John Adams: Son of Chamber Symphony; String Quartet

"The 'trickster,' composer John Adams once called it — the persona he evinces in pieces like his Chamber Symphony, which he described as a cross between Arnold Schoenberg and Wile E. Coyote. He's (understandably) tried to distance himself since from the notion that his pieces collectively fall into one of two categories, either jest or earnest, but still it's clear, once in a while, when he's up to his old tricks again. Case in point: One might reasonably suspect that Adams has revisited the aesthetic of the Chamber Symphony with the titular piece on his new CD, Son of Chamber Symphony (Nonesuch Records). The original was one of a kind in Adams' oeuvre, suggesting a close study of such great American weirdos as Frank Zappa and Mexico-based player-piano fiend Conlon Nancarrow. The sequel (self-deprecating title notwithstanding) defies the Hollywood law of diminishing artistic returns while still offering all of Chamber Symphony's daffy pleasures" (Daniel Stephen Johnson, "Unpop!," New Haven Advocate, 7/21/11, p. 37).
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