Comments on Daniel Stephen Johnson: Lives of the Great Composers: John Adams' Librett...

I love it that the now C of E Ms. Goodman wrote &q...

2010-08-08T18:34:43.500-04:00

I love it that the now C of E Ms. Goodman wrote "... I split off with Mark against John and Peter..."!
Who was Jesus, or maybe Matthew or Luke?

David, thanks so much for weighing in! I'm ve...

2010-08-05T19:23:37.067-04:00

David, thanks so much for weighing in! I'm very glad to hear that you enjoyed it. When I first read about that freer approach to the score, I suspected that it was a pretty excellent idea—I wish I could hear it, to compare with the rather stilted studio recordings already on disc.

Sorry, not made myself privy to your always intrig...

2010-08-05T17:46:21.212-04:00

Sorry, not made myself privy to your always intriguing thoughts for some time so only just seen this.

You ask, so I'll tell: I came away from the Barbican/Stratford East production dazzled, even if at the end of the first half I was suffering from information overload/missing histories. The singers could all dance/act, and two were outstanding:

http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1799:i-was-looking-at-the-ceiling-and-then-i-saw-the-sky-theatre-review&Itemid=27

What I didn't know when I wrote the review, as I have only scant acquaintance with the original recording and the programme didn't tell us, was that the music director had encouraged the players to riff and jam much more than in the original, so it never sounded arch and rarely dated.

I would have gone twice if I could have done. Reception, by the way, was split down the middle. Some of the theatre critics hated it. But few appreciated how tough it must have been to master that level of vocal writing.

it's oddly comforting to know that the Graunia...

2010-06-21T16:09:06.043-04:00

it's oddly comforting to know that the Grauniad has STILL not hired any proofreaders. When they stop publishing stuff like "text for of Nixon," will we still recognize it as the same publication?

Dammit, that run of I was looking at the ceilin...

2010-06-21T14:44:53.898-04:00
Dammit, that run of I was looking at the ceiling falls at a time when I'm a) going to be in Boston rather than London for a week, and b) I have half-a-dozen other evenings booked up. But if I do manage to see it I will certainly report back.