Robin Holloway's brief illustrative list of composers who populate the ‘continuing or reconstructed mainstream’ begins in Britain, with ‘Tippett and Britten, hence Maw and both Matthewses’ and ends with the broader international sweep of ‘Takemitsu, Knussen and Lieberson (stemming equally from serialism à la Berg and à la late Stravinsky); hence Lindberg, Benjamin, Turnage, Anderson, Adès and all’. Whilst these groupings, which position David Matthews and Thomas Adès towards opposing ends of the continuum, might be inadvertent, the premieres of their latest works, given over consecutive (and swelteringly hot) nights in July, would appear to strengthen such a polarity.