Cmaj7 | John Adams - The Chairman Dances (1985) @Cmaj7 | Uploaded March 2021 | Updated October 2024, 23 minutes ago.
Composer: John Coolidge Adams (February 15, 1947 – )
Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony conducted by Simon Rattle

Score available here: issuu.com/scoresondemand/docs/chairman_dances_23700

My favorite work by John Adams, and just generally one of my favorites, this piece is an absolute masterpiece of orchestration. There is really so much to say about the timbral choices throughout this piece that I couldn't possibly describe it all without rambling in this description box or writing a full report.
So I'll just highlight some parts that really stand out:
The string harmonics at the beginning of the piece, particularly in combination with pitched percussion, creating such a bright excited feeling
The grand legato theme in the horns at 3:53 evolving into a lovely string theme, totally in contrast with the rest of orchestra. Similarly at 9:18
Glissed string harmonics, clarinet runs, and percussion at 6:39 giving off a mischievous feeling, along with the string and woodwind runs at 7:46
8:14 everything here
The sweet sound created by the 4 solo violins with piano at 11:34 leading to the gentle end of the piece

(Check out David Bruce's video on this piece youtube.com/watch?v=Q-Ep6GkWwSc)

(I must say that in contrast to the orchestral brilliance of this piece, Nixon in China, which this is an "outtake" from, generally feels so empty. Nixon in China and Death of Klinghoffer gave me the impression that Adams was cowering at the thought of anything distracting from the singers.)

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