This 1997 collection showcases the avant-garde of Central European composition through the young Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra and masterful direction of Claudio Abbado. The program spans post-war high modernism: Dallapiccola's serene Piccola Musica Notturna, Xenakis's densely textured Keqrops, Henze's Mänadenjagd, and Perezzani's Primavera dell'anima. These aren't works that sit comfortably in concert halls, but they represent essential developments in 20th-century orchestration and harmony. Abbado coaxes remarkable discipline and clarity from this young orchestra, letting each composer's vision come through without compromise. If you're interested in serious classical avant-garde—music that challenges rather than comforts—this captures a moment when European composers were collectively reimagining orchestral expression.