Adams, Glass: Violin Concertos

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Leave it to Christoph Eschenbach and the Houston Symphony to deliver one of the more impressive classical discs of 1999: a pairing of the violin concertos of John Adams and Philip Glass. Hearing the works of these two American music mavericks side-by-side is a study in contrasts: Adams's postmodernist composition from 1993 is filled with spooky overtones, as the violin threads its way through the piece, always at the forefront. It doubles as a ballet (the NYC Ballet cocommissioned the piece), yet never forgets the traditional violin-concerto form. Glass's composition from the late '80s is less complex. It, too, is based around a traditional structure of three movements, but these are passages we've heard from the composer for the last decade, though never quite so well assembled.

Gidon Kremer has recorded two earlier discs featuring both the Adams and Glass concertos, but the sonics (especially on his Glass disc) are less impressive than they are here. Robert McDuffie's violin isn't as piercing as Kremer's--a shame during the eerily gorgeous second movement of Adams's piece--but there's a pleasant balance to this new disc, and the Houston Symphony sounds fantastic. All in all, it's a great package of two contemporary classical-music compositions everyone should hear. --Jason Verlinde

Tracks:

I. Quarter Note = 78
II. Chaconne: Body Through Which The Dream Flows
III. Toccare
I. Quarter Note = 104/Quarter Note = 120
II. Quarter Note = Ca. 96
III. Quarter Note = Ca. 150/Coda: Quarter Note = 104

Amazon.com

Leave it to Christoph Eschenbach and the Houston Symphony to deliver one of the more impressive classical discs of 1999: a pairing of the violin concertos of John Adams and Philip Glass. Hearing the works of these two American music mavericks side-by-side is a study in contrasts: Adams's postmodernist composition from 1993 is filled with spooky overtones, as the violin threads its way through the piece, always at the forefront. It doubles as a ballet (the NYC Ballet cocommissioned the piece), yet never forgets the traditional violin-concerto form. Glass's composition from the late '80s is less complex. It, too, is based around a traditional structure of three movements, but these are passages we've heard from the composer for the last decade, though never quite so well assembled.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome!!!!! Two Minimalist Violin Concertos at Once!!!.......2006-07-16

The violin has been the most popular instrument featured in concertos through ages. The traditional concertos such as those by Vivaldi and Bach are often played by many striving young violinists... ever toward the point of vexation; Mendelssohn's violin concerto is one work I detest (yet I still adore Tchaikovsky's). This soon brought me to take a sip on something more contemporary and less common.

Around the same time, I began to fall in love with Minimalism. I find it teeming with restless energy, fascinating as any other art movement, and good to one's ears... not to mention great for driving. Minimalist music spoke through music polyphonic and homophonic, through differnet genres including symphonies, operas, and of course concertos.

I first heard John Adams' Violin Concerto at Walt Disney Concert Hall, and immediately loved it. The second movement is quite dreamy, with a synthesizer playing the low notes, while the third movement is obviously the show piece for the soloist. I know I have to own it someday.

Curiosity on Philip Glass' music led me to by the Naxos recording of the Violin Concerto. After finding the soloist a bit bland, however, I soon decided to buy this album. The soloist in the album was much more expressive than the one in the Naxos recording, especially in the virtuosic, arpeggiation-filled third movement.

Each composer has its own Minimalist style - while Glass's music features simple harmonies and arpeggiations, Adam's music is like jumping through one treadmill to another, staying on one spot for a while before moving on to the next.

Adams and Glass at their best.......2005-03-19

Give me music that has creativity, virtuosity, originality, and passion, and I will promise to listen, regardless of how someone decides to label the music (including my above labels). Both of these violin concertos possess all of the above, and for someone who has always had problems appreciating the violin concerto, I find myself listening to this recording quite often. I tend to view Glass's works as seeming rather dark, brooding, and subjective/emotional. So it makes alot of sense that his music would work well within the context of a violin concerto where the soloist can step in an interpret this subjective world through his playing. And Adams' concerto seems just as interesting if not more sublime. I found the second movement both haunting and beautiful at the same time. In total I find this to be a wonderful CD, and am glad I took the risk of buying something I knew almost nothing about. Indeed, it is quite rare for me to hear either Adams or Glass even on a classical music station. Too bad because their music speaks more of the world we live in today, which is one reason why humanity at any given time chooses to listen to music in the first place.

Ah, the Luxury of this Pairing of Concerti.......2004-12-09

John Adams and Philip Glass continue to be two of the more important composers of our time and how appropriate it is to have the luxury of both composers on one disc and with each composer's view of the violin concerto!

For some the Glass may be more immediately accessible, but for those who have yet to discover the glorious beauties contained in the mind of John Adams, just begin listening to this disc with the second movement of his concerto (Chaconne: Body through which the dream flows) and odds are you'll be hooked.

Robert McDuffie has a fine affinity to both these concerti and is technique is superb, his dexterity amazing! The other version of the Adams is a fine one by Gidon Kremer but in this case the orchestral collaboration with Christoph Eschenbach and the Houston Symphony is superior. In the Glass the orchestra plays with that signature pulsating glow that suits Glass' work. After the success of Glass' score for the film THE HOURS this concerto will doubtless become a concert favorite.

The sonics are excellent and the overall impact of this fine disc is as good as it gets for contemporary music. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, December 2004

Marvelous recording of the Glass concerto.......2004-05-07

Philip Glass has been described as a "born composer for the theatre". He has shown himself to be very skillful at composing for voices, as his many operas and his choral works such as Itaipu bear out. I am not really a fan of his orchestral work, as his musical processes do not seem to work well with the orchestra. They do work well with instrumental soloists, as this recording bears out.

The Glass concerto is a marvelous piece of music and is exceptionally well played. The Adams concerto is also marvelous, and Adams has real skill when it comes to composing for orchestra. This is a special work of Philip Glass'.

Glass is eerily compelling.......2002-09-20

Let's start right off by saying that I grew up listening to, and loving, the traditional violin concerti. Give me Beethoven, give me Mendelssohn. (Spare me Tschaikovsky, please, I have heard that in performance so many times I'm finally tired of it.) I am not a huge fan of 20th century music, outside the popular Russians, film music, and band music. In fact, I come prepared to dislike Philip Glass. In fact, I DO dislike much of Philip Glass. The usual words I use when trying to describe Glass's music to those not familiar with it are "repetitive, monotonous, irritating, annoying." So when I found myself online at midnight ordering the album I had just heard on my local classical radio station, it was as much a shock to me as to anyone. But there I was - I couldn't stop myself. This violin concerto is - well, compelling. I couldn't stop listening. I found myself putting down my book and listening CLOSELY. It's difficult for me to pinpoint WHAT I liked about it - all I can do is keep repeating, it's compelling. It made me listen. It will do the same for you.

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