One of America’s most famous composers conducts his own music in Iceland for the first time. This captivating concerto, referred to by one critic as a volcanic eruption of energy and creativity, is an irresistible cocktail of Liszt-like virtuosity, jazz, and honky-tonk pianism. And, while minimalisms historical continuum helps place Adams, he used Reich, Glass, and Riley (among others) only as a starting point. Now they will join forces to introduce it to Icelandic concertgoers. Having earned his composing stripes after the 1960s, John Adams had the pioneering work of Steve Reich, Philip Glass, and Terry Riley close at hand as he ventured into his trade. Indeed, the critic from Gramophone magazine called it “the nearest thing on offer to a minimalist symphony.”Īdams wrote the piano concerto Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes? in 2018, taking the title from a quote attributed to religious reformer Martin Luther: “Must the Devil have all the good tunes?” The concerto was premiered in Los Angeles by Yuja Wang, but Víkingur Heiðar Ólafsson has performed it under the baton of the composer all over the world. It has long since been considered a contemporary classic, and most agree that it is one of the cornerstones of the American minimalist canon. His works, both operatic and symphonic, stand out among contemporary classical compositions for their depth of expression, brilliance of sound, and the profoundly humanist nature of their themes.
His Harmonielehre, from 1985, is a large, sweeping work, a “statement of belief in the power of tonality ,” as the composer himself put it. Composer, conductor, and creative thinkerJohn Adams occupies a unique position in the world of American music. Short Ride in a Fast Machine is one of his best-known pieces, a driving and ebullient work inspired by a short drive with a reckless driver. John Coolidge Adams (born February 15, 1947) is an American composer with strong roots in minimalism. He played in several rock bands as a teenager and devoured music by The Beatles, Frank Zappa and Edgar Varèse.
The son of an accountant working for AT&T, John Luther Adams moved with his family to various parts of the US during his childhood. In this first visit to Iceland, Adams conducts a concert performance of his own music, both new and older works. John Luther Adams was born in Meridian, Mississippi in 1953. The creator of massive operas such as Nixon in China and Doctor Atomic, he is the recipient of five Grammy Awards and six honorary doctorates. After graduating from Harvard in 1972, Adams moved to California, where his compositions. John Adams is one of the United States’ most revered composers and a pioneer of minimalism. John Adams is an American composer of contemporary classical music.