Lego Christian Zeal and Activity by John Adams

[Gunnarr123abc]

We won't know what Adam really meant with this music unless he told us. It could be anything.

Personally I think it is showing how the human voice is music. That's just what popped in my head when I listened to this music, besides the beauty. It makes one appreciate humanity... and even if you don't believe in religion or Jesus, I would think you can agree it is a touching addition.

But as far as we know, he might have just put the voice in for no reason and was bored, and didn't plan a thing!

[themonkthatcamedown]

who is the preacher sampled?

[scottxu]

Some mega-churches should perhaps commission some symphonic works on Christian themes to be done. However I object to using piece of sermon as sampling to be repeated as mantras.

[scottxu]

I was just thinking about who of the living composers would be able to compose symphonic works on each of the great books in the New Testament, and on the Early Church, the Reformation and the Missionary Movements, and I discovered this!

Great.

[VicLabs]

This is a great example of not being able to think outside of ourselves. Those who are critical of religion understand "Christian zeal" to be jihadism and hear the words of this piece as an indictment of the sentimentality of mysticism. Those who believe in a meta, however, might find beauty in the idea of a personal God wanting to be involved in the world, in order to heal and redeem it. This is actually the message of a lot of churches, it's not all westboro baptist.

[HiAdrian]

I think this piece greatly demonstrates the mechanism that has many people drawn to preaching. I'm not religious, but i definitely had brain activity in my reward centers.

[nickperri]

@HiAdrian Word

[TheDavid2222]

as an atheist I thought christian zeal and activity would be a dark foreboding and despairing piece. If I composed a piece that had anything to do with religion it would be entitled THE TRIUMPH OF REASON. I would make sure to dedicate it to Friedrich Nietzsche and saying YES to life

[Patengers]

I'm sorry, but the pictures at the beginning and at the end are more powerful than these words in the middle.

In my opinion they should get more space than the prey.

[theprivateer83]

to our critical faculties is made to slip past and they are internalised into our identities. A study of indoctrination, if you will...

[benmillerintx]

Or maybe an attempt at bringing vitality to something to something that is beyond hackneyed by making it art again. I think especially religious experience needs to be beautiful here. And...I would say this is a commentary on what has been killed through stagnation as well as an act of salvaging. But perhaps what is left of the words may be indoctrination to one, but to another, some of the key things to be salvaged of the Christian tradition. Not to be contrary at all. I liked what you said.

[theprivateer83]

My thoughts on this piece is that 1: it was this mushy sentimentality over which the originator meant ANYTHING to be placed... its only with the sermon that it has found widespread recognition. In that respect the orginator is not making any religious comment at all:

2. If i was to interpret the music as GIVEN, I would say that the sermon, like the music, is so much syrup - presented in a saccarine and easily digestible format - a sermon usually boring and "rejectable"...

[benmillerintx]

See it a little different. I thought that the sermon is reduced to clips to show that the power of the sermon is in the music of the speaker, i. e. his tones, so that actually, removing just enough to deny the rigid doctrine from converging, we can see that much, well, teaching, can be done through music. I know If I had attended the actual sermon I'd have walked out. A bunch of mechanisms to cloud the brain, etc. But here it's just a pinch more than the aural power, few words+music. Justmytake

[John27346]

Minimalists are lazy

[theprivateer83]

It wasn't actually originally part of it, however it was kind of made that way by an early intepretation as below. I found this on a blog which mentioned this piece.

[ikshields]

It is kind of funny how many people take this piece as though it were straight sentimentalism or religiosity.

Adams's fascination with how words become blather, and how chorale harmonies can make vanilla of anything, apparently glide past, unnoticed, by some in this audience.

(He's not playing a joke AGAINST you, you know. You're actually expected to notice that something's a little fishy with the sentimentality -- it's the purpose of the whole piece.)

This is a little disturbing!

