Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. The Dharma At Big Sur: II. Sri Moonshine

Disc 2:

1. My Father Knew Charles Ives: I. Concord
2. My Father Knew Charles Ives: II. The Lake
3. My Father Knew Charles Ives: III. The Mountain

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #42680 in Music
• Released on: 2006-09-26
• Number of discs: 2

Amazon.com
This is a splendid addition to the Adams discography, one that follows him from New England to California. Dharma at Big Sur is a concerto for electric violin. It begins by evoking the West's sun and easy living, but this is more than a musical piece of nature-painting. It rambles ambiently for a while before landing in an Indian raga, jazzy mode and ends with a type of heavenly good-naturedness. The electric violin is played by Tracy Silverman; a sixth string allows for the sonorous tones of the cello. The other work, presented on a second CD (so as to avoid culture shock?) is My Father knew Charles Ives, which, while apparently untrue, lets us know that Ives's New England sound and his wacky one-on-top-of-the-other methods will be found here, and, indeed, they are. It pays homage to some of Ives's music (the trumpet from his "The Unanswered Question" is clear here), but more than that, in its various sections ("The Lake;" "The Mountain") it evokes the nature of New England as picturesquely as Ives does, and parallels Adams's California in Dharma A pair of fascinating works, at times a bit thorny, but well worth it. --Robert Levine

Album Description
Featuring two highly-acclaimed commissioned orchestral works, The Dharma At Big Sur and My Father Knew Charles Ives, performed by the BBC Sumphony with Adams himself conducting. While panoramic in scope, these multi-part pieces are also deeply personal in nature. Described as "autobiographical sound memories" by the BBC, they evoke the well-traveled American composer's east coast/west coast life and wide-ranging musical education.

Customer Reviews

Westcoast hijinks
This is quite awful. I've never been a fan of any kind of minimalism (and say what you will, Adams is a minimalist through and through), but I respect its appeal to the age. You recognize the mechanical repetition of our world in it, and it's kind of reassuring. But this is just too positive and cheery (pastiche-work eager for influence not withstanding). Certain works by Reich, say, seem far superior, offering musical substance without the treacle). One other note: Nonesuch has never been generous with minutes for your money, but this is quite absurd! Two cds for, what, 50 minutes of music? What a waste!

toward the oceanic
after listening to the dharma, inspired by jack kerouac's late writings, i had a look at my copy of adams' on the transmigration of souls for the compositional dates, the two pieces having much in common as to stand as companion pieces. which is to say there is a deepening of a style at play in adams' work.

the second recording, my father knew charles ives, owes much to ives, particularly the musical tension, adams, like ives, never lets the listener forget that marching band music on celebrated holidays is in memory of men and women who fought in wars.

the oceanic feeling, something vast and awesome and grand, feelings experienced in response to a tragedy or intense beauty. adams is challenged by some big questions to which he provides musical answers the best that he can.

his linear notes on his influences are worth reading, too.

A mixed bag
I found this set a mixed bag. The first work - "The Dharma at Big Sur" - is a bit disappointing save for the massive ending, which is admittedly mind-blowing. The opening movement is a wash, a verrrrry long recitative-like statement for the soloist over some interesting harmonies, but all seeming almost like a too-long introduction to the second movement.

"My Father Knew Charles Ives", on the other hand, is quite a great piece. Attempts in American music have been made to be "like Ives" - incorporating twisted quotes of popular song, hymns, etc. at varying tempos and in varying keys - with extremely varying success. Most fail - Adams here reigns supreme. I like the fact that the piece brings back some of the insanity of the "Chamber Symphony", includes overwhelming climactic moments like "Naive and Sentimental Music" or the Violin Concerto, but also breaks new ground. This is clearly post-post-minimalist music from Adams and is exciting to hear.

The performances and recorded sound are universally excellent, with wide dynamic range and excellent clarity throughout the orchestra in both works. The soloist in Dharma is tastefully spotlit.

One drawback is that 2 CDs for these two pieces without some other filler material is a waste. We could certainly have used new recordings of some older (or even recent) Adams work to set these two in relief.