Comments on: Dr. Atomic as Opera or Symphony? http://www.sequenza21.com/2010/01/dr-atomic-as-opera-or-symphony/ The Contemporary Classical Music Community Sun, 19 May 2013 04:27:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Henry Holland http://www.sequenza21.com/2010/01/dr-atomic-as-opera-or-symphony/comment-page-1/#comment-22198 Henry Holland Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:05:36 +0000 http://www.sequenza21.com/?p=2445#comment-22198 “How do you prefer Dr. Atomic”

As an idea that never should have advanced beyond the talking stage. That way, there wouldn’t be one of the worst librettos in memory, a hilariously inept staging by Peter Sellars (I went to the production at SFO) and Adams tired music, which tried to incorporate major dissonance in to his basic style and only ended up sounding like the most cliched product of Darmstadt ca. 1955.

]]> By: Jon Manton http://www.sequenza21.com/2010/01/dr-atomic-as-opera-or-symphony/comment-page-1/#comment-22186 Jon Manton Mon, 25 Jan 2010 23:32:20 +0000 http://www.sequenza21.com/?p=2445#comment-22186 I have seen both the Symphony and the Opera live and would have to pick the opera everytime! The symphony strikes me as poor representation of some of the simply superb music in the opera which in my opinon is some of the best Adams has written to date.

]]> By: Christian http://www.sequenza21.com/2010/01/dr-atomic-as-opera-or-symphony/comment-page-1/#comment-22081 Christian Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:54:20 +0000 http://www.sequenza21.com/?p=2445#comment-22081 I think the opera is the more organic vehicle for the Dr. Atomic music. That said, the symphony in no way strikes me as being cobbled together. It’s a very nice refashioning of the opera’s music. As Jay mentions, the companion piece, Guide to Strange Places, makes a bid to upstage the symphony. It’s one of Adams’ finest recent works.

Just got the new Nixon in China recording on Naxos. Will be writing about that soon as well.

]]> By: Eric L http://www.sequenza21.com/2010/01/dr-atomic-as-opera-or-symphony/comment-page-1/#comment-22028 Eric L Mon, 18 Jan 2010 22:40:58 +0000 http://www.sequenza21.com/?p=2445#comment-22028 Still prefer the first Chamber Symphony over the sequel… =)

]]> By: Jerry Bowles http://www.sequenza21.com/2010/01/dr-atomic-as-opera-or-symphony/comment-page-1/#comment-22019 Jerry Bowles Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:45:02 +0000 http://www.sequenza21.com/?p=2445#comment-22019 Did I mention that you can listen to Son of Chamber Symphony free by clicking on the red Carnegie Hall new music logo at the top of the left sidebar? Some other good stuff there too, including Little Match Girl Passion.

]]> By: Jay C. Batzner http://www.sequenza21.com/2010/01/dr-atomic-as-opera-or-symphony/comment-page-1/#comment-22018 Jay C. Batzner Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:19:17 +0000 http://www.sequenza21.com/?p=2445#comment-22018 I’m more of a fan of the symphony than the opera but I don’t find either piece rather appealing. I think Guide to Strange Places is the real reason to own that CD. It is a far superior piece to my ears.

]]> By: Christian http://www.sequenza21.com/2010/01/dr-atomic-as-opera-or-symphony/comment-page-1/#comment-22008 Christian Mon, 18 Jan 2010 05:49:18 +0000 http://www.sequenza21.com/?p=2445#comment-22008 Yes, I’ve asked Westminster to order Son of Chamber Symphony for the library. We’re looking at it in the grad minimalism course this summer.

]]> By: Jerry Bowles http://www.sequenza21.com/2010/01/dr-atomic-as-opera-or-symphony/comment-page-1/#comment-22003 Jerry Bowles Mon, 18 Jan 2010 01:08:40 +0000 http://www.sequenza21.com/?p=2445#comment-22003 Actually, neither is as good as Son of Chamber Symphony.

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