John Adams: Fearful Symmetries; Wound Dresser

Sanford Sylvan (Performer), John [Composer] Adams (Composer), John Adams (Conductor), Orchestra of St. Luke's (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Sanford Sylvan
• Orchestra: Orchestra of St. Luke's
• Conductor: John Adams
• Composer: John [Composer] Adams
• Audio CD (October 20, 1989)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Nonesuch
• ASIN: B000005IZQ
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #116,805 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Wound-Dresser, for baritone & orchestra

2. Fearful Symmetries, for orchestra

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Early and Powerful Adams Compositions, April 9, 2006

By 

Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: John Adams: Fearful Symmetries; Wound Dresser (Audio CD)

As John Adams becomes an ever-increasing important presence in contemporary classical music it is a true pleasure to wander back through some of his early compositions at the moment when his genius was molding. This superb CD may have been recorded in 1988 but remains one of particular beauty in the growing pantheon of Adams recordings.

The CD opens with THE WOUND-DRESSER, Adams intensely poignant setting of Walt Whitman's poetry from the Civil War, a war during which the pacifist directed his participation to caring for the wounded soldiers both in the field and in the elementary, sadly inept field hospitals. Intoning the gorgeous poetry is baritone Sanford Sylvan who premiered the piece. Sylvan's beauty of voice is matched by his intelligence of phrasing and his completely understandable diction. Adams admits that this composition for baritone and orchestra was influenced by the death of his father from Alzheimer's Disease and the patient love and caring of that 'wound' by his mother. It is also from the time when AIDS was so very much in the public eye, another factor that makes Whitman's poetry very contemporary in dramatic poignancy. Yet whatever the influencing factors the piece is one of deeply felt compassion and is some of the most beautiful vocal music Adams has written to date.

FEARFUL SYMMETRIES is paired with WOUND-DRESSER for a good reason: Adams has always felt that his works 'alternate between two opposing polarities: along with every dark, introspective, 'serious' piece there must come the Trickster, the garish, ironic wild card...'. FEARFUL SYMMETRIES is all about jazz and puns and generous good humor. The already large orchestra is supplemented with saxophones, synthesizer and piano and rollicks in boogie-woogie riffs, syncopation, and all manner of dance hall rhythms. It is fun, it is crazy, it is an amazing compositional achievement. Adams conducts the Orchestra of St. Lukes in this fascinating and rewarding CD. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, April 06

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Adams Sets Whitman, January 17, 2001

By 

Daniel G. Berk (West Bloomfield, Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: John Adams: Fearful Symmetries; Wound Dresser (Audio CD)

John Adams' setting of Walt Whitman's poem, The Wound-Dresser, which Whitman derrived from his visits to wounded soldiers during the Civil War, is a masterful composition. The poem takes you right into the bleak hospital facilities, which you can almost smell and taste. Adams' setting of it infuses the music with the same emotion that Whitman conveys with the words. While this is somewhat different than Adams' usual fare, it is a significant work, most worthy of consideration.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fearful Symmetries - Wow!, December 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: John Adams: Fearful Symmetries; Wound Dresser (Audio CD)

This was my introduction to John Adams. When I first heard it I pulled over to the side of the road to listen and called the station to find out the title. Fearful Symmetries is sort of a big-band piece, but with a mass of saxaphones that not even the biggest big band would have had. It's composed of a simple pattern that is shaped and reshaped. I find it utterly hypnotic - one of the best 28 minutes of music in my library. It is also perhaps one of the loudest. ;-)