[barkingbartok]

It was a little disturbing at first- the obvious use of banter in the religious context (because it's never quite as obvious in the actual services), but over the years of listening to it, I've realize that this banter is an element of my identity and the identity of so many others. The soft musical background does frame the piece in a certain context- there's no cleverness there- so what I really enjoy is the true authenticity of the speaker. It can be a religious experience.

[mrpeanuckle]

This is really wonderful - a beautiful tribute to a beautiful work. I used it in one of the classes I teach at the Art Institute of Chicago. Thanks.

[ArmenianJames]

This piece is sublime; an extraordinary mix of spare chamber music and excerpts from a sermon. Beautiful & moving.

[CplJoebot]

This is one of my favorite J. Adams pieces. It is so underappreciated.

Excellent work, barkingbartok!

[jamesclark111]

is great. is just not stop-motion but whats teh point of that.

[MenSmartWomenSmarter]

Adams intended to have the preaching as apart of this piece. Adams like many minimalist composers experimented with tracks and loops. The interesting tidbit about this piece, is that it is the second work in a triptych named "American Standard" which is a company that manufactures toilets. So what is Adams really saying with this beautiful music?

[mcconthebus]

Is the preaching part of Adam's original composition? I don't think so.

[barkingbartok]

yup, it is part of it. I've heard versions where it's not included, but the version I have does have it, it's from his "Ear Box" Collection.

[javaman9999]

@barkingbartok Actually the score doesn't specifically note the use of that particular audio clip. The score says to use "sonic found objects" in the performance. The conductor of this performance chose a sermon.

[ikshields]

Not just "part" of it. It's the originating material of the work.

Adams and several other Minimalists were well-versed in the techniques of looping, reassembling, and otherwise mutilating audio tapes to magical effect.

If you'd like to hear the possible inspiration for this work, (as well as have your mind blown), check out "It's Gonna Rain" by Steve Reich. In that one, a street preacher's ranting gets molecularly rearranged, reassembled, and spat out whole again in about 10 minutes. :-)

[benmillerintx]

Just ran accross that yesterday, which made me come back to this!

[theprivateer83]

"The unique aleatoric element of Zeal is what really makes the piece special. The conductor is directed to place "sonic found objects" into the composition. Edo De Waart, conductor of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra spliced and looped a recording of a 1971 sermon into the piece."

[benmillerintx]

And a nice touch I thought. And the zeal is critical, which may be what you are saying(?) And I think Christian Zeal in particular. And we can get more specific. But I just think this is brilliant. Not too complex. And the music is atypical of Adams work. But I was struck by it at time when I had no interest in anything else by Adams, or Glass, or Reich or so many others. And what was described as sappy? Well, it's thematically appropriate I think, although a matter of taste as is everything.

[Ilkeyrion]

@mcconthebus It's not in the version used in Sid Meier's Civilization IV :P

[thephlucas]

This makes me 800 kinds of happy

[derga34]

Great piece from mr Adams as he uses his fantastic touch on a minimalistic masterpiece

[wsegal]

Very good. I love the cuts.

[wsegal]

Very good. I love the cuts.

[DrMadSci]

Thanks for doing this one, I believe that saying Jesus is present through the power of the holy spirit.

[ikshields]

My goodness, you've managed to completely miss the ambivalence of this entire work, as though you thought it were just a little bit of sincere Mr Copland!

Didn't you notice the fragmentation of speech? The way the words cease to have meaning? This is a much more complex musical statement than you are giving it credit for!

Try reading up on John Adams' work -- you may get some (albeit rude) but wonderful surprises. He is a master.

[stevtomato]

I sort of understood your point, ikshields. There's one part where the words are cut off and pasted into, "forgive sin but God." Which just sounds really curious.

But then again, I understand barkingbartok. I mean, in the end music can be an experience, and I think if he experienced a spiritual experience, it's fine. I almost always miss what the composer's intent when writing a piece, but sometimes that's what makes the piece much more enjoyable than if I understood it.

[Adelaidey]

another great one. love Adams, thanks for showing me this piece!