Following his magnificent performances in the first three ASO Brahms concerts, Sir Stephen Hough’s Australian premiere of his own piano concerto, of 2023, was eagerly anticipated.

Entitled The World of Yesterday, the concerto grew out of sketches for a score he had been commissioned to write for film that was never completed, and elements of it were intended to characterise aspects of the film’s action.

The resulting concerto is unique and remarkable. The opening of the first movement, Prelude – cadenza, is marked Andante calmo and a soft flute plays a gentle motive, with two harps and the strings then entering. The orchestration builds grandly, like a spinnaker unfurling on a yacht on a sun-drenched sea.

Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Photo © Jack Fenby

After a few minutes, the piano enters for a lengthy cadenza which begins like an exploratory improvisation that might characterise elements of the film but also exudes the sheer pleasure and wonder of playing and generating musical ideas. The cadenza then changes character and becomes moody in a way that evokes a late-night jazz venue.

Thus concludes the first movement, which is unusual in that the orchestra and pianist take...