On the Transmigration of Souls - John Adams

[1lelelapopo]

Sa me fait peur et sa me fait pensé a se drame qui a frapé les etat unis le 11 septembre

[Redf0042]

Juste Flippant ...

[MuseDuCafe]

Gorgeous and transcendent. About as apolitical as it might be possible to be only a few years after the event. It speaks of loss, all loss, beyond the event. And yes, Ives would be proud, or at least flattered :-)

[Sinovian]

We had to listen to this song for my music class, but I say what a beautiful way to give tribute to those we lost on 9/11

[lemens1]

bone-chilling and yet, beautiful

[schmuckenheimer9]

This is very scary.

[taejamhaha]

i thought it's "listen"

but it's "missing"

and this is dedicated to the people who are missing and those who died

in the 9/1/1 World Trade Center attacks

[kamanofadima]

a scary song

[carambola08]

To metalheaddrummer: Thanks, I have checked. It´s quite interesting.

As to this "On transmigration..." it sounds to me kind of propaganda. Although what happened here was a real tragedy, and unfortunate, there has been a lot of opportunistic action on it. The reports by ex-soldier Etham McCord clarifies why things get to be like this. The real culprits are not hidden, and shameslessly show their faces. Too bad.

[missryevan]

i listen to this song in music class

[skillUnit]

heh heh hope my neighbours like this song thumbs up guys !

[durp0durp]

this is an amazing piece of music. its a very strong emotional piece that put tragedy in words and to music. simply beautiful

[myrtiewebb1943]

This is stunning.

[carambola08]

A shocking event indeed. I wish he could also compose a music for the hundred thousands people stupidly killed in Hiroshima, Nagasaki, African countries, Middle East, South America...

[metalheaddrummer101]

@carambola08 look up Threnody to the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

[MREmusique]

@metalheaddrummer101 which wasn't composed to commemorate those events. the title was tacked on later.

[pdxbanitts]

@carambola08 If you are so moved, you do it! Artists write to what moves them. Gorecki wrote to the Holocaust and Hungarian war. Do not label everything propaganda. It isn't.

[TORNELLcello]

Wow. Really Creepy.

[0hxMiyuki]

Super épreuve d'histoire des arts ><



[jamesaellis]

T_T

[correllis]

Haunting.

[MuseDuCafe]

Classical restraint vs. romantic 'emo sensationalism.' ~ There is a lot this piece could have been, which, thank goodness, it is not. // I thought the choice to sidestep politics and instead emphasize the psyche of the survivors of those who in great number were quickly taken is admirable, and resulted in a piece easily disassociated from one specific event. IMHO, it should be able to speak to anyone with a shred of empathy who is able to take no 'sides,' or see all 'sides.'

[enporretas]

Que os den mucho a todos los yankis. Ese día, por fin, las personas decentes de todo el mundo reímos de alegría.

[L142sEnToSa]

creepiest piece ever...

[tkjones01]

first composition I have heard in my life that completely creeps me out

[AndycKV]

@tkjones01

Listen to Threnody to the victims of hiroshima by Krystov Penderecki. Now that is a truly horrifying piece, representative of the terror of the A bomb, much more visceral and effective than this. though i do think this piece is good.

[Cocokat]

Watched your video in my music appreciation class on Friday and I just remembered it right now after hearing about the death of Osama bin Laden. It's a good time to reflect more on the lives we lost that day and the sacrifices our military has made as a consequence of 9/11.

[Cocokat]

@Cocokat Wow, and you uploaded it a year ago today, that's a funny coincidence.

[Cocokat]

@Cocokat two years ago today*

[hilaryhla]

WOAH this is weird...i was looking this piece up for my 236 quiz today and then i saw the youtube name and was like huh, what a coincidence! but its actually you haha.

also, i think this is my first youtube comment post. be honored.

[jdubbari]

Very haunting. An amazing memorial for the commemoration of those lost on that day.

[singurheartout4]

What I love about this piece is that the names float in and out and a round and become one giant musical ground on which the "memory space" is created. You no longer hear individual names, rather the names become the whole world. It makes the tragedy of 9/11 Universal. We can all find someone we lost in the abyss of sound; an abyss that relates hauntingly so to how I remember that day.

[moxievisioninfo]

Also see Eric Watson The Peacocks.

[MusicIsLife410]

A beautiful and haunting tribute.

[darushkii]

amazing piece, put together to an amazing set of pictures.

never forget.

[11joshmullins]

This should be played on tv. I feel people forget that we have been hurt badly. This song makes me hurt where it should. Every time I feel a little scared I watch this and I am pushed towards fighting for freedom. God Bless America

[TheFreepainter]

oh.my.god.

[PringleTrain]

This..is........depressing..I didn't no wat it ment but my teacher said it might be depressing and so i played it and i cried since i found out it meant it's gonna make me cry...

[HoorayforOranges]

And now America knows what it feels like.

Only a fraction of the desolation of Hiroshima.

Now how you gunna' act.

[xLullabyRosex]

@HoorayforOranges That's a terrible, hateful thing to say.

[HoorayforOranges]

@xLullabyRosex Terrible and true, and I take a neutral bias.

[xLullabyRosex]

@HoorayforOranges It doesn't matter if it's true. A life is a life and an innocent life is an innocent life. Many, many Americans disagree with the destruction of Hiroshima, but do they still deserve to die? A life on this planet is a life and we should all grieve for all life lost in such destruction.

[HoorayforOranges]

@xLullabyRosex I never said they deserved to die. Nobody deserves to die.

