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

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

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nathanb

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on October 07, 2016, 04:56:33 AM
Well, and Reich/Adams/Glass isn't really minimalism, is it? Feldman—now that's minimalism.

All the repeat signs and all the busy-ness, minimalist? Lazyist, maybe  0:)

Minimal means versus minimal ends

Considering 20th century style is so often defined by means rather than ends ("serialism", "spectralism", "indeterminacy"), yes, the minimal means of Reich/Adams/Glass qualifies moreso than the elaborate interwoven asymmetries of Feldman's "minimal ends" (see also Klaus Lang, Jakob Ullmann, Jurg Frey, Antoine Beuger, Michael Pisaro, Francisco Lopez, etc...).

Karl Henning

Quote from: nathanb on October 07, 2016, 10:07:46 AM
Minimal means versus minimal ends

Considering 20th century style is so often defined by means rather than ends ("serialism", "spectralism", "indeterminacy"), yes, the minimal means of Reich/Adams/Glass qualifies moreso than the elaborate interwoven asymmetries of Feldman's "minimal ends" (see also Klaus Lang, Jakob Ullmann, Jurg Frey, Antoine Beuger, Michael Pisaro, Francisco Lopez, etc...).

Good answer;  though, really, I was only jesting.  (It was not any infinite jest.)
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Reckoner

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on October 07, 2016, 10:11:40 AM
Good answer;  though, really, I was only jesting.  (It was not any infinite jest.)

You could call it an absolute jest.   ;)

Karl Henning

I guess I pivoted to Hamlet there.  It was not to be.  Or to be.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

nathanb

Quote from: Reckoner on October 07, 2016, 11:44:40 AM
You could call it an absolute jest.   ;)

You should call a doctor if your erection lasts more than four hours.

Reckoner

#185
 ;D

Archaic Torso of Apollo

Last night at Ravinia:

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Kent Nagano, conductor
Nikolai Lugansky, pianist
John Adams: Harmonielehre
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 ("Emperor")

This was actually my second time hearing Harmonielehre live, as well as my second time hearing Nagano live. It was a very driven, big-sounding, "industrial" performance, perfect for an outdoor festival where the orchestra has to compete with the cicadas and the occasional rumbling of trains. Audience loved it as far as I could tell.

During intermission, I bought this year's Ravinia poster (one of their prettiest ever!) to fill a space on my wall.

The Beethoven was predictably good, but I overdosed on the "Emperor" long ago.
formerly VELIMIR (before that, Spitvalve)

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

Senta

Aside from the last post this thread has been dead since October! :o Time to change that!

Adams has been tweeting about finishing his new opera, which premieres this fall at San Francisco Opera - Girls of the Golden West

Sounds..interesting? Anyone planning to go? Perhaps I'll get a chance in 2018-19, I see Dallas Opera is a co-commissioner.

In January finally got to see Nixon in China at HGO, one more work to cross off the list ;) It was excellent!

In early spring literally every concert I attended featured a John Adams piece, in celebration of his birthday - heard Sax Concerto and Doctor Atomic in Houston, and Scheherazade.2 and Slonimsky's Earbox in Chicago.

Doctor Atomic really is fabulous, isn't it...god I love that opera!! Works very well in the condensed symphony form too. "Knock, Breathe, Shine" is still so incredibly beautiful and just gets me every time (whether vocal, or trumpet).

And I was so very excited to get to hear Slonimsky's Earbox! Amazing, amazing piece. Just awesome to hear live. So much crazy, magical goodness in just 13 minutes.

The two new concertos -

Well, I quite enjoy Scheherazade.2! Seeing Leila Josefowicz slay it live made me fall for it even more, definitely growing on me with each listen. I love all the exotic color and drama, though it feels overlong somehow.

I wish there were good video somewhere of Leila playing this because she totally lights it on fire, feeling every note and completely taking on the Scheherazade character - spellbinding! Seriously one of the most thrilling solo performances I've ever seen.

The Saxophone Concerto - I was honestly kind of surprised when it came out, because I felt like he just did a Sax Concerto basically in City Noir (which I very much like, especially the sax part) - so I can't help but compare them due to that, and City Noir still comes out on top for me.

I mean, sax is my instrument, maybe I'm being picky - it's indeed a super fun concerto, clever writing, fiendishly hard, but I guess I wanted more of what was in Noir - longer lines and more tunes, less noodles. Just expected something different perhaps.

I would also agree I generally love and adore his earlier works more than later, although I haven't even heard some of his more recent vocal works yet as I'm more drawn to the orchestral stuff.

Actually think I'm about to listen to the BBC Proms performance that just happened today - Naive and Sentimental Music with Salonen/Philharmonia, some of Adams at his best for sure.

