# Best John Adams works?



## the_emptier (Jan 27, 2011)

Hey I checked out the John Adams earbox from the library and it has 10 discs of his music...

Harmonium
Shaker Loops
The Chairman Dances
Grand Pianola Music
Fearful Symmetries
Nixon in China
The Wound-Dresser
Christian Zeal and Activity
Five Songs
Eros Piano
Death of Klinghoffer
Two Fanfares for Orchestra
Common Tones in Simple Time
El Dorado
Harmonielehre
Violin Concerto
Chamber Symphony
Hoodoo Zephyr
Gnarly Buttons
I was Looking at the cieling and Then I saw the sky
Lollapalooza
John's book of alleged dances
Slonimskys Earbox

are all included. Consider me a John Adams newbie, only listened to the last two as of Richard Nixon, wasn't really a huge fan, but it had its moments. Obviously I want to give him a legitimate chance, especially for being a pretty prolific modern composer. the Violin Concerto, chamber symphony, five songs, shaker loops all look promising but any recommendations?


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

I'd offer you some suggestions, but I'm afraid all I've heard from J. Adams are two pieces - 'A Final Shaking' and 'Short Ride in a Fast Machine'. The latter stuck out to me as a pretty good piece of music.


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## bassClef (Oct 29, 2006)

I've heard most of his output. I posted this in another thread as my top 10 of his:

1. The Chairman Dances
2. Lollapaloola
3. Fearful Symmetries
4. Harmonielehre
5. Nixon in China
6. The Wound-Dresser
7. Shaker Loops
8. Short Ride in a Fast Machine
9. Christian Zeal and Activity
10. Doctor Atomic Symphony

But hey, my tastes may not match yours, hear as much of him as you can!


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

BBC Radio 3's Discovering Music has a presentation on The Wound-Dresser in its archives. It's worth hearing if you're getting into this composer.


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## Jeremy Marchant (Mar 11, 2010)

I find a lot of John Adams's music disappointing.
Two fine works are _Shaker Loops _for strings and _Harmonium _for chorus and orchestra. 
I've had the pleasure of singing the latter - it's tough for an amateur - but, for the listener, it should be an unalloyed pleasure - orgasmic, one might say.
If you don't respond to these, I suggest moving on.
If you do respond, you'll probably be dissatisfied with the rest of his output.
(As with Allan Pettersson and his seventh symphony.)


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## the_emptier (Jan 27, 2011)

Man...I listened to the first two cds

Harmonium
Shaker Loops
The Chairman Dances
Grand Pianola Music
Fearful Symmetries

IT'S ALL THE SAME

seriously. the strings do a tick tock thing for 10000 bars and everything else going between two odd chords....some stuff had a good vibe. harmonium was ok..but seriously everything i heard i said "wait didn't i hear that in nixon?"


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## bassClef (Oct 29, 2006)

Better stop there then! 

I don't think I could listen to too much of his work in one sitting. Just one piece now and then I find enjoyable though.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

Try Harmonielehre then, its slightly different.


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## JoeGreen (Nov 17, 2008)

Try his Chamber Symphony for a real shocker. None of that "tick tock" lol.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Try El Nino.


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