Adams Takes the Violin Up, Down, Around, and Through

Twenty-five years after the premiere of John Adams' Violin Concerto, the music remains as vital, exhilarating, and strangely moving as the day it was birthed. An extremely demanding work, its three contrasting movements present a triathlon challenge of sorts to anyone who dares try to play them.

Here, she who rises to the challenge is violinist Leila Josefowicz. Provocatively pictured on the CD cover as a curious cross between an athlete in repose and Rodin's reflective thinker, and shown inside the booklet in very hip, thoroughly artistic renegade drag, Josefowicz lives up to her reputation as a contemporary music specialist whose affinity for Adams' music inspired him to write his Scheherazade.2 (Dramatic Symphony for Violin and Orchestra), which she premiered with the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Alan Gilbert, in 2015. On this recording, her partner in crime, as it were, is another contemporary music champion, David Robertson, who leads the St. Louis Symphony in this astounding performance of the 33-minute concerto.

Auditioned in CD format —a 24/96 download is available at multiple sites —the recording puts Josefowicz front and center, with the orchestra rather atmospherically recorded behind her. The miking is clear enough to hear her inbreaths at the start of especially demanding passages —there are lots of them —as well as some subterranean thumps that may originate with Robertson. It all adds to the excitement, of which there is plenty.

Lest any musician be tempted to take their time or romanticize the opening movement, Adams names it for its metronome marking. Over a perpetually rising and falling accompaniment that Adams visualized as "a very regular, slowly repeating wave form, a staircase wave that goes up and down," Josefowicz's instrument engages in restless churning that becomes more animated and complex as the accompaniment grows increasingly assertive. Chromaticism reigns in this wild music, which demands that the violinist play more notes per minute than seems fair. The music builds and builds until it winds down, and the second movement begins.

In a period of relative rest entitled "Chaconne: Body through which the dream flows"—the movement's title comes from the title of a poem by Robert Hass —the concerto grows contemplative, mournful, and mysterious. This middle movement's journey, in which the violin grows exceedingly tender as the orchestra plums the depths, is as hypnotic as it is moving. It's music to space out with, and exceedingly beautiful.

The final movement, "Toccare," takes off at full tilt and never slows down. As viscerally thrilling as it gets, it builds and builds as it whirls round and round and becomes exceedingly more complex. The huge ending is astounding, and designed to bring cheering audience members to their feet in classic violin concerto fashion. Any performer who holds their breath is lost.

Nonesuch actually issued the first recording of the Violin Concerto, with Gidon Kremer as soloist, back in 1996. That CD paired the concerto with Adams' Shaker Loops. This new one, however, issues the concerto all by itself. With the download selling for full price, and the CD for just a bit less than that, this marketing decision may encourage people to instead check out some other recordings of the work, including an older one on Telarc on which Robert McDuffie also plays the Glass Violin Concerto. More recent recordings variously pair the Adams with concertos by Harris, Korngold, and what initially seems like strangest of all bedfellows, Mendelssohn —until you realize the classic similarities in their structure. Adams's music may not be romantic, but he does engage in a romance with the physical that will send you flying.

Short shrift on value is the only criticism I have for this effort. Josefowicz's performance is sensational, and deserves to be heard. Those who choose it as their introduction to Adams's music will likely find themselves searching for more and more.

COMMENTS
Bogolu Haranath's picture

Take cover ........... Another violin recording? :-) .............

Mikernz's picture

Hi JVS,
Also of interest: this work with the same violinist also appears in the Berlin Philharmonic’s John Adams Edition. This arises from an Adams residency with the BPO with a variety of conductors, though Adams conducts this violin concerto. Also a wonderful performance.

Jason Victor Serinus's picture

I have the entire Berlin Phil Adams box in hi-rez, and had put it on my review list. So many choices, so little time... In short, the all-important existence of this alternate recording of the Violin Concerto had escaped me entirely. Thanks for sharing it with us.

dalethorn's picture

How I love downloads! One moment I'm in the middle of a torpid afternoon in the Deep South, and the next I'm listening to a violin concerto by both composer and artist whom I haven't heard before. Listening and reading the liner notes now. The balance of violin and orchestra is perfect.

