John's Book of Alleged Dances
Encyclopedia
John's Book of Alleged Dances is a composition by John Coolidge Adams
for string quartet
and recorded prepared piano
. The first performance took place November 19, 1994, at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido
, California
. The work was commissioned and premiered by the Kronos Quartet
. The recorded prepared piano tracks were originally activated by one of the quartet player using pedal operated sampler
. This was eventually replaced by a prerecorded CD track.
John Adams has said that the dances are alleged because “the steps for them had yet to be invented.” John's Book of Alleged Dances is approximately 25 minutes in length and is composed of ten humorously titled “dances” that can be played in any order. The movement titles are as follows:
Selections from John’s Book of Alleged Dances have been set by a number of choreographers, including Paul Taylor. Boosey & Hawkes
plans to release a study score of this piece at some point. No information about when this might take place is currently available.
John Coolidge Adams
John Coolidge Adams is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer with strong roots in minimalism. His best-known works include Short Ride in a Fast Machine , On the Transmigration of Souls , a choral piece commemorating the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks , and Shaker...
for string quartet
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
and recorded prepared piano
Prepared piano
A prepared piano is a piano that has had its sound altered by placing objects between or on the strings or on the hammers or dampers....
. The first performance took place November 19, 1994, at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido
Escondido, California
Escondido is a city occupying a shallow valley ringed by rocky hills, just north of the city of San Diego, California. Founded in 1888, it is one of the oldest cities in San Diego County. The city had a population of 143,911 at the 2010 census. Its municipal government set itself an operating...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The work was commissioned and premiered by the Kronos Quartet
Kronos Quartet
Kronos Quartet is a string quartet founded by violinist David Harrington in 1973 in Seattle, Washington. Since 1978, the quartet has been based in San Francisco, California. The longest-running combination of performers had Harrington and John Sherba on violin, Hank Dutt on viola, and Joan...
. The recorded prepared piano tracks were originally activated by one of the quartet player using pedal operated sampler
Sampler (musical instrument)
A sampler is an electronic musical instrument similar in some respects to a synthesizer but, instead of generating sounds, it uses recordings of sounds that are loaded or recorded into it by the user and then played back by means of a keyboard, sequencer or other triggering device to perform or...
. This was eventually replaced by a prerecorded CD track.
John Adams has said that the dances are alleged because “the steps for them had yet to be invented.” John's Book of Alleged Dances is approximately 25 minutes in length and is composed of ten humorously titled “dances” that can be played in any order. The movement titles are as follows:
- Judah to Ocean
- Toot Nipple
- Dogjam
- Pavane: She’s So Fine
- Rag the Bone
- Habanera
- Stubble Crotchet
- Hammer & Chisel
- Alligator Escalator
- Ständchen: The Little Serenade
Selections from John’s Book of Alleged Dances have been set by a number of choreographers, including Paul Taylor. Boosey & Hawkes
Boosey & Hawkes
Boosey & Hawkes is a British music publisher purported to be the largest specialist classical music publisher in the world. Until 2003, it was also a major manufacturer of brass, string and wind musical instruments....
plans to release a study score of this piece at some point. No information about when this might take place is currently available.
See also
- John Coolidge AdamsJohn Coolidge AdamsJohn Coolidge Adams is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer with strong roots in minimalism. His best-known works include Short Ride in a Fast Machine , On the Transmigration of Souls , a choral piece commemorating the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks , and Shaker...
- String QuartetString quartetA string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
- Kronos QuartetKronos QuartetKronos Quartet is a string quartet founded by violinist David Harrington in 1973 in Seattle, Washington. Since 1978, the quartet has been based in San Francisco, California. The longest-running combination of performers had Harrington and John Sherba on violin, Hank Dutt on viola, and Joan...
- MinimalismMinimalismMinimalism describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is set out to expose the essence, essentials or identity of a subject through eliminating all non-essential forms, features or concepts...
- PostminimalismPostminimalismPostminimalism is an art term coined by Robert Pincus-Witten in 1971 used in various artistic fields for work which is influenced by, or attempts to develop and go beyond, the aesthetic of minimalism...