Search - Adams, Ensemble Modern :: Music of John Adams

Exceptional Performances

peter-from-la | Los Angeles and Chicago | 12/09/1998

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I've been listening to Adams' music since 1981 or so, when I purchased an LP recording of his Shaker Loops coupled with Phrygian Gates, on 1750 Arch Records. Now come these new performances of those two works along with a more recent work, Chamber Symphony. When Adams first appeared, he was hailed by many for reconciling minimalism with a more traditionally dramaturgical approach to composition. Little did we foresee that he would go to cartoons and Schoenberg for further inspiration, as he does in Chamber Symphony, but guess what? It works. The piece is quite brilliant and demands amazing virtuosity by its performers, which the Ensemble pulls off seemingly without effort. In fact, this performance is more assured and dramatic than the reading conducted by the composer himself, on Nonesuch. As for the Shaker Loops comparisons, this record presents the chamber music version (this one is for string septet, as opposed to being for string orchestra). I have always preferred this, original version, and it beats out the competition, the recording that was originally on 1750 Arch records, but is now available on New Albion. The Phrygian Gates is wonderful, but I wouldn't be without the version by Gloria Cheng-Cochran, who gives the work a more sonorous cast."

Great intro to John Adams and the Ensemble Modern

Jeffrey Osier | 10/14/1998

(4 out of 5 stars)

"In April of 1996 I saw the Ensemble Modern at Orchestra Hall in Chicago. The conductor was John Adams, and the program included his own works, as well as those of Edgar Varese, Frank Zappa, and Conlon Nancarrow. "Chamber Symphony," the three movement work that closes this CD, was one of the few things they played that night that I'd never heard, and I have to say their performance was an absolute knockout. I believe the Chamber Symphony is the finest work of Adams' career, and one of the best pieces of American music in years. The third movement in particular is incredibly exciting, and a great example of how entertaining a piece of atonal music can be. It owes as much to Carl Stalling (composer for the classic Looney Tunes cartoons) as it does to Schoenberg.I know of one other available version of this work, performed by the London Sinfonietta and conducted by Adams himself. While that's a good CD, I'd recommend this one instead, partly because the Ensemble Modern is such a fantastic band, and also because I think the overall program here is more varied and interesting. Shaker Loops is a piece for string septet and Phrygian Gates is a piano sonata, and they are quite nice. Incidently, if you enjoy this CD I recommend you check out not only other works by Adams but also other recordings by Ensemble Modern: "Yellow Shark," their all-Frank Zappa program, and "Studies," their CD of Conlon Nancarrow pieces."