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John Adams (b. 1947)
Short Ride in a Fast Machine
John Adams is one of the best
known and most often performed of living American composers. A
New Englander from Massachusetts, he graduated from Harvard University,
where he was active as a clarinetist, conductor and composer.
He began his working career in 1971 on the West Coast, teaching
at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and was composer in
residence to the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra from 1978 to
1985. His creative output spans a wide range of media: works for
orchestra, opera, video, film and dance, as well as instrumental
and electronic music. His two operas have been well received though
quite controversial, based on recent political events. The first
was "Nixon in China", while the second "The Death of Klinghoffer"
was based on the Palestinian hi-jack of an Italian cruise ship
Achille Lauro. Short Ride in a Fast Machine dates from 1986, and
is described as a "Fanfare for Orchestra". Its title is accurate,
since the piece lasts barely five minutes, and is very fast -
notice how the wood-block player anchors the shifting patterns
throughout. |
