Adams features clarinet, an instrument his father taught him, on Gnarly Buttons, which London’s Independent calls “charming and musically fascinating.” Kronos Quartet performs the playful John’s Book of Alleged Dances, minus the choreography; says Adams, “The steps for them had yet to be invented.”
Gnarly Buttons is the puckish title for John Adams 1996 concerto offered here in its first recording, released April 17, 1998, on Nonesuch Records. Written for the British clarinet soloist Michael Collins, he performs it here with the London Sinfonietta, conducted by John Adams. The work’s instrumentation underscores the vernacular roots of the music: a string ensemble is augmented by banjo, mandolin, guitar, trombone, two low double reeds, piano, and two keyboards playing a variety of sampled sounds including accordion, clarinet—and cow.
Also premiered on this new recording is a set of 11 short pieces for string quartet, entitled John’s Book of Alleged Dances, written for and performed by Kronos Quartet. Alleged Dances also references folk elements such as the Western hoe-down and a Protestant hymn-tune. Several of the dances combine sampled rhythm tracks with live strings, and project a freewheeling imagination that is mirrored in the movement titles, like “Dogjam,” “Rag the Bone,” “Stubble Crotchet,” and “Alligator Escalator.”
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Gnarly Buttons
Produced by Philip Waldway
Recorded July 1997 at Air Studios (Lyndhurst), London, England
Engineered by Geoff Foster
Edited and mixed At Galaxy Classics, Mol, Belgium
Engineered by Kees de Visser
John’s Book of Alleged Dances
Produced by Judith Sherman
Recorded August 1995 (Toot Nipple) and August 1996 at Skywalker Sound, Nicasio, CA
Recording Engineer: Craig Silvey
Assistant Engineer: John Klepko, Chris Haynes (Toot Nipple)
Editing Assistant: Jeanne Velonis
Electronic tapes prepared by Mark Grey
Mastered by Paul Zinman at SoundByte Productions, New York City
Design by John Gall
Cover photograph courtesy of Valerie Schaff/Graphistock
Executive Producer: Robert Hurwitz
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MUSICIANS
John’s Book of Alleged Dances
Kronos Quartet:
David Harrington, violin
John Sherba, violin
Hank Dutt, viola
Joan Jeanrenaud, cello
Gnarly Buttons
London Sinfonietta:
John Adams, conductor
Michael Collins, clarinet
Gareth Hulse, English horn
John Orford, bassoon
David Purser, trombone
Rebecca Hirsch, violin
Joan Atherton, violin
Roger chase, viola
Christopher van Kampen, cello
Lynda Houghton, double bass
Steve Smith, banjo, mandolin, guitar
Shelagh Sutherland, sampler/piano
David Maric, sampler/piano
