John Adams:
{{Form & Analysis}}
General:
* Born in Worchester, Massachusetts in 1947, still living
* Learned clarinet from his father & played in marching bands and,
community orchestras,
* Started composing at the age of 10 & heard his first orchestral pieces
performed while he was still a teen,
* Studied & earned two degrees at Harvard University & attended
Boston Symphony Orchestra concerts,
*After this, he moved to Northern California in 1971 & has resided in the
San Francisco Bay Area,
* John Adams married twice. His first wife left him to pursue her own career
and it took him a year to recover. He now lives with his current wife, the
photographer Deborah O’Grady, their two children, Emily and Sam, in
Berkeley, California.
* Adams taught at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music for ten years
before becoming a composer-in-residence of the San Francisco Conservatory of
Music of the San Francisco Symphony from 1982-1985,
* He created the orchestra’s highly successful and controversial “New &
Unusual Music” series,
* Various works that were premiered by the San Francisco Symphony
included, “Harmonium,” {{1980 -81}}“Grand Pianola Music,”
{{1982}} “Hamonielehre,” {{1984 -85}} “El Dorado”
{{1991}}
* In 1985, he began collaborating with poet Alice Goodman & stage
director Peter Stellars for 2 groundbreaking operas: “Nixon in China,”
{{1987}} & “The Death of Klinghoffer” {{1991}}
* “ Nixon in China” received its Metropolitan Opera debut in February of
this year!! {{2011}}
* John Adams is an active conductor & composer and in addition to this, he is
also a writer. He maintains an active blog about music & literature. His
writings have appeared in “The New Yorker,” “The New York Times
Book Review” & the “Times of London.”
* “Hallelujah Junction” – is a volume of Adams’ memoirs & commentary
on American Musical Life. It appeared in 2008, by Farrar, Straus,
& Giroux in the U.S. The New York Times said that it was one of the
“most notable books of the year.”
* If you would like to look up any additional information on Adams you can
visit: www.earbox.com – {{his official site}}
Style:
* Modern Minimalistic 1920 – Present composer
* He has expanded the genre of minimalism & some would argue that he is a
“post-minimalist.”
* He has been influenced by many genres ranging from Classical Music –
Jazz,
* After graduating from Harvard and went to San Francisco, he
encountered the minimalist works of Philip Glass, Steve Reich, & Terry
Riley which served as a major milestone in the development of his style. William
Burroughs & John Cage had major influence on Adams as well.
Works:
Chamber & Enemble Works
Hallelujah Junction {{1998}} – for two pianos
John’s Book of Alleged Dances {{1994}} – for string quartet & prerecorded performance CD
Arrangements
La Mufa – {{1996}}
Works for Voices & Orchestra
The Wound-Dresser {{1988-89}}
Stage Works
I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky {{1995}}
The Death of Klinghoffer {{1990}} opera in two acts, Libretto done by Alice
Goodman
Nixon in China {{1987}} opera in three acts, Libretto done by Alice
Goodman
Orchestral Works
Lollapalooza {{1915}}
Additional Works
Christian Zeal & Activity {{1973}}