Review: Dante by Adès--A Modern Ballet Masterpiece?

Adès: Dante (complete ballet). Los Angeles Philharmonic, Gustavo Dudamel (cond.) Nonesuch

[@christopherwilliams9270]

Both of his commissions from the Metropolitan Opera are also intriguing and enjoyable pieces (The Tempest and The Exterminating Angel), which invite repeated listening, and are much better than Powder Her Face. They are both available in DVD and Blu-Ray.

[@ftumschk]

I really enjoyed this, and I'm glad I'm not alone! The most enjoyable recording of new music I've heard in a while.

[@mehdiadlany]

Adès quoted a few pieces from Liszt in the Inferno: some of them The Selfish (Inferno from Dante symphony), the Ferryman (La lugubre gondola), Paolo and Francesca (Bagatelle sans tonalité), The Deviants (Valse oublié No.1), The Fortune Tellers (Mephisto Polka), The Thieves (Grand galop chromatique). It's a very interesting take I must say.

[@SFreije1]

Thanks for the thoughtful review. Loving the recordings from Dudamel and the LA Phil, especially for new works like this!

[@stuartraybould6433]

Listening to this now as I write this through KZbin. My very next purchase, so once again, thank you for reviewing this. Yet another great piece of music.

[@peterhaslund]

You may be correct, it's certainly off to a good start!

[@Bachback]

I have now listened to Dante a couple of times. It strikes me as being brilliant in parts and not so brilliant in others. I recommend that Mr. Ades draw one or more suites from the ballet for concert and recording performance . People would listen to a suite then feel encouraged to attend or listen to the complete ballet and vice versa.

[@neilford99]

Did someone not review it on classics today very recently? I listened to the first part on qobuz at work and thoroughly enjoyed; must listen to the whole thing. I've been a fan of Ades for some time . His newish piano concerto made a big impression on me. He's writing contemporary music that is not a war on the senses but beguiling and engrossing to me. His violin concerto should be in every violinist's repertoire too.

[@chrissahar2014]

I am very glad this was done although I am somewhat lukewarm to Ades' work. Well-written but never really interested me that much. But again very glad to see that such an ambitious and major work was produced, performed and recorded.

[@kevinyoung4548]

This popped up on my streaming service, gave it a very enjoyable listen .....but, I am a sucker for Hell based music.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Who isn't?

[@rogergersbach3300]

@@DavesClassicalGuide new series featuring Hell, damnation and deathly themes?🙏 Although you probably covered so many in Dave's Fav's.

[@tarakb7606]

I tried my my best and listened to Parts I and II, and that was more than enough for me. I found the whole thing derivative and lacking in originality, which is pretty much the reaction I've always had to his music.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Oh well. Can't win 'em all.

[@sergioazevedo7390]

I am not surprised, most part are orchestrations of Liszt...

[@friedelfriedrich]

Exactly! At first I started listening and was amazed. And then I got suspicious: the most beautiful parts are mere orchestrations of Liszt piano music with some additional notes here and there. (In his (Ades) defense I must add: the orchestrations are splendid. But nonetheless no original compositions)

[@tarakb7606]

@@friedelfriedrich 👍

[@peterczipott6854]

Liszt, Ades's model (and source) in the Inferno, had the insight not to attempt a Paradiso movement in his Dante Symphony -- he allows the Magnificat to be a Moses-on-Mount-Nebo moment: a glimpse of the light of Paradise without attempting to depict eternal bliss in musical detail. And Liszt's Purgatorio has the appropriate sense of purposeful motion. That said, I'm eager to listen to Ades's take on the subject.

[@rugerthedog396]

As for Nonesuch, perhaps you did not notice a late 2022 release by the LA Phil and Susanna Malkki in a piece by Steve Reich. Perhaps since ti was not a CD release and only available as a download it did not cross your radar, but it's out there.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

No, I saw it and have it.

[@emanuel_soundtrack]

the link to buy is broken

[@Cor6196]

But if you use your eyelash remover to pluck out your CD’s, how do you get your eyelashes off? 😝

[@rogergersbach3300]

It's a good recording, unfortunately let down by the flimsy cardboard packaging which is not a good selling point. Recording Labels simply have to do better.

[@steveschwartz8944]

My thoughts about Adès parallel Dave's. I hated Powder Her Face (not only musically, but morally, and it's the only piece of music that's affected me that way) and some of the early orchestral works. What really hit me was The Tempest, although I thought the unremittingly stratospheric vocal writing for Ariel cruel. I look forward to streaming Dante.

[@emiljung1276]

Nope. This is not for me.