Karl Henning

Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Karl Henning

Quote from: Archaic Torso of Apollo on July 26, 2017, 11:56:38 AM
Last night at Ravinia:

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Kent Nagano, conductor
Nikolai Lugansky, pianist
John Adams: Harmonielehre
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 ("Emperor")

This was actually my second time hearing Harmonielehre live, as well as my second time hearing Nagano live. It was a very driven, big-sounding, "industrial" performance, perfect for an outdoor festival where the orchestra has to compete with the cicadas and the occasional rumbling of trains. Audience loved it as far as I could tell.

During intermission, I bought this year's Ravinia poster (one of their prettiest ever!) to fill a space on my wall.

The Beethoven was predictably good, but I overdosed on the "Emperor" long ago.

I've been meaning to revisit Harmonielehre.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Catison

Quote from: edward on October 28, 2014, 04:50:07 AM
I have that disc... sitting in a box somewhere.

Anyway, for those who are interested, the original, four-movement Doctor Atomic Symphony, with the LSO conducted by the composer:

https://mega.co.nz/#!DIoAkb7b!OIpGvglMiZZ2DSb7hHgs3N83kC2dNhTjEOmHzIoxWl8

Any chance you still have this recording?
-Brett

Brian

Just had a nice 30ish minute phone conversation with Mr. Adams. He's conducting the LA Philharmonic this week, but coming to Dallas soon, so this was a preview chat for the Dallas concert. He hung up with the single best excuse I've ever heard: "I have to go, I see Philip Glass just sent me two emails with changes to the score, and our rehearsal is in 90 minutes."

kyjo

Quote from: Brian on January 10, 2019, 07:56:28 AM
Just had a nice 30ish minute phone conversation with Mr. Adams. He's conducting the LA Philharmonic this week, but coming to Dallas soon, so this was a preview chat for the Dallas concert. He hung up with the single best excuse I've ever heard: "I have to go, I see Philip Glass just sent me two emails with changes to the score, and our rehearsal is in 90 minutes."

Ha! ;D
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

Brian

Here's my full interview with John Adams - very little is about his own music and there are no "scoops" there, because we mostly talked about the state of the classical composing industry in general and how he sees the younger generation of music writers.

vers la flamme

Listening to Shaker Loops on New Albion and really enjoying it, the quiet, shimmering slow movement (I think? on this disc the work is in one track) is something else. 



This is my first exposure to any Adams, though I understand he is a preeminent American composer. What are some other good works (or better, good recordings) that are somewhat accessible to a newcomer to his music...?

Anyone else been listening to Adams lately?

Maestro267

I picked up my first disc of Adams' music last autumn. The main item is Harmonielehre, a symphony in all but name. 43 minutes, for large orchestra. I really enjoyed it.

vers la flamme

Quote from: Maestro267 on March 11, 2020, 05:31:32 AM
I picked up my first disc of Adams' music last autumn. The main item is Harmonielehre, a symphony in all but name. 43 minutes, for large orchestra. I really enjoyed it.

I think I'm going to get the Rattle/CBSO recording of this work. I didn't realize it was symphonic in any way, but I have not heard it all.

Mirror Image

#197
Quote from: vers la flamme on March 11, 2020, 08:46:24 AM
I think I'm going to get the Rattle/CBSO recording of this work. I didn't realize it was symphonic in any way, but I have not heard it all.

I'd shell out some more money and get the MTT recording. Granted, it doesn't have The Chairman Dances or Tromba Lontana, but what it lacks in playing time, it makes up for in superb playing. For me, this is the best Harmonielehre on record. This recording even surpasses the Edo de Waart recording (the premiere recording of this work) on Nonesuch and that's saying a lot as this was my favorite performance prior to hearing the MTT. I'm not a huge Adams fan but I seem to recall favorites being, besides Harmonielehre, Naive and Sentimental Music, The Dharma at Big Sur, Gnarly Buttons, Harmonium, and The Chairman Dances from "Nixon in China".

vers la flamme

Quote from: Mirror Image on March 11, 2020, 09:05:50 AM
I'd shell out some more money and get the MTT recording. Granted, it doesn't have The Chairman Dances or Tromba Lontana, but what it lacks in playing time, it makes up for in superb playing. For me, this is the best Harmonielehre on record. This recording even surpasses the Edo de Waart recording (the premiere recording of this work) on Nonesuch and that's saying a lot as this was my favorite performance prior to hearing the MTT. I'm not a huge Adams fan but I seem to recall favorites being, besides Harmonielehre, Naive and Sentimental Music, The Dharma at Big Sur, Gnarly Buttons, Harmonium, and The Chairman Dances from "Nixon in China".

I'll sample it, though I must admit I've never been impressed with any recording I've heard of MTT's. It's not too big a price difference in any case, so if I do enjoy it that much more than the other, I'm sure it'd be worth it. We'll see. Thanks for the rec.

Mirror Image

Quote from: vers la flamme on March 11, 2020, 09:27:32 AM
I'll sample it, though I must admit I've never been impressed with any recording I've heard of MTT's. It's not too big a price difference in any case, so if I do enjoy it that much more than the other, I'm sure it'd be worth it. We'll see. Thanks for the rec.

I thought you liked his Janáček recording?