Adams' Apple-Cart (John Coolidge, that is!)

Started by Greta, November 13, 2007, 01:13:07 PM

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Benji

And the Harmonilehre live recording too....

It seems the website I obtained the recording from has removed the files, so i've split my file into 3 bits and uploaded it so you can listen, if you want to:

John Adams - Harmonielehre (San Franciso Symphony - Michael Tilson Thomas (Live) - Part I
John Adams - Harmonielehre (San Franciso Symphony - Michael Tilson Thomas (Live) - Part II
John Adams - Harmonielehre (San Franciso Symphony - Michael Tilson Thomas (Live) - Part III

It's a brilliant performance of what is, IMHO, a masterpiece. I hope MTT will see his way to making a studio recording at some point, with the same orchestra. I would definitely be asking Santa for that. 


(It is an old webcast recording so as long as you don't expect CD quality you won't be disappointed!)

Joe Barron

I actually don't like Adams very much, but I have to say: I heard his new piece, City Noir on the car radio last night and was rather taken with it. either his recent music is different from his earlier music, or the idiom is growing on e. Either way, it was an attractive piece, though a bit of a mishmash, as much postmodern music seems to be. Granted, the reception wasn't great and the volume was down, but I could see myself listening to it again.

bhodges

Next Wednesday on Great Performances, PBS is showing Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic in their opening night concert taped at Disney Hall, with City Noir and Mahler's First Symphony.  While I haven't heard any of it yet, I've already spoken with several people who were there, and they were pretty unanimous in their praise.  And none of these people are Adams fans, but they liked his piece quite a bit.

--Bruce

Archaic Torso of Apollo

Quote from: bhodges on October 16, 2009, 01:04:22 PM
Next Wednesday on Great Performances, PBS is showing Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic in their opening night concert taped at Disney Hall, with City Noir and Mahler's First Symphony.  While I haven't heard any of it yet, I've already spoken with several people who were there, and they were pretty unanimous in their praise.  And none of these people are Adams fans, but they liked his piece quite a bit.

I too am interested in hearing this piece. I haven't paid close attention to anything by Adams since Naive and Sentimental Music, which is about 10 years old, so I have no idea how his sound-world has evolved since then. What does City Noir sound like?
formerly VELIMIR (before that, Spitvalve)

"Who knows not strict counterpoint, lives and dies an ignoramus" - CPE Bach

Guido

Hopefully this will turn up on youtube. I am also really very keen to hear his new string quartet.
Geologist.

The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

UB

Quote from: Guido on October 19, 2009, 06:26:55 AM
Hopefully this will turn up on youtube. I am also really very keen to hear his new string quartet.

You can listen to about 2/3 of the premiere of this work - that is the whole first movement - here. Unfortunately CBC duplicated one of the Ravel movements so Adams' comments is at the 1st movement link, the first movement is at the 2nd movement link, and there is no link for the second movement. I have written to them about the problem and hopefully they will fix it in the near future.
I am not in the entertainment business. Harrison Birtwistle 2010

Guido

Geologist.

The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

UB

They have repaired the links - 2nd movement is lots of fun. BTW - the Ravel SQ is excellent.
I am not in the entertainment business. Harrison Birtwistle 2010

Catison

Quote from: UB on October 28, 2009, 08:38:21 AM
They have repaired the links - 2nd movement is lots of fun. BTW - the Ravel SQ is excellent.

Listening now.  This is cool!  Thanks!
-Brett

UB

I could not see where it is mentioned that not to long ago Adams started a blog on his website. Some of the posts give insights into his music and composing.

Hell Mouth
I am not in the entertainment business. Harrison Birtwistle 2010

Mirror Image

#30
Pitiful that this great composer only has two pages of posts. What a shame.

Lately, I've been getting back into John Adams' music as I have also been getting back into Minimalism gradually over a period of time. My favorite Minimalists are Part, Adams, and Reich. I'm less impressed with Glass, Nyman, Terry Riley, etc. The first Adams work I heard was Harmonielehre, Short Ride In A Fast Machine, and The Chairman Dances. All of these works that I heard were on the same recording with Simon Rattle/CBSO. A great disc and introduction to this composer if you haven't already heard it. I bought 6 more recordings in hopes that I will continue to gain a better understanding and appreciation of his music.

I'm hoping in the next couple of months to also buy a recording of some of his operas most importantly Nixon In China, which from what I've read is a masterpiece of late 20th Century opera. I'm also hoping to pickup The Transmigration of Souls at some point as well.

Archaic Torso of Apollo

Quote from: Mirror Image on November 01, 2010, 08:34:28 PM
The first Adams work I heard was Harmonielehre, Short Ride In A Fast Machine, and The Chairman Dances. All of these works that I heard were on the same recording with Simon Rattle/CBSO. A great disc and introduction to this composer if you haven't already heard it.

