New John Adams concerto with Yuja: how was that?
mainLA Times (Richard S. Ginell):
On a first listen, Adams’ devil of a concerto wasn’t exactly brimming with good tunes (except for the steal from Mancini). But it did make a fine, energetic, jumping noise that could only have come from an American composer with an eye on popular culture.
Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times
LA Weekly (Falling James)
Wang dialed up jazzy, circular flurries of notes on the piano’s higher keys even as a feeling of urgent anxiety welled up from the rest of the orchestra. At times, the musicians in the string section clicked and clattered their bows in unison as a form of percussion. Adams’ half-hour concerto was divided into three sections but the whole piece moved forward seamlessly without a break.
Eventually, Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes? shifted into a slower, calmer section as the strings segued into a gentler interlude, which Wang anointed with light, tinkling phrases on piano.
Cue John Bortslap’s ad-hoc criticisms in 3….2….1….
We stopped him from acting on his impulse and locked him up in the library. We regularly hear the rambling of the door knobs but we think new pieces should have an honest chance to be understood before being deconstructed! There’s already so much opinion going-on on the net and besides, I get all the angry telephone calls to answer and get sick of it.
Sally
Thank you, Sally. As I’ve said before: however much he pays you, it isn’t enough 🙂
Sorry Norman,
I was too close. I could no pay atenttion…to the music…
…or to the number of “t”s. (Add your own double entendre here.)
So very happy to see John bring a new work for piano and orchestra to the repertoire – and with Yuja!!
Thanks, Jeffrey, for your common sense comment. So many other comments on this site regarding Yuja are just plain meshugas.
She’s a marvelous pianist and musician, audiences love her, and she’s playing a new concerto by an established modern composer. What’s not to like?
Brava Yuja and bravo John!
I’m probably in the minority here, but I’m tired of seeing Yuja in outfits that look like they could slip off with one thread pull.
You’re not in the minority and she looks absolutely ridiculous. A few more years and she’ll graduate from ridiculous to grotesque.