I heard this piece for the first time today. I thought it was very interesting. There are parts that sound very minimalistic, yet it isn't strict minimalism in that Adams changes things in the piece more often. On top of that a bunch of different styles are in there. I think i heard parts that sounded similar to the Ravel G concerto.
Pretty interesting work. Have you guys heard this?

Who was the soloist? I heard Orli Shaham play it with David Robertson (her husband) conducting and I liked it. The last movement was especially fun.

Not do derail the topic, but what did you think of her playing Brendan? Did anything strike you as being particularly good or bad?

I'm seeing her play with Gil Shaham in February, and I'm curious to know what you thought.

- Silence

(For the record, I love Phrygian Gates. )

'phrygian gates' is a great piece.
the one time i heard 'century rolls' i thought it was an introduction with no follow-through.
'eros piano', on the other hand (his other piece for piano and orchestra) is really good; heavy bill evans influence, lways a good thing, in my book.

I listened to the Emanuel Ax recording.

I heard Ax play it with the SFS, and have his recording, too. I like it a lot, and yeah, Adams had long abandoned minimalism by the time he wrote it, although he still uses quasi-minimalisitic textures at times.