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It's one of the most talked-about new scores of recent years. And there's absolutely nothing minimal about John Adams's City Noir, a sassy, bluesy symphony of Los Angeles, inspired by classic movies and scored for a Mahler-size orchestra. This is music that demands to be heard, and Donald Runnicles has set it alongside the dazzling brightness of Beethoven's headlong Fourth Symphony and the ominous twilight of Shostakovich's tormented First Violin Concerto, performed here by James Ehnes - whose "indelible, intellectually gripping" Shostakovich performances have left critics reeling. Three masterworks from three centuries, each speaking to the other - and, more importantly, to us: right here and right now.

Prelude: 6.45pm in the Recital Room (free to ticket-holders, limited seating availabilty)
Violinist James Ehnes in conversation with ´óÏó´«Ã½ SSO violinist Alex Gascoine.

Post-Concert Coda (approximately 10 minutes after the main concert)
(added 13/12/13) In a change to the originally advertised programme, James Ehnes played three movements (Preludio; Gavotte en rondeau; Gigue) from the Partita No.3, BWV1006 for solo violin by JS Bach - and the Largo from the Sonata No.3, BWV1005 for solo violin.

The main concert will be broadcast live on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 3, presented by Jamie MacDougall.