Son of Chamber Symphony: III (Excerpt)

John Adams, composer
Performed by Alarm Will Sound

Notes by Alan Pierson:
The third movement of Son of Chamber Symphony is a classic Adams finale: a driving beat over which the composer imagines a kaleidoscope of short rhythmic motives. Although the movement draws most explicitly on Nixon in China, this sort of simmering, contagiously energetic rhythmic texture is central to many of his other works as well, and is one of Adamss most successful and identifiable signatures. Each gesture seems to pull the music in a different direction, to assert its own sense of meter or tempo, but the effect of Adamss high-speed arrhythmia is one of overwhelming momentum.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• classical
• john
• adams
• alarm
• will
• sound

[thethikboy]

hints of Mussorgsy - (Russian rhythms) and Stravinsky of course - like I said - Russian

[jerrytolable]

New recording is coming out on May 31st. It includes this piece and the newest string quartet.

[BlueCougar]

Someone shoot the hornist at 1:34!!

[safaribarbara]

would love to hear all....

[golgicomplex]

It's very Nixon in China-ish around 1:24. I'm a fan!

[BAMBAM8993]

Great!

[AustinShowen]

I've been dying to hear Adams' newest works like this one! Thanks for posting! I also am very anxious for some new recordings of Adams' music.

[TansalQ]

I attended their NY premiere performance of this piece and wanted to hear it again as soon as it was over. Thank you for posting and I look forward to more excerpts. Sadly I don't expect an official recording very soon given its relatively short duration, until something else of Adams's is paired with it for release.

[stevtomato]

This is great! I really love John Adams. I can't get much John Adams music where I'm at... So, yeah! =D

[JeeRant]

Wow, what a cool pice! Rather Stravinskyian. I hope it's recorded soon.