For an introduction to John Adams music what would you recommend.?

I've only heard the youtube clip of a snippet of "Dharma" it is a newer work, including solo electric violin.

Progressively, from the earlier career:

* = works most to my personal taste.

China gates: short piano piece.

* Shaker Loops, for seven strings (later version for string orchestra - I prefer the original)

* Common Tones in Simple Time: orchestral one-movement piece, ca 20 minutes.

Harmonium: (Warning - choral) for large orchestra and chorus.

Grand Pianola music: orchestra - with a few female voices as 'siren'

The first two movements are contiguous and I enjoy them, The final movement is a relentless I IV which I find as intolerable as anything Phillip Glass ever composed.)

This somewhat ends an audible "minimalist" school style of sound

Chamber Concerto. (This and Grand pianola are on the same CD with Adams conducting.).

* Eros Piano - piano and chamber orchestra, a sort of in memorium to Toru Takemitsu and Morton Feldman.

* Violin Concerto

* Century Rolls: Piano and orchestra (emanuel ax, piano)

* Slonimsky's earbox (on same CD)

* Hallelujah Junction (piano duet)

* Road Movies (violin and piano) - (on same CD)

The composer knows best the sound and balances he wants, any recording with the composer conducting is highly preferable from other recorded performances.

I have omitted Harmonieliehre and Naive and Sentimental Music: these are essays in a more traditional developmental style, I just do not care for them. Other listeners deem them his best work.

Best, p.b.

Petr's given you some great recommendations!!

On the off chance that his is too overwhelming a list, here's what I'd suggest. Try listening to "Short Ride in a Fast Machine." That's got to be his most famous, most often performed, and probably most accessible piece. I'd start there. From there, buy this CD:

http://www.amazon.com/Century-Rolls-John-Adams/dp/...

Those three pieces (Slonimsky's Earbox, Lollapalooza, and Century Rolls) are among my favorites of his, and they're also pretty accessible. So those would be worth hearing, too.

I don't know Dharma at Big Sur, so I can't suggest that.

Good luck!

I'd recommend 'Short ride in a fast machine'.

The Dharma at Big Sur is also a great introduction to his style though.

I might suggest a nice cold Sam Adams before delving headlong into John Adams.

... really, I don't know. I don't have any of Adam's music in my collection.