John Adams: Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes? Yuja Wang, Los Angeles Philharmonic & Gustavo Dudamel

• John Adams (b. 1947): Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes?:
• 1 Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes?: I. Gritty, Funky, But in strict Tempo; Twitchy, Bot-Like 11:32
• 2 Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes?: II. Much Slower; Gently, Relaxed 07:08
• 3 Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes?: III. Piú mosso: Obsession / Swing 07:41
• China Gates:
• 4 China Gates 04:39
• Total Runtime 31:00

Info for John Adams: Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes?

Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, in partnership with Deutsche Grammophon, present the world-premiere recording of John Adams’ Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes? for piano and orchestra, as recorded live at Walt Disney Concert Hall in November 2019.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic’s performances of Adams’ stunning new piano concerto have been hailed by Musical America as “[bristling] with a percussive, highly-rhythmic, technically fearsome piano part… an excitable, satisfying, boisterous vehicle for Wang and Dudamel.”

Adams’ ability to deconstruct aesthetic clichés and bridge the gaps between different forms of music has earned him worldwide appreciation, as demonstrated in 2019 when he became the first American composer to be awarded the prestigious Erasmus Prize for his contribution to contemporary classical music.

This recording of Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes? continues that tradition and deepens his close connection with the Los Angeles Philharmonic – a relationship which grew even stronger in 2009 when Dudamel appointed Adams to the newly created position of Creative Chair.

In this vibrant new release, soloist Yuja Wang’s electrifying technique effortlessly masters the intricate “diabolical” piano part, successfully weaving lightness and elegance with dynamism and explosiveness to highlight the contrasting but characteristic qualities of Adams’ music. The Washington Post lauded the world premiere performance of Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes?, noting that Ms. Wang “is as impressive for her poetic sensibilities as for her pyrotechnic dazzle.”

”Uneasily fascinating … [a] beautifully disconcerting concerto.” (The New York Times)

"It’s true, the ‘Devil’ is up to his old tricks. But what a devil! And what tricks!” (Los Angeles Times)

“... bristles with a percussive, highly-rhythmic, technically fearsome piano part… an excitable, satisfying, boisterous vehicle for Wang and Dudamel.” (Musical America)

“Adams wrote the single-movement work for Yuja Wang, who was the dashing soloist here … her faultless fingers dealing effortlessly with a solo part that hardly gives her a moment’s rest.” (The Observer (London)

Yuja Wang, piano
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Gustavo Dudamel, direction

Yuja Wang
Critical superlatives and audience ovations have continuously followed Yuja Wang’s dazzling career. The Beijing-born pianist, celebrated for her charismatic artistry and captivating stage presence, is set to achieve new heights during the 2019-20 season, which features recitals, concert series, as well as season residencies and extensive tours with some of the world’s most venerated ensembles and conductors. Season highlights include Yuja’s year-long “Artist Spotlight” at the Barbican Centre, where she curates and performs in four distinct events: the first London performance of John Adams’ newest piano concerto (premiered by her in Spring 2019) titled “Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes?” with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Maestro Gustavo Dudamel, which they take to Boston and New York City; recitals featuring cellist Gautier Capuçon and clarinetist Andreas Ottensamer; and she concludes the residency with a solo recital.

In autumn of 2019, she tours China with the Wiener Philharmoniker, presenting concerts in Macao, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Wuhan. The beginning of 2020 sees Yuja and Gautier Capuçon reuniting for a recital tour featuring eleven dates presented in Europe’s premiere venues, including the Philharmonie de Paris and the Wiener Konzerthaus. She then embarks on an extensive solo recital tour, appearing in renowned concert halls throughout North America and Europe, including Carnegie Hall, Davies Symphony Hall, and the Het Concertgebouw, running from February to April.

Additionally, Ms. Wang will be the featured soloist with some of the leading orchestras of North America, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Andris Nelsons; the Toronto Symphony, conducted by Gustavo Gimeno; the San Francisco Symphony, led by Michael Tilson Thomas; and the Philadelphia Orchestra, under the musical direction of Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

Yuja Wang was born into a musical family in Beijing. After childhood piano studies in China, she received advanced training in Canada and at Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music under Gary Graffman. Her international breakthrough came in 2007 when she replaced Martha Argerich as soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Two years later, she signed an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon and has since established her place among the world’s leading artists, with a succession of critically acclaimed performances and recordings.

Yuja was named Musical America’s Artist of the Year in 2017.

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