Customer Rating: 
Summary: A wonderful introduction to the art of John Adams
Comment: For those who have never listened to the American composer John Adams (not the President!), this is a terrific introduction to his art. It contains his "Harmonielehre," "The Chairman Dances," and two fanfares, "Tromba Lontana" and "Short Ride on a Fast Machine." Sir Simon Rattle and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra are in good form with these compositions.
My first introduction to John Adams was while listening to my local NPR station (WITF-FM) 2 or 3 years ago. I was hooked as I listened to the foxtrot for orchestra, "The Chairman Dances." Obviously, this also suggests how isolated I am from contemporary music! Upon hearing this piece, I ordered the CD from Amazon. And I have surely not regretted that purchase.
"The Chairman Dances" is based on Adams' opera, "Nixon in China," but it is a separate composition. This is a wonderfully energetic piece at many points, and well illustrates Adams' Minimalist perspective. Kind of hard to imagine Chairman Mao dancing with such energy during Nixon's visit to China! The liner notes say that: "Adams' score follows this process with striking acuity, especially as the big band tune, placed into a Minimalist environment, evokes a special kind of nostalgia." This piece "livelies one up" at its most energetic. There are also changes of pace in this nearly 13 minute piece, featuring contemplative music as well. The work fades out softly and slowly, evocatively.
There are also two fanfares, one of which is aptly titled "Short Ride on a Fast Machine." A lively, energetic, frenetic piece. This 1986 composition is characteristically an Adams' piece. This was written for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. As the notes say, this ". . .is almost manic in its immediate joyousness. . . ." This is lots of fun and infused with great energy.
The long piece on this CD is Adams' "Harmonielehre." The conductor and orchestra play this well, from the striking opening on. But this review is already getting too long, so I'll close here.
This CD is well worth a listen and provides a nice introduction to the art of John Adams.
Customer Rating:
Summary: His Greatest Work
Comment: John Adams - Harmonielehre · The Chairman Dances · Tromba lontana · Short Ride in a Fast Machine / Sir Simon Rattle
Hormonielehre is truly the composer's greatest orchestral achievement. It all comes together with superb orchestration, a true command of form and a pulse that matches the pace of life. Rattle's performance is superb as well, and the orchestra plays this as if they are playing Brahms, not some random work of modern music. This might well be one of the great orchestral works of our time.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Terrific Big Big music
Comment: Harmonielehre
I heard the St. Louis Symphony womp this puppy out at Carnegie Hall and it's just as great on this CD by Rattle et co. Vast, intricate, sailing, imaginative.
Buy it.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A Must-Have For Lovers of Contemporary Classic Music
Comment: This CD is a collection of some of the greatest pieces of contemporary classical music by one of the world's greatest living classical composers. The works herein are highly accessible in their intense rhythms, explosive energy, and original construction. It's difficult for me to heap enough praise on these works and this CD.
Customer Rating:
Summary: I bought this because it sounded so good on the radio
Comment: I heard The Chairman Dances and went right to Amazon to order this. This ia a lovely little gem of a CD, and it is so pleasing to find John Adams, another great modern American composer. I'm also a fan of composers such as Christopher Rouse, for example, and Joe Leniado Chira is my cousin. Modern composers are a precious resource that we should explore, demand more of and nurture. We afficianados would like to see symphony orchestras and ensembles giving more attention to the modern genre. Meanwhile, John Adams has impressed me with this disc. The Chairman Dances is my favorite. I can just see Chairman Mao doing a vigorous foxtrot to this, and Tricky Dick feeling jealous. This might be the music that opened China to the West.
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