Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes?

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Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes?
by John Adams
PeriodContemporary
Composed2018
Durationc. 28 minutes
ScoringOrchestra
Premiere
DateMarch 7, 2019 (2019-03-07)
LocationWalt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles
ConductorGustavo Dudamel
PerformersLos Angeles Philharmonic, Yuja Wang

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).

Composition[edit]

Movements[edit]

The piece is in three movements, played without pauses between them:

  1. Gritty, funky, but in Strict Tempo; Twitchy, Bot-like
  2. Much Slower; Gently, Relaxed
  3. Più Mosso: Obsession / Swing

All three movements in total last about 28 minutes.[5]

Instrumentation[edit]

The piece is scored for the following orchestra:[5]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "John Adams Must The Devil Have All The Good Tunes". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  2. ^ Adams, John (2018-07-26). "Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes?". Earbox - John Adams. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  3. ^ BWW News Desk. "LA Phil and Gustavo Dudamel Release World Premiere Recording of John Adams "Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes?"". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  4. ^ "John Adams: Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes?". www.amazon.com. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  5. ^ a b "Boosey & Hawkes Composers, Classical Music and Jazz Repertoire". www.boosey.com. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
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