In the same way that
Ken Russell’s documentary on Elgar became a classic of the genre,
Tony Palmer has made something of a modern day speciality of films
on composers. At the Haunted End of the Day, his acclaimed
portrait of William
Walton and latterly his poignant filmic essay on Malcolm
Arnold - all the more relevant as news of Arnold’s death has
reached me as I write this review - have both been much lauded;
and rightly so.
Sadly by the time
of Palmer’s Arnold tribute the composer’s health had deteriorated
to the point that any active involvement by the composer had
been rendered all but impossible.
John Adams on
the other hand comes across as a very willing and lucid participant
in this ninety-eight minute “intimate portrait” filmed over
the course of a twelve month period in the composer’s busy
schedule. Much of the music was specifically recorded for
the film by the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and
Edo de Waart, a long time close collaborator of the composer.
There are also numerous further contributions from the likes
of Emanuel Ax, Michael Collins, Ernst Kovacic and the London
Sinfonietta.
Although not strictly
chronological, chapters are neatly indexed with the titles
of the works they refer to. Hence it is easy to navigate around
the film in a logical manner, particularly if familiar with
the titles of many of Adams’ best known works.
Despite the wide-ranging
sources of inspiration on which Adams draws, his childhood
in a small town in New England has ensured that his soundworld
is inextricably linked to the American landscape. Utilising
natural American imagery alongside music on film is nothing
new, as those with a liking for Philip Glass will know. But
on a smaller scale Palmer manages to weave a striking web
of images: glowing New England autumnal scenes, raging white
water rapids and strange desert rock formations sit alongside
scenes from 1960s new age rock festivals, the latter as much
a part of Adams’ musical make-up as anything drawn from the
“classical” world.
A good number
of the musicians featured add comment along the way. These
include Edo de Waart, whilst rehearsal sequences feature Kent
Nagano with the Hallé Orchestra in preparation for the premiere
of Slonimsky’s Earbox at the Bridgewater Hall. There’s
also an entertaining one-to-one with Emanuel Ax during early
preparations for the premiere of Century Rolls.
It is the operas
Nixon in China and The Death of Klinghoffer
that benefit from the most telling spoken contributions. This
is largely thanks to stage director Peter Sellers and librettist
Alice Goodman, both of whom provide informed and adroit accounts
of the controversy that surrounded the early performances
of both works. In The Death of Klinghoffer and its
confrontation of the Arab-Israeli conflict in the form of
Leon Klinghoffer’s involvement in a Palestinian hijacking
of a pleasure cruise that finds resonances in the Middle Eastern
issues that still dominate our news fifteen years on from
the opera’s premiere. It was that 1991 premiere, set against
the back drop of the Gulf War that leads Alice Goodman to
comment “we had no idea how much trouble we were asking for”.
Palmer captures the mood with footage of a packed press conference
given in 1991 at which Sellers and the composer are seen being
prodded by a large press contingent and defending the early
performances in the context of the then prevailing situation
in Iraq and Kuwait. It is difficult not to dwell on where
Adams would turn if he were to return to the operatic genre
in today’s ever more complex political climate.
Tony Palmer has
once again produced a masterful film that is a model of its
kind; an absorbing journey through the life and music of a
composer whose work encapsulates American musical language
like few others. If I have a gripe it is in the packaging
of the DVD by Warner Music. A brief introduction on the rear
of the box and no booklet is short thrift these days but don’t
let it put you off. There is a great deal of enjoyment to
be had for those with even the slightest interest in John
Adams or American music generally.
Christopher Thomas
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WARNER MUSIC VISION 50-51011-4857-2
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