO conducted by Thomas Adès, and with Kirill Gerstein as soloist, three less than familiar works throw up overwhelming volumes of energy.

Thomas Adès' music has a rawness that only comes across heard live. This seems particularly true when he conducts it himself. Gone are the smooth contours of recordings and other conductors, replaced by a focus on infectious rhythm and sometimes brutal colours. His lyrical tendencies therefore become all the more powerful.Tevot is the perfect example.