9’30”

Music by Philip Glass.
Commissioned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association for Riccardo Muti, generously funded by the Helen Zell Commissioning Program.
Published by Dunvagen Music Publishers.

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September 28-30, 2023 at Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center, Chicago, IL

In February 2022 I traveled to Chicago for performances of my Symphony No. 11. It was a thrill to hear this great orchestra and conductor in the hall where I would visit as a student in the early 1950s. After those performances, we began conversations about writing a new piece specifically for this orchestra with the initial idea to create an “Adagio for Muti.” The final title of the work came from a suggestion from Maestro Ricardo Muti about Castel del Monte, a thirteenth-century castle in southeastern Italy. The mystery of this ancient place and the uniqueness of its geometric proportions, specifically its eight octagonal towers, was an interesting catalyst; while I have written music about people, places, events, and cultures, I cannot recall ever composing a piece about a building.
What became clear was that I was not writing a piece about Castel del Monte per se, but rather about one’s imagination when we consider such a place. I dedicate this work to Maestro Muti, in honor of his many successes as conductor of the CSO and important contributions to the world of music.
– Philip Glass, 2023

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