This concert was recorded live from the Cologne Philharmonic during the Music Triennale. Charismatic maestro Simon Rattle led the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra to international acclaim during his years as the orchestra's Principal Conductor and Music Director, 1980-98, and still maintains a close association with the orchestra. A passionate champion of twentieth century music, Rattle conducts the CBSO in a program comprised of Hans Werner Henze's A Tempest (Rounds for the Orchestra), Simon Holt's Sunrise' Yellow Noise with soloist Lisa Milne (soprano), and Messiaen's Eclairs sur l'Au-dela.

Sir Simon Rattle has always been an unabashed champion of contemporary music, and the three works on the program of this 2000 concert that Sir Simon conducted with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra were all composed in the 1990s. Hans Werner Henze's brief opener, "A Tempest (Rounds for the Orchestra)," is given a brilliant account by Rattle and company; likewise Simon Holt's "Sunrise' Yellow Noise," a setting of an Emily Dickinson poem, which is sung with piercing clarity by soprano Lisa Milne. Finally, Olivier Messiaen's epic--and last--orchestral work, "Illuminations of the Beyond," has rarely sounded so luminous and, yes, heavenly for its hour. Included is a brief interview snippet with Simon Holt, and a 20-minute interview with Sir Simon, who talks engagingly and with authority about the widely diverse music of the three composers on the program. --Kevin Filipski