Yeah, that was my first Adams disc too. Still my favorite. I find Adams rather uneven - but those of his works that I like, I like a lot.
formerly VELIMIR (before that, Spitvalve)

"Who knows not strict counterpoint, lives and dies an ignoramus" - CPE Bach

karlhenning

Quote from: Velimir on November 02, 2010, 02:18:30 AM
. . . I find Adams rather uneven . . . .

Ditto. I still haven't heard anything of his which has impressed me better than Shaker Loops.

Mirror Image

Quote from: Velimir on November 02, 2010, 02:18:30 AM
Yeah, that was my first Adams disc too. Still my favorite. I find Adams rather uneven - but those of his works that I like, I like a lot.

Yes, Adams is definitely uneven. In fact, of his newer works (2000-2010), I have found that I only like The Dharma of Big Sur so far. I find this work quite refreshing and inspired.

Benji

Quote from: Mirror Image on November 02, 2010, 08:04:55 AM

Yes, Adams is definitely uneven. In fact, of his newer works (2000-2010), I have found that I only like The Dharma of Big Sur so far. I find this work quite refreshing and inspired.

Absolutely - that concerto is wonderful, one of my very favourite pieces from the last few years. I think about that and Lindberg's clarinet concerto and they make me warm and fuzzy inside at the thought that fantastic, soulful music is still being created within the realm of 'classical' music. 

My only nitpick is that the recording available, with the BBCSO and John Adams, doesn't have the same impact or excitement that the live premier (with the LA Phil and Salonen) had. I have a download of the webcast from that night and it is....electric  ;)  If anyone wants to hear it I'll try to upload it somewhere for you to d/l, just pm me.

I suppose the other thing is that the piece seems so specific to Tracy Silverman that I wonder if it will ever get the performances to guarantee it the concert hall success it deserves. I'd love to hear if anyone has seen it on a concert program without Silverman playing it.

Mirror Image

Quote from: Benji on November 02, 2010, 08:13:23 AM
Absolutely - that concerto is wonderful, one of my very favourite pieces from the last few years. I think about that and Lindberg's clarinet concerto and they make me warm and fuzzy inside at the thought that fantastic, soulful music is still being created within the realm of 'classical' music. 

My only nitpick is that the recording available, with the BBCSO and John Adams, doesn't have the same impact or excitement that the live premier (with the LA Phil and Salonen) had. I have a download of the webcast from that night and it is....electric  ;)  If anyone wants to hear it I'll try to upload it somewhere for you to d/l, just pm me.

I suppose the other thing is that the piece seems so specific to Tracy Silverman that I wonder if it will ever get the performances to guarantee it the concert hall success it deserves. I'd love to hear if anyone has seen it on a concert program without Silverman playing it.

I think the piece is wonderful and I thought the recording was great, but I'm sure seeing it live in the concert hall is whole other experience altogether. If I'm not mistaken, I heard Leila Josefowicz performed this work live, but there's not a recording of it.

PaulThomas

Great to see a John Adams thread!

I am listening to Harmonium as I type!

Yesterday I booked for Nixon in China at the Met next February -conducted by the man himself -v.v. excited.

Has anyone heard the new Naxos recording of Nixon, how does it compare to the Edo De Waart version?

My favourite Adams piece is undoubtedly Hallelujah Junction, an absolutely inspired piece for 2 pianos, this recording is stunning


Archaic Torso of Apollo

Quote from: PaulThomas on November 02, 2010, 02:12:58 PM
My favourite Adams piece is undoubtedly Hallelujah Junction, an absolutely inspired piece for 2 pianos,

Speaking of which, has anyone heard the Naxos recording of the piano music?:

http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=10786
formerly VELIMIR (before that, Spitvalve)

"Who knows not strict counterpoint, lives and dies an ignoramus" - CPE Bach

Luke

I have it....erm, I can't say I've listened to it yet! Mack Macray's old recording of Phrygian Gates does me very well indeed, and the other pieces have never struck me as forcefully as that one. But I must give it a spin...

madaboutmahler

Why is there so little appreciation for Adams here on GMG?

Harmonielehre is one of my favourite works. Listening to it now in fact, mainly to get me even more excited about the new release of the piece from the SFO/MTT. Anyone else as excited? Will hopefully get some more excitement here, more so than I got on the 'New Releases' thread at least! ;)
[asin]B0074B2MV8[/asin]

Such an amazing piece! Certainly very inspiring for my own music also. Lets raise Adams' popularity here on GMG! :D
"Music is ... A higher revelation than all Wisdom & Philosophy"
— Ludwig van Beethoven