The contents of this
CD are listed above in the order in
which they appear on the disc. I don’t
know if the ordering is deliberate.
However, I found it particularly rewarding
to listen to the music in chronological
order. I’ve long admired John Adams
as one of the most interesting and stimulating,
yet accessible, of modern composers.
However, to date I’ve only been acquainted
with his larger-scale orchestral and
operatic works. The arrival of this
CD was an opportunity to explore a side
of his output that was new to me.
Adams himself contributes
a lively liner note from which I will
draw without apology in this review
(why not let the composer speak for
himself?) He says that Phrygian Gates
"probably holds the position of
"opus one" among [his] mature
compositions." Like the smaller
scale China Gates it was created
during a period when Adams lived close
to the sea and was fascinated by wave
behaviour. The regular yet irregular
rhythms of the tides clearly inspired
him and, as he says, "…the regularity
and infinitely modulated variety of
wave motions on the sea surface got
me to thinking about the nature of sound,
which itself reaches our ears via very
similar wave motion." I suppose
both these pieces might be described
as Minimalist (or at least they owe
much to the techniques of minimalism,
I think) but, as ever Adams is his own
man.
Phrygian Gates is
in three parts, the first of which comprises
more than half the total length of the
work. I found the constantly changing
rhythmic patterns absolutely fascinating
and intriguing. This aspect of the music
must present a formidable challenge
to performers but seems to present no
difficulties to Rolf Hind who sustains
momentum and interest brilliantly. But
there’s much more to this music than
"mere" rhythmic cleverness.
There are frequent changes of mood as
well and these, as much as the rhythmic
variety, create rewarding tensions.
In the short second movement slow, weighty
chords predominate before the music
runs without a pause into the third
movement. This consists of relentlessly
busy, uneasy music projected with drive
and panache by Hinds. I found Phrygian
Gates to be a piece of great
interest. Its contemporaneous companion,
China Gates is a gentle study
dominated by quavers, which Adams says
was suggested by rainfall. It’s deceptively
simple (but clearly isn’t) and very
soothing and beguiling.
Road Movies is
described by its composer as "travel
music". The middle movement, entitled,
‘Meditative’, offers "almost motionless
contemplation". Thus Adams provides
much-needed contrast with the two flanking
movements which are much busier. The
first movement, ‘Relaxed Groove’, is
underpinned by incessant piano figurations,
over which the violinist plays (and
plays with) melodic fragments. It’s
the last movement, however, that really
gets the pulse racing ‘40% Swing’ is
"a perpetual motion machine with
echoes of jazz and bluegrass",
according to Adams. I’d call it the
musical equivalent of driving in the
fast lane. It’s a furious perpetuum
mobile. It’s exhilarating and had
this listener somewhat out of breath.
It must be exhausting to play but the
performers here are tireless advocates.
Many of Adam’s pieces
have quirky titles and Hallelujah
Junction is no exception. In fact
the title came first for the piece is
named after a truck stop on the border
between California and Nevada. Adams
disarmingly says that "it was a
case of a good title needing a piece,
so I obliged by composing this work
for two pianos." The possibilities
of sonorities and rhythmic interplay
between two pianos are excitingly explored
in this three-movement work. Adams describes
in more detail than is possible to discuss
here how he uses the syllables in the
word "Hallelujah" to give
rhythmic impetus to the music. The whole
work is full of variety and interest
and is stunningly well played. The furious
finale is especially exhilarating. As
it proceeds the tempo is gradually ratcheted
up and the rhythms become ever more
complex until, as the end approaches,
we hear "the by-now crazed pianists,
in extremis of full-tilt boogie."
Adams’ memorable phrase most aptly describes
the closing pages as you’ll discover
if you hear this disc.
The most recent work
on the disc is American Berserk,
written for Garrick Ohlsson. As
the title suggests this is the most
forceful and driven music in the collection.
To my ears it’s also the darkest in
tone. Adams describes it as "a
fast, fractured study of what could
be called "indigenous" rhythms."
I’m bound to say that I found it harder
to "get into" than the other
pieces on the disc and I’m still far
from sure I understand it. It’s a short
but highly demanding pianistic tour
de force that Nicholas Hodges dispatches
with astonishing virtuosity.
But all the performances
on this disc display great virtuosity.
All the works, even when they sound
simple, must make huge demands of technique
and concentration on the performers.
As far as I could judge without access
to scores all the technical demands
are more than met here. The recorded
sound is excellent and Adams’ notes
are entertaining and interesting – just
like the music they describe.
This is a fascinating
disc and all credit to Nonesuch for
continuing their long championship of
John Adams’ music by releasing it. Those
collectors who find him, as I do, one
of the most interesting musical voices
around will surely want to add this
disc to their collection. Recommended
with enthusiasm.
John Quinn
* Leila Josefowicz (violin); John Novacek
(piano)