Even more John Adams

[James McFadyen]

Being a big John Adams fan, like a lot of people on tMP, What's your fav John Adams piece.

I think for me, at the moment I would say Lollapalooza.

Although The Chairman Dances, Short Ride in a Fast Machine and bits of Shaker Loops all come a close second!

And On the Transmigration of Souls was gobsmakingly fantastic, although probably not to everyones taste!

For those of you who know nothing John Adams and his music, shame on you! Go get some, this is one of the most performed composers in America and he is a genius in Orchestral Minamilist!

 

[BigHorn]

Don't know much about his music but I do like Tromba Lontana.
It was performed at the Last Night of the Proms a few years ago.
Really effective use of 2 trumpets either side of the stage echoing each other.
If his other stuff is as good I must definitely make a point of listening to some more of his music.

 

[James McFadyen]

Yeah Tromba Lontana is a great piece as well!

I would suggect getting some more of his music! Most definetly! One of his characteristics in his compositional style is the emphasis of down-beat, it gives his music that kinda relentless foot-tapping feel!

His conducting style refelcts this as well! :lol:

 

[TheMusicMan]

... forget the name of the piece, but it has a fantastic percussion player tapping out a perfect beat on a woodblocl - all behind some rather interesting brass syncopated sounds... great piece.

 

[James McFadyen]

Short Ride in a Fast Machine - The Woodblock relentlessly hammers out from start to finish! Superb piece of music and probably his most well-known, absolute class orchestration as well.

 

[TheMusicMan]

The Woodblock relentlessly hammers out from start to finish!

... and with perfect accuracy as well... not even 100th secound out all through the piece in the recording I have. Quite impressive.

 

[James McFadyen]

Yeah, same with my recording, the wodblock part was one of the most prominent parts in that piece and like you said the syncopated brass is brilliant, it jolts the rythm nicely!

 

[Naomi McFadyen]

Love John Adams... The pieces that have been mentioned already are big favourites, especially Short Ride in a Fast Machine...
I thank Peter Graham for introducing John Adams' music to me

 

[James McFadyen]

If he ever writes for the Brass Band, us traditional Brass Band composers are done for! :wink: :wink:

 

[Naomi McFadyen]

:lol:

that could be questionalble... I mean, he writes some pretty 'modern' stuff... most of it is just rhythmic based... but then!, when you get pieces like "Prague" that a lot of people didn't like (apart from me and a small minority I spoke to) then the same thing with John Adams' music may happen... Who knows... That's another thread! ;-)

 

[James McFadyen]

I think if he were to write for Brass Band, it would probably have to be for champ. section! :wink: