April 24, 2005, Edward M. Pickman Hall, Longy School of Music, Cambridge, MA, USA
Review by David Cleary
The Violin Concerto (2004) is one of Andrew List’s finest compositions. Like the McDonald, it relies on structures both nonstandard and telling as well as a deftly elucidated sound world that is scalar yet non-triadic. Motivically, the music is as tight as a weight-lifter’s muscles. Scoring is vibrant and instrumental writing idiomatic. And the work unfolds in a manner both logical and inventive. In short, it’s a terrific entry well worth revisiting.