Violin Concerto (Adams)

The Violin Concerto by the American composer John Adams was written in 1993. Its premiere was on January 19, 1994, by Jorja Fleezanis with the Minnesota Orchestra, conducted by Edo de Waart, at the Ordway Music Theater, Saint Paul, Minnesota.[1][2]

This article is about the violin concerto. For Peter Martins' 1994 ballet to this music, see Adams Violin Concerto.
Violin Concerto
by John Adams
Portrait of John Adams
GenreMinimalism
FormViolin Concerto
Commissioned byNew York City Ballet
Composed1993 (1993)
DedicationDavid Huntley
Durationabout 35 minutes
MovementsThree
Premiere
DateJanuary 19, 1994 (1994-01-19)
LocationOrdway Music Theater, Saint Paul, Minnesota
ConductorEdo de Waart
PerformersJorja Fleezanis (violin) Minnesota Orchestra

The piece was co-commissioned by the New York City Ballet, leading to a strong sense of rhythm throughout the entire work. For it, Adams received the University of Louisville Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition.[1]

A typical performance lasts around 35 minutes.[3]

The Violin Concerto has been described as "the most original approach to the genre since the Alban Berg Concerto".[4]

Structure

The work is in three movements:

  1. Quarter note = 78[5]
  2. Chaconne: Body through which the dream flows
  3. Toccare

It is dedicated to the memory of David Huntley of Boosey & Hawkes.[3]

Instrumentation

The work calls for solo violin accompanied by an orchestra with the following instrumentation.

Recordings

The first recording was with the London Symphony Orchestra, featuring soloist Gidon Kremer,[3] and conducted by Kent Nagano, released as Nonesuch 79360–2.[7]

In 2017 Orchid Classics released a recording (coupled with the Korngold violin concerto), with soloist Ilya Gringolts and the Copenhagen Philharmonic conducted by Santtu-Matias Rouvali, reference ORC100066. [8]

References
  1. "1995 – John Adams". Grawemeyer Awards. 20 July 1995. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  2. "John Adams - Violin Concerto". Boosey & Hawkes. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  3. Adams, John. "About the Piece - Violin Concerto". Los Angeles Philharmonic. Archived from the original on 24 January 2018.
  4. Christopher Latham, review of recording by Chloë Hanslip, Limelight, January 2007, p. 47
  5. sometimes written "♩ = 78", "I. = 78" or "Crotchet = 78"
  6. Technical requirements for the synthesizers available here
  7. Schwartz, Steve (1998). "Classical Net Review - Adams - Violin Concerto, Shaker Loops". Classical Net. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  8. "On-line catalogue entry Korngold/Adams Violin Concertos". Orchid Classics. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
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