John Adams is one of America’s most important musical voices. His work mixes minimalism with imaginative orchestration and jazzy verve – a cosmos full of energy and colour. During the 2016/2017 season, John Adams accompanied the Berliner Philharmoniker as Composer in Residence. Celebrated concerts with famous works and exciting discoveries were to be experienced. They are now available in an exclusive edition on CD and Blu-ray.

In the course of this partnership, John Adams could not only be experienced as a composer, but also as a conductor. In his debut on the podium of the orchestra, an Adams classic was on the programme with the work Harmonielehre, followed by the new “dramatic symphony” Scheherazade.2: a sonorous tightrope walk between Romanticism and Modernism, heard here with violinist Leila Josefowicz as soloist.

Simon Rattle, friend and companion of John Adams for decades, was also not to be missed. Here he conducts the full-length Passion oratorio The Gospel According to the Other Mary, which is dedicated to the fascinating biblical figure of Mary Magdalene with multi-faceted, pulsating music.

Even more conductors can be experienced in this edition: Gustavo Dudamel with the atmospheric night scene City Noir, Alan Gilbert with the furious miniatures Short Ride in a Fast Machine and Lollapalooza, and Kirill Petrenko, who interprets the poignant lament The Wound-Dresser with baritone Georg Nigl.

Not to be forgotten is the lavish décor of the lavishly produced hardcover edition. All recordings are included on CD and as video on Blu-ray, plus there is an extensive accompanying booklet and a documentary film that accompanies John Adams during his time in Berlin. Another highlight is the edition’s artwork, which was designed by the internationally renowned artist Wolfgang Tillmans.