Bogolu Haranath's picture

Yes ...Take cover ....... Felt like I was watching movies like, Psycho, Omen, Carrie, Mission Impossible, James Bond, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Amityville Horror, Jaws, Friday the 13th, Saw, all the Hitchcock movies, all the Stephen King movies ........ What else did I miss? ........... All rolled into one .......... I don't know whether I can sleep tonight ........... Thanks for the recommendation (I think) ........

dalethorn's picture

Umm, yeah - similar impressions, especially in the second movement.

dalethorn's picture

But there is some gorgeous violin playing in that second movement.

Bogolu Haranath's picture

Music of Bernard Herrmann for Hitchcock's Psycho, and music of John Williams for Jaws, sound similar ...........

dalethorn's picture

There are similarities, but I'd remind you of two things:

One, people of a previous generation (or two) would say the same about Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, i.e. the "spooky movie" effect. I got over it as soon as I started exploring Bach, Buxtehude, and others who composed for organ in the Baroque era (following the 'gothic' era by some distance I think).

Two, Adams is a modern composer, whose music here is more modern-movie-friendly than Bach or Mozart (unless it's a Mozart movie). I doubt you could use this concerto - the slower movements - as background for a silent film, or the talkies for a decade or two afterward.

Bogolu Haranath's picture

So, this music is appropriate for next generation of James Bond, Mission Impossible, Friday the 13th, Saw, Terminator, Alien or even Fast and Furious? You know all these movies could be re-made ......... Just kidding ....... You know that ;-) ...........

dalethorn's picture

The thing is, I've also moved on past the latest generation of films that appeal to ummm, less refined tastes. If I were a younger adult with kids in their teen years, I might be inclined to take them to an occasional movie, which would hopefully be something a little more inspirational.

Two thoughts come to mind - one, that certain popular films were breakthroughs on first release and well worth the $100 splurge at the family theatre (Jaws, Jurassic Park, Wag the Dog, Last Action Hero, etc.), and two, I understand that even charming and sophisticated people will want to do the Saturnalia thing now and then, for example rent The Expendables I, II, and III and just turn off the critical analysis.

Bogolu Haranath's picture

BTW, John Coolidge Adams, the composer was born in 1947 (if that is the correct person) ........ I looked it up ........ So, he is over 70 ......... John Luther Adams, another composer was born in 1953 ........ John L Adams is not mentioned as a classical music composer ........... John Willams was born in 1932 and Bernard Herrmann was born in 1911 ........... All these composers were born in good old US of A .............

Bogolu Haranath's picture

To add to the above ......... Some of the compositions by John C Adams, could have been inspired by music from Jaws and Psycho ............

dalethorn's picture

Some (or all) of the greatest composers like Bach and Beethoven were known to drive around the cities in their carriages, sampling the melodies and structure of what the local street musicians were playing. There's not a huge amount of direct evidence of this (for obvious reasons), but the stories are out there, and credible.

dalethorn's picture

Adding to that, while sweet and gentle George Harrison lost his case against the song "He's So Fine", Mick Jagger of Altamont and Hell's Angels fame had no such bad luck against Peter Tosh. To quote a famous governor of ancient Rome, "When faced with the choice of being firm or fair, I've learned that firm generally pays the greater dividend."

Bogolu Haranath's picture

BTW, this music may be appropriate for "The President is Missing" - new book by James Patterson and Bill Clinton ........... I am 100% sure they are gonna make a movie of this book :-) .........

Bogolu Haranath's picture

Meryl Streep could be the First Lady and either Alec Baldwin or Tom Hanks could be the President in that new movie :-) ..........

dalethorn's picture

I'd recommend real actors with character, who (like the missing president) have been missing from film for a long time. I'd even go for Matt Damon and Ben Affleck over these tired, synapse-weary types.

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