Century Rolls
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CD Details
Composer: John [composer] AdamsConductor: Christoph von Dohn?nyi
Conductor: Kent Nagano
Orchestra: Cleveland Orchestra
Orchestra: Hall?
Performer: Emanuel Ax
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2001-01-02
Music Label: Nonesuch
Soundtracks:
- Concerto for Piano "Century Rolls": First Movement
- Concerto for Piano "Century Rolls": Manny's Gym
- Concerto for Piano "Century Rolls": Hail Bop
- Lollapalooza
- Slonimsky's Earbox
Music reviews of Century Rolls
Music Review: Flashy, Rhythmic, Gimmicky & Shallow
Rating: 3 Stars
I'm a huge fan of John Adams, so don't take my following criticisms to apply to all of his work, but I find the particular works on this album kind of gimmicky and shallow. It's true that they're all rich in rhythm and orchestration, and the performance is excellent, but whenever I've listened to this disk I always got the impression that these works didn't have anything to say, that they were all flash and no substance.
A particular case in point is the piano concerto "Century Rolls." Adams wanted the pianist to sound like an automated player piano; I'm not sure what the benefit is. The one cool thing about real player pianos is that they can play music that humans aren't physically capable of playing, but their disadvantage is that they have a uniform, flat timbre. Since Adams' piece is for a living pianist rather than a player piano, the effect is that the work has none of the benefit of a player piano and all of its disadvantage. And beyond that, the music doesn't seem to carry any greater meaning beyond its gimmicky purpose.
Description of Century Rolls
Of all the so-called minimalists working today, John Adams is the only one with any good ideas left. Witness this delightful release. The key to Adams's creativity is that he isn't bound by theoretical constraints on what "minimalism" should be. Century Rolls (1995) is a commission by Emanuel Ax, and it was inspired by the composer's listening to a CD recording of an ancient player piano. Century Rolls doesn't duplicate that sound, but it is, instead, an unexpected romp across new rhythmic territory. As for Mr. Ax, he comports himself very well, particularly in the difficult first Movement, which requires deft coordination of all forces involved. The brief Lollapalooza (1995) is more recognizably minimalist but with considerable orchestral color and shifting moods. And Slominsky's Earbox (1996) is a powerfully full-orchestra-driven canter. All this is to say that the CD is one of the best releases of Adams's career, and it will appeal to a very wide audience. --Paul CookGeneral CDs
- Styles > Classical
- Featured Composers, A-Z > ( A ) > Adams, John
- Featured Performers, A-Z > ( C ) > Cleveland Orchestra
- Forms & Genres > Concertos > General
- Historical Periods > Modern, 20th, & 21st Century > General Contemporary
- General Modern
- Instruments > Keyboard > Piano
- Symphonies > General
- Dance & Electronic > Techno > Minimal Techno
- Jazz > General
- Adams, John - Works by Adams
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