But you never really know how it feels till it hits home.

[avatealover15]

shockingly emotional.

[IncaRoad01]

Ives would have been proud of this. Musically speaking, subject aside, Adams has really captured the essence of Ives in this piece.

[rofklaw]

@IncaRoad01 yeah when the trumpet came in when I was listening to it I got flashes from "the unanswered question"

[georgeswa]

@IncaRoad01

Unfortunately, most of the "Rollos" I sent this to wondered why someone would like this kind of music.

"Some are cold, but few are frozen."

[nobodady1]

@IncaRoad01 Certainly Unanswered Question is alluded to, and is so appropos to the event it memorializes. This piece is quite powerful.

[MaryAClark1]

I was in NYC on 9/11 and people ask me what it was like, and I can never answer. I'll let this video speak for me. 'S'bout it.

[markzemusic]

Chilling.

[snoopydgo78]

ahh! those pictures of suicide still traumatizes me today, and the music makes it spine shivering.

[ItsGiiiiibb]

If this song isnt a work of art, then I dont know what is.

[JeeRant]

Gaahhh it's not a song, it's a piece.

[ShevanelSaeglopur]

@JeeRant There is definitely singing involved here, so it could be considered a song as such.

[drugfuck]

This is one of my favourite pieces by Adams.

[gooder654]

This song hits where it hurts

[artiomlisak]

this was 10 years ago but this is steal hard to understud rly sad

[banjoman2375]

This is seriously moving. And terrifying.

[Vanguarde12]

I always wondered what the musical counterpart of surrealism would sound like. No, really, this is really intense and unusual music.

[polyopulis]

Those pictures are so surreal...

[cluedo1]

A lot of James Nachtwey photographs put together with a wonderful song. Thanks a lot :)

[michaels7]

Astounding evil producing sublime art. There is hope for humanity.

[MissMaiden26]

My son, age 12, just sang this chorus with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. It is very touching and compelling. I just wish it didn't make me re-live the entire event over again. The part that rips my heart out, which is not included in your video, is when the woman states "I know just where he is". When I saw the pictures of the rubble, that is all I could think of. If I had a loved one who I knew was in there, I would have to stay right there until they were found. It is extremely emotional.

[writersblock26]

While I enjoy this song and appreciate the video author's work, I feel that the music stands alone. The pictures to take away from the piece since the music is a meditation on bigger ideas, not simply a memorial to the the events depicted.

[writersblock26]

@writersblock26

I mean the "pictures take away...."

[writersblock26]

@writersblock26 I agree. Plus, the CD cover art was specifically designed to convey a sense of unbounded space via the ethereal sky. Still, the author's attempt is not bad, but I think he or she would have done better to have simply followed the long-held maxim: "If it's not broken, don't fix it."

[podbuster0]

listening to that piece is practically an out-of-body experience.

and I love it.

[superCaddo]

when I saw the person jumping out the windo I started to cry and all the pix on the mail box I was like wow

[Kapojos]

those smoke and dust clouds are so beautiful to see...

together with the towers they look like big abstract sculptures!

[stonisher1]

most of john adams music represents the growth of a powerfull civilization.

but this music reminds me of losing a peace of it. thank you

[Whatevah232]

These are some insane pictures..

[superCaddo]

@Whatevah232

[Albel8492ed]

Such a amazing song, for such a tragic event.

[TheSquirrel47]

When I first heard of this piece, it was through performing it, and I was quite tired afterwards. But, now I know that listening to it puts me in a kind of a trance.

[nintenandryan]

terorist are so smart but so bad

[cvmcvmcvm12]

i listened to this piece for the first time today in my choir class...i heard my name "Christina" and i instantly felt as if the people who were speaking were of my family remembering me. I never thought music could ever bring me such emotion, bringing tears to my eyes and making this tragedy a reality even though i was not harmed in any way with family or friends. I am truly blessed

[svstarsong99]

I performed this work in 8th grade and it has had a large impact on my life. As I was young when the attacks happened I gained a much deeper understanding of that horrible day. I feel that through this piece I was able to feel a much deeper sympathy for the families of those who lost their lives. The music comes so close to portaying the feelings of our country that day and truly reaches me everytime I sing or hear it. Thank you and god bless everyone who perished on that horrible day.

[mjengelhardt]

this si the most touching, most emotional peice I have ever heard. It really makes you think deeply about all the victims of 9/11 and how one human being could do this to another human being. avfisher23, it's really amazing how many people came this close to dying on 9/11 and how thankful we are that we are alive and that others we know and are close to survived. Thank you, John Adams and kjacobs210 for making this.

[avfischer23]

this piece of music is one of the most powerful pieces i have ever heard. every time i listen to it i realize how lucky i am that i still have my father with us today. he was in the first tower that got hit on 9/11.. this piece just reminds me to remember that i could have lost him that day and to be thankful i still have him.. i cried the first time i heard this piece.

[heather19941]

That was a very amazing song!

[monacheband4life]

Today in band we listened to this and it was touching!!!! I can't believe i was only in 2cnd grade when this happnd....thank you john adams for making this song

[Billtuba]

Thank you

[banchukita]

Thanks for this. I needed this today.

[kyleandbriana]

I sang this piece in Grand Rapids MI, Absolutely amazing experience

[Radioplaya]

Amazing use of the John Adams piece.

-Radioplaya

[michaels7]

I listen to this piece all the time and still am trying to figure out what I think of it. It moves me. The Ives piece I love.