ADÈS AND SONATA FORMS

Abstract Despite an ever-expanding body of literature on Adès's engagement with the music past, his use traditional formal models has attracted little critical comment. That which does exist privileges relatively straightforward surface articulation musical forms over more nuanced accounts. In case sonata forms, this had at least two consequences for our understanding music: first, that too strong emphasis syntactical groupings occludes what is happening discursively in music; and second, ‘textbook’ are not only tradition engage. Rather, sonatas bear traces a rotational model recalls examples Janáček Sibelius. This article considers how can be constituted as neo-classical prefabrications but, posteriori, practice emerges across career – from Chamber Symphony …but all shall well to Piano Quintet Concerto Orchestra interaction between groupings, thematic procedures tonal plots.