The John Adams Earbox: A 10-CD Retrospective [BOX SET]

Steve Smith (Performer), Sanford Sylvan (Performer), Hannu Rantanen (Performer), Dominick Morgan (Performer), John Orford (Performer), Andrew Shulman (Performer), Christopher van Kampen (Performer), Joan Jeanrenaud (Performer), Guy Cowley (Performer), Kari Tenkanen (Performer), Michael Collins (Performer), Michael Collins [clarinet] (Performer), John [composer] Adams (Composer), Charles Ives (Composer), Edo de Waart (Conductor), John Adams (Conductor), Kent Nagano (Conductor), Lynda Houghton (Performer), Robin McGee (Performer), Jari-Pekka Karvonen (Performer)

Product Details

• Performer: Steve Smith, Sanford Sylvan, Hannu Rantanen, Dominick Morgan, John Orford, et al.
• Conductor: Edo de Waart, John Adams, Kent Nagano
• Composer: John [composer] Adams, Charles Ives
• Audio CD (October 19, 1999)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 10
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Nonesuch
• ASIN: B00001SID1
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #168,942 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #50 in	Music > Classical > Featured Composers, A-Z > ( A ) > Adams, John
  #62 in	Music > Classical > Featured Performers, A-Z > ( S ) > San Francisco Symphony Orchestra
  #85 in	Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Modern, 20th, & 21st Century > Composers > Ives, Charles

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
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. And, while minimalism's historical continuum helps place Adams, he used Reich, Glass, and Riley (among others) only as a starting point. And here's proof: a 10-CD retrospective of nearly all Adams's recorded compositions on Nonesuch Records, the label that also issued Steve Reich 1965-1995 and Kronos Quartet: 25 Years. Adams's Harmonium, a choral work of startling energy and effervescence, appears here in a new recording, as do distillations of both The Death of Klinghoffer and Nixon in China, two path-clearing operas. Over the span of a career covered by Earbox, Adams has returned minimalism to traditional instrumental ensembles as well as to projects that at once advanced a political commentary and took that commentary back to orchestral audiences. And so, in far less time than his predecessors, Adams created works that now play like standard repertoire pieces: The Wound Dresser and Shaker Loops and the Violin Concerto--all of them are here. What these works demonstrate is a fierce creativity on the one hand and perhaps a hunger for commercial advances on the other. Adams may at times be a bustling free thinker, but he sounds ever conscious of what audiences are listening to. As for the works themselves, they remain every bit as daunting as when written.

Some may object to particular selections. I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky, for example, hardly ranks with Adams's best work. But this box isn't a mere best-of; it's an almost-all-of. At times terrifically American--especially in the news-aware operas and their narrative pragmatism--Adams well deserves a major box set, and its coverage is appropriate to his varied, stylistically diverse output. As with any large-scale retrospective, Earbox--which fairly bristles with Adams's new composition, Slonimsky's Earbox--has spots where fans might balk at the quality of the composer's writing. But it's got a fantastic accompanying booklet along with its many hours of inarguably modern and thoroughly listener-friendly music. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nonesuch delivers.Again, November 26, 2002

By	A. Hogan (Brooklyn, NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

John adams is one of the most popular living composers of"modern" classical music[I believe the cutoff point, though arbitrary is usually WWII}.I came to him late, through my husband. Modersn classical music , I said? What the hell is that?My husband kept playing bits and pieces of adams for me, and more and more i found myself amazed. and swayed. His operas have been groundbreaking{Nixon in China} controversial{Death Of klinghoffer},his compostions sublimely beautiful{shaker Loops or harmonium].HIS STATURE IS WORTHY THEN OF SUCH A MONUMENTAL CAREER SPANNING BOX SET.This 10 disc set[great value, again from NONESUCH}encompasses Adams' entire career,and though there are some misses here{I was looking at the ceiling and then i saw the sky doesnt quite fit},it is still magnificent. the Highlights are ,{for me} the Wound Dresser, Chamber symphony,Violin Concerto, of course, Shaker Loops and Harmonuim are wonderful. The true jewels here are Nixon in China,the Chairman dances and the Death of Klinghoffer,which is simply a masterpiece. The set comes with a wonderful book, which contains essay's by Robert Hurwitz {An Uncommon Man}renaud Machart[John adams as seen from europe} and Essays before an earbox by Adams himself.A Chronology and dicography are included. A wonderful study of an American original,worth the investment, Highly highly recommended

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Our greatest living composer, July 22, 2001

By	Mr. F. L. Dunkin Wedd - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a composer, I'm staggered that anyone could fail to be gripped by this music.

That anyone can use the words "spoiled, overrated" amazes me. I emphatically disagree with "A music fan"'s review.

I don't think it's "mind-numbing"; I think it's spiritual and exciting. To me it's the most substantial music being created in our times.

I'm really sorry that anyone could fail to enjoy it, and really recommend others to listen for themselves.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So much, so good, so well put together, January 16, 2000

By A Customer

Adams has a great diversity to his projects. He works with great collaborators and gets amazing results. These are first class performances, beautifully packaged, the liner notes are accessible and insightful and the music is fascinating, hypnotic, funny, gorgeous, and surprising by turns. A lot to digest.