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Track Listings
| 1. John's Book Of Alleged Dances: Judah To Ocean |
| 2. John's Book Of Alleged Dances: Toot Nipple |
| 3. John's Book Of Alleged Dances: Dogjam |
| 4. John's Book Of Alleged Dances: Pavane: She's So Fine |
| 5. John's Book Of Alleged Dances: Rag The Bone |
| 6. John's Book Of Alleged Dances: Habanera |
| 7. John's Book Of Alleged Dances: Stubble Crotchet |
| 8. John's Book Of Alleged Dances: Hammer & Chisel |
| 9. John's Book Of Alleged Dances: Alligator Escalator |
| 10. John's Book Of Alleged Dances: Standchen: The Little Seranade |
| 11. John's Book Of Alleged Dances: Judah To Ocean (Reprise) |
| 12. Gnarly Buttons: The Perilous Shore |
| 13. Gnarly Buttons: Hoe-down (Mad Cow) |
| 14. Gnarly Buttons: Put Your Loving Arms Around Me |
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This joyous recording by the Kronos Quartet and the London Sinfonietta kicks-off, rather, kicks up its heels with, 'John's Book of Alleged Dances - a sequence of rumpunctious tunes celebrating all manner of life's small elations. The Kronos Quartet match the complicated string rhythms with brilliance and relaxed fiddling (like good ol'mountain boys). These pieces are marvellous, referencing all manner of musical forms, they make your feet want to find the missing dancesteps.
'Gnarly Buttons' sits well against 'Alleged Dances' - they've plenty in common. Primarily, a clarinet piece - recalling his father and his own indebtednss to the instrument - 'Gnarly' twists and turns through 3 movements. It's the second section that most will return to, another hellzapoppin' hoedown - dedicated to Mad Cows (first performed during that crisis). The clarinet is demonstrated in all its vernaculars, cue Benny Goodman-esque swing and wayward school recitals. Not as satisfying as 'Alleged Dances', simply because its meant as a whole and 'Alleged' cannot fail as a compendium piece, 'Gnarly's weakness are declared by its strengths.
A great introduction to John Adams, well recommended.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
9 reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Quality work and a must have for an Adams fan
18 Jan 1999
Format:Audio CD
I'd give it 5 stars to off-set the average rating, but I'll leave breathing room. The title work, Gnarly Buttons (essentially a clarinet concerto with small ensemble), surely is based on "popish" themes ["folkish" would be a better characterization], especially the final movement "Put your loving arms around me". In fact, the main melody seems to mimic in tone, pitch, and rythm, the words "put your loving arms around me," to the point where it must have been deliberate. But every bad association one can have with pop music does not apply: there is a genuine development behind the music, and add to that the unique orcehstration. As for John's Book of Alleged Dances, these are wonderful "dances" and rythmicaly fascinating to follow (particular passages stand out, for instance 0:34 on track 5). Don't let the silly names (nor the fuzzy samples offered on this site) fool you: this is not a repeat of Hoodoo Zypher, Adams' foray into total electronic music that I'm sure many of his listners regret buying.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Two of John Adams' Solid Works of Humor and Warmth
6 April 2006
Format:Audio CD
John Adams becomes more popular by the year with his compositions for large orchestra ('Naive and Sentimental Music', 'On the Transmigration of Souls') and operas ('Doctor Atomic' and in a way 'El Nino') gaining justly increased performances, but Adams has another side - chamber works. As with all great composers it is the smaller, exposed works that often tell us more about a composer's genius. The two works on this splendid recording prove this to be the case.
'John's Book of Alleged Dances' was written for the Kronos Quartet and is a bit of whimsy in its series of eleven dances for string quartet and a rhythm track made of prepared piano sounds. The result is a group of works that pay homage to the backwoods simplicity of America's folktunes. The dances are endlessly creative, with never a moment of hurried compositional thought. They are played with such fine sense of fun and expertise by the Kronos Quartet that they become instant staples in the chamber repertoire.
'Gnarly Buttons' could be called a clarinet concerto, but that title does not fully cover the novelty of the work. Composed for clarinet, banjo, guitar, mandolin, trombone, English horn, bassoon, piano, strings, and 'two samplers' playing a variety of sounds including accordion and cow! The piece is dizzy, playful, funky, fun and virtuosic! Adams conducts the London Sinfonietta and the Present Music ensemble with clarinetist Michael Collins in this rollicking performance that feels like a ride through the farmlands and backcountry of America. It is a delight and the recording is highly recommended. The CD includes some fine notes from the composer, giving us an immediate association with the two works. Drop the pretensions and just settle in and enjoy some fascinating and fine compositions. Grady Harp, April 06
'John's Book of Alleged Dances' was written for the Kronos Quartet and is a bit of whimsy in its series of eleven dances for string quartet and a rhythm track made of prepared piano sounds. The result is a group of works that pay homage to the backwoods simplicity of America's folktunes. The dances are endlessly creative, with never a moment of hurried compositional thought. They are played with such fine sense of fun and expertise by the Kronos Quartet that they become instant staples in the chamber repertoire.
'Gnarly Buttons' could be called a clarinet concerto, but that title does not fully cover the novelty of the work. Composed for clarinet, banjo, guitar, mandolin, trombone, English horn, bassoon, piano, strings, and 'two samplers' playing a variety of sounds including accordion and cow! The piece is dizzy, playful, funky, fun and virtuosic! Adams conducts the London Sinfonietta and the Present Music ensemble with clarinetist Michael Collins in this rollicking performance that feels like a ride through the farmlands and backcountry of America. It is a delight and the recording is highly recommended. The CD includes some fine notes from the composer, giving us an immediate association with the two works. Drop the pretensions and just settle in and enjoy some fascinating and fine compositions. Grady Harp, April 06
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
A complete success
17 Jun 2000
Format:Audio CD
As a great fan of both John Adams and Kronos Quartet, I am in awe of this CD. Gnarly Buttons is a wonderful clarinet/small ensemble piece. However, it is John's Book of Alleged Dances that makes this CD shine. Adams has (once again) shown that classical pieces do not have to be the dull, serious, angst-filled works that leave the audience depressed. His "Book of Alleged Dances" is a group of fun, well-written pieces for string quartet and, get this, foot-controlled sampler. John Adams, you are amazing!
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