A serious Beethoven in John Adams' latest 'Absolute Jest'

We never need to go far for a little -- or a lot -- of Beethoven in our concert halls. The Los Angeles Philharmonic (with help from the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela) wasn't kidding when it began its season last year with Gustavo Dudamel conducting all nine Beethoven symphonies by calling the festival "Immortal Beethoven." Last weekend, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra opened its season with Beethoven's Seventh. Next week, Esa-Pekka Salonen begins a West Coast tour with his London orchestra, the Philharmonia, playing Beethoven's "Eroica" in Costa Mesa, Northridge and Santa Barbara. Thursday night, the L.A. Phil did it again, opening another season with a Beethoven program at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the orchestra living up to its venturesome reputation by including John Adams in its definition of Beethoven.