Maybe it's just because I'm shit at playing this piece on violin, but I think he's right: I like this piece on mandolin more. We're keeping the G minor fugue, though, Chris.
Does it have to be a breakthrough, ground-shattering achievement in order to pass your elitism litmus test? It's his first foray into full orchestration. It's not like... revelatory, but I mostly enjoyed it.
he has a bad sense of pitch in my opinion and the orchestration is awful. it's just dreadful sounding. I'm not offended by exotic intervals, but Thile doesn't know how to pick them. A series of bad decisions. having great mandolin chops doesn't give you a license to write a terrible concerto for yourself.
Thanks for posting this! I was at the concert and it was AMAZING!! BTW do you have the other part of the encore where he plays Radiohead's The Tourist? That would make reliving the concert complete :)