Customer Reviews

Adams: John's Book Of Alleged Dances; Gnarly Buttons

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'd give it 5 stars to off-set the average rating, but I'll leave breathing room. The title work, Gnarly Buttons (essentially a clarinet concerto with small ensemble), surely is based on "popish" themes ["folkish" would be a better characterization], especially the final movement "Put your loving arms around me". In fact, the main melody seems to mimic in tone, pitch, and rythm, the words "put your loving arms around me," to the point where it must have been deliberate. But every bad association one can have with pop music does not apply: there is a genuine development behind the music, and add to that the unique orcehstration. As for John's Book of Alleged Dances, these are wonderful "dances" and rythmicaly fascinating to follow (particular passages stand out, for instance 0:34 on track 5). Don't let the silly names (nor the fuzzy samples offered on this site) fool you: this is not a repeat of Hoodoo Zypher, Adams' foray into total electronic music that I'm sure many of his listners regret buying.

John Adams becomes more popular by the year with his compositions for large orchestra ('Naive and Sentimental Music', 'On the Transmigration of Souls') and operas ('Doctor Atomic' and in a way 'El Nino') gaining justly increased performances, but Adams has another side - chamber works. As with all great composers it is the smaller, exposed works that often tell us more about a composer's genius. The two works on this splendid recording prove this to be the case.

'John's Book of Alleged Dances' was written for the Kronos Quartet and is a bit of whimsy in its series of eleven dances for string quartet and a rhythm track made of prepared piano sounds. The result is a group of works that pay homage to the backwoods simplicity of America's folktunes. The dances are endlessly creative, with never a moment of hurried compositional thought. They are played with such fine sense of fun and expertise by the Kronos Quartet that they become instant staples in the chamber repertoire.

'Gnarly Buttons' could be called a clarinet concerto, but that title does not fully cover the novelty of the work. Composed for clarinet, banjo, guitar, mandolin, trombone, English horn, bassoon, piano, strings, and 'two samplers' playing a variety of sounds including accordion and cow! The piece is dizzy, playful, funky, fun and virtuosic! Adams conducts the London Sinfonietta and the Present Music ensemble with clarinetist Michael Collins in this rollicking performance that feels like a ride through the farmlands and backcountry of America. It is a delight and the recording is highly recommended. The CD includes some fine notes from the composer, giving us an immediate association with the two works. Drop the pretensions and just settle in and enjoy some fascinating and fine compositions. Grady Harp, April 06

As a great fan of both John Adams and Kronos Quartet, I am in awe of this CD. Gnarly Buttons is a wonderful clarinet/small ensemble piece. However, it is John's Book of Alleged Dances that makes this CD shine. Adams has (once again) shown that classical pieces do not have to be the dull, serious, angst-filled works that leave the audience depressed. His "Book of Alleged Dances" is a group of fun, well-written pieces for string quartet and, get this, foot-controlled sampler. John Adams, you are amazing!

Good heavens, classical music can be fun? Apparently. John Adams, in this recording, has shown that classical music does not have to be the austere serialism we're so used to. And yet, the music is still top-notch. Gnarly Buttons, is a wonderful small ensemble piece, and John's Book of Alleged Dances is for string quartet and foot-controlled sampler. Don't let the funny names mislead you; it's great music and a terrific album

I first heard three pieces of the Alleged Dances at a concert that featured Schnittke and Shostakovich, and there was nothing out of place in this piece. Now that I have heard the rest of Alleged Dances, it reaffirms my belief that here at last we have a composer of our time who is in tune with the times, who can be as classical or as pop as anyone and most importantly write good music that entertains as it does provoke.

It is strange that people will call Brahms' Hungarian Dances
"classical" but not John's fabulous Alleged Dances. Adams here is far more sophisticated than Brahms, and he deserves to be up there with the greats.

If anything, I was overjoyed to hear how Adams made the connection between what we call "classical" music and pop, reminding us that even back in Handel's time dance was the basis of music that we now call high art.

Moo!

Some reviewers seem disappointed by this disc, expecting it to be more of the serious Adams of Harmonium, etc. If that's the only style of classical you like, by all means stay away from this release. But if you like the quirkier, livelier pieces on other Kronos Quartet releases like Pieces of Africa or Short Stories, this is right up your alley. The Alleged Dances pieces don't sound all that pop to me--folk-influenced, as a previous reviewer stated, seems more accurate. But the tempos are fast and rhythmic and the melodies are for the most part right out front, so maybe that equals disposable pop music for some listeners, although they sound more like skewed Irish jigs to me. They're very interesting, and have both an immediate appeal and a high replay value because of the complex harmonic structures and rhythms.

My only criticism would be the opposite of the earlier commentators: that the folk influences are made a little too academic and needlessly complicated in order to keep the classical "serious music" police happy. I also think Gnarly Buttons (about 25 minutes of the disc) is too goofy--I didn't need to hear the cow mooing in the second movement--and a letdown from the quality of the Dances (which together comprise about 30 minutes).

So 4 stars might be a bit high, but it's a far better CD for the right listener than some earlier reviewers suggested. Even half an hour of quality Kronos and Adams is better than most of my CD collection.

I enjoy classical music, but I'm not a snob about it. [Note: My definition of classical music is any music performed using orchestral instrumentation, so for me this qualifies as classical music.] Several things appealed to me about this particular album: I enjoy the work of the Kronos Quartet, I was intrigued by the "alleged dances" phrase in the title, and this is one of my favorite all-time album covers.

Both pieces on this disc were composed by John Adams. "Gnarly Buttons" was commissioned by the London Sinfonietta and "John's Book of Alleged Dances" was commissioned for the Kronos Quartet.

In his liner notes, Adams says the dances are 'alleged' "because the steps for them have yet to be invented. They cuss, chaw, hock hooeys, scratch and talk too loud." The titles of these dances ("Toot Nipple," "Rag the Bone," Alligator Escalator") are as quirky as the music often is. Adams also provides explanations of each of the dances. For example, "Hammer & Chisel" is about two of Adams' contractor friends. "Hammer is an aging Sixties radical....Chisel keeps his politics to himself. I can hear them arguing while they pound, drill, rout and measure." Sometimes playful, at other times quiet and graceful, the music is thoroughly enjoyable. RECOMMENDED

The second disc with works by John Adams I've been listening to, and already I can't help but wonder what has become of him. My first experience with Adams has been Harmonium, a work of breathtaking intensity and uplifting beauty - ten years later, he produces entertaining sections of noise which transport the impressiveness of old in nothing but being impressive examples of the fact that not everything coming out of instruments (or of a cow, for that matter) can actually be considered music.
Gnarly Buttons seems to be a little less bad at first, but later on turns out to be just as stereotypical as most of the Dances.
If you enjoy pop music performed on classical instruments, mainstream film music or light music in general, you might still enjoy this disc; perhaps your children will like it as well. Yet, bearing the name of John Adams, this is a huge disappointment.

One had great expectations for this Adams string quartet. Alas -- we get yet another (failed) attempt of Adams' to write pop tunes. Has he given up on writing concert works?