John Adams - China Gates

John Adams' 'China Gates' for solo piano.

On this performance i'm playing at the exact metronome speed indicated by John. This piece can be performed faster, but i'd rather stick to giving the composer's vision than impressing my own thoughts about how I think the piece should be played on the music. John is specific in his scoring, so it would be ignorant for us as pianists to ignore his markings, or think our own additions will 'improve' the music.

Note also that John writes 'Special attention should be given to equalizing the volume of both hands so that no line is ever louder than another'. The polyrhythmic patterns do give rise to some beautiful melodic phrases, but it would be indulgent on behalf of the performer to bring these perceived melodies out, as, once again, this is against the wish of the composer (and completely contradicts the intention of the music).

The 'gates' of the title refers to the change of mode - not the actual modes for each section per se, but rather, the exact moment of transition from one mode to the next. The image shown is the graph-form representation John provided as a rough visual guide to the gating sequence. The gating sequence clearly shows extended use of modes at the beginning and towards the end of the piece.

The piece is gated poly-palindromically (offset); the bar structure within each mode is a reverse form of the same structure later in the piece. There are 3 main palindromic sections - the main one being the first 8 modes and the final 8 modes. The bar structure for the first eight is 15, 15, 12, 12, 8, 8, 4, 4, with the bar structure for the final 8 being 4, 4, 8, 8, 12, 12, 15, 15 (i.e. a mirror image of the first 8 modes). Other palindromes occur between modes 9-12 and modes 17-20, and the final pure palindrome being modes 13-14 and modes 24-25. However, there are some cross-modal palindromes throughout. The piece is made up of 33 modes in total - this meaning there is a defined central mode. The pre-central mode is, interestingly, the only mode to contain 3 bars. On paper this gate stands out prominently.

Mathematically speaking, a basic knowledge of palindromic polynomial theorem really does help in understanding this work. How does this relate to music? Well, to the ear, the piece works into the middle, then unwinds itself again, almost like the unwinding of a double-helix.




The piece is a benchmark work in the demonstration of the influence mathematical theories of the time were having across society - the most noticeable mathematical formula that was becoming widely-known to the general public being, of course, fractals: specifically, the research undertaken in the 60's by Mandelbrot (minimalism is in part the natural artistic interpretation of these new mathematical structures - the discoveries of repetitive patterns in nature, across all boundaries).

This piece, in its self-contained symmetry, is almost a musical fractal. There is also a fractal key sequence employed directly related to the palindromic gate sequence, but I think it's best to save that for another day ;)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• john
• adams
• solo
• piano
• china
• gates
• kris
• lennox
• post
• minimalism
• poly
• palindromic
• music

[chuchubear90]

nice job.

My professor at my University performed this along with Phrygian gates and it was magnificent! I couldn't get enough, it definitely got me interested in minimalism.

Thanks for your post!

[krislennoxpiano]

@chuchubear90 ;

Yes. Minimalism is perhaps one of the most natural musical forms as it is representational of nothing other than nature itself - repeated patterns and sequences really are the basis of life and how life evolves.

Unfortunately it's still (to this day) misunderstood by the general public.

You should try to get a copy of John conducting his own 'Shaker Loops' with the orchestra of St. Luke's - absolutely stunning.

[jeras2]

@krislennoxpiano

I've always loved minimalism and I love your thought about it as a form of music that is closest to nature. It will now be one of my favourite quotes. :)

Thanks. :)

[ppinkbelly]

This was part of the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps show "The Road Home"

[fryBASS]

excellent job!

[Lherbistro]

everything is math period.

[JohnLNewman]

Amazing performance! Thank you so much for posting this.

[julliard06]

absolutely stunning! I especially appreciated the fact that you respected the composers notation and his intentions. Sometimes, music need not be overly-interpreted by the performer in order for the listener to actually "get it". Sometimes, it is best to just leave things transparent, open-ended, and thus FULL of possibility for individual interpretation from the audience--or, in jazz terms, "just play it straight!" and let the music speak for itself...and what beautiful music it is...THANK YOU!

[beyond0cean]

Excellent performance!!!

The best I ever heard.

[sevkets]

i think this man's songs can be used in heavens

[chubbaustralia]

very very beautiful.... love this recording....

[Tommyfazz]

Take 90% of the orchestra out- and then ask the remainder to interpret rain falling through gusts of wind.

[jonrudess]

Niceee! I'm playing this beautiful piece this semester at school but I'm having some issues memorizing it, any advices??