John Adams' "On the Transmigration of Souls"

[YouOverThere]

This weekend, the Colorado Symphony is offering its first performance of John Adams' 9/11 requiem On the Transmigration of Souls. At first hearing, it didn't do much for me. But then I often don't "get" modern music the first time that I hear it. Plus there is the long-standing problem with the AWFUL acoustics in the symphony hall in Denver that made some parts inaudible (in particular, the piece includes a pre-recorded tape with spoken dialog and background street sounds that was so faint that we couldn't understand anything that was being said). So I was wondering if anyone else has heard the piece and found it moving or meaningful.

[kfw]

This weekend, the Colorado Symphony is offering its first performance of John Adams' 9/11 requiem On the Transmigration of Souls. At first hearing, it didn't do much for me. But then I often don't "get" modern music the first time that I hear it. Plus there is the long-standing problem with the AWFUL acoustics in the symphony hall in Denver that made some parts inaudible (in particular, the piece includes a pre-recorded tape with spoken dialog and background street sounds that was so faint that we couldn't understand anything that was being said). So I was wondering if anyone else has heard the piece and found it moving or meaningful.

I haven't heard this composition but I find a lot of his music moving (and I heard him conduct some of it in D.C. last weekend). In regards to Transmigration, Adams writes in his autobiography "Hallelujah Junction" that the recorded soundtrack which "surrounds the audience from all sides" makes it "a problematic piece for concert audiences. Even those disposed to like the work have had a difficult time situating themselves within its peculiar sonic environment." So your reaction was pretty typical!