John Adams - Harmonium - BBC Proms 2017

[@ophs1980]

I listen to this and I think to myself.... how did he know? How did John Adams know that what he was writing down would sound like this. He seems to have an ability to understand how each instrument would sound when played a specific way. No other composer has shown this ability in tier compositions. Every time I listen to this, I hear something I didn't hear before and my jaw drops.

[@jforozco12]

I come here from time to time to be reminded of beauty and something close to god

[@MusicForMedia]

Cannot believe this is 40+ years old....I first heard it as a music student at university and was completely blown away. I still am.....

[@Andi-jt3xk]

I was at the ROYAL ALBERT HALL for the first night of the BBC Proms in 2017 when this was performed. Life-changing performance. Just incredible. Talk about food for the soul.

[@stephenmitchell367]

This is just extraordinary. Beyond words. It is like a musical description of sunlight, fireworks, just... I don't know - the vitality of life. Surely it would be impossible not to be moved just by the utter wild vitality of the music. It's like music on steroids with a bit of LSD thrown in for good measure. Unbelievable. Simply unbelievable.

[@ctrl_altesc]

I'm sorry, but I literally just wept through this entire performance. Been an emotional day, and man this just.. I needed it.

[@tromboneflyguy]

No need to apologise friend, let the music sooth your soul

[@TheBlues088]

hahahaha

[@cameronbrendiar]

Me too.

[@RichardASalisbury1]

This was the first piece I ever heard by Adams, in 1981. I was being played in a bookstore in Cupertino, CA called "A Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books"; I think it had a sister store in San Francisco; both, sadly are long gone. It blew me away--I heard a whole new world of sound, unlike anything I'd heard before (though a classical music lover since 1944). It still has great power for me. Thanks for (re)posting.

[@eottoe2001]

Aren't we lucky we lived through the atonal music to be around to hear something like this? Not to disparage the atonal stuff, however, the music coming online now is amazing. This is more than 40 years old but here it is at the Proms finally. Good times.

[@AB-yg2vw]

I performed this, hardest piece I've ever had to sing, but amazing music! An honour to be a part of it. 💙🍀

[@pawdaw]

WILD NIGHTS WILD NIGHTS WILD NIGHTS

[@mindremapping-CPS]

This piece was removed a few years back, glad to see its return. If you want to conceptualise divinity, this music does a pretty good job.

[@vlera8447]

Perhaps but the lyrics are poetry from Emily Dickinson and are meditations on humanity and mortality

[@mindremapping-CPS]

@@vlera8447 Thanks Valerie, I love to hear about the background stories and contexts of great music's. It will somewhat alter my perception of it. Though this music is so powerful, I can't help but think of it as a triumphant battle of some sort, but I suppose humanity and our morals are a battle. I will look up her works.

[@corkydukeII5898]

If you haven't already, check out 'El Dorado' by John Adams. It's not only my fave piece from him, but one of my ALL TIME greatest pieces in my collection of music

[@Baribrotzer]

Sounds like Adams. Tonal, but frequently modulating to remote and unexpected harmonic areas, built from large blocks of sound or musical gestures rather than melodies, uptempo parts feature elaborate cross-rhythms, tends toward the Minimalist musical language - all Adams.

[@davidgerhard9335]

Transcending Brilliant and Beautiful... Transformational and Transparent... a doorway Into Eternity!!! Not really, but it feels that way!!!

[@andrewplant1247]

I was at this superb account of a transcendental masterpiece; a Desert Island Disc if ever there was one.

[@msholmes]

I have been listening to this great masterwork regularly for almost 40 years, at least once every two months, and sometimes with repeated listenings in clusters during time off. The very first time I heard it was during a radio simulcast from the Grant Park Summer Festival when I was about age 14. The terrifying joy of "Wild Nights" arrested my ear and soul, and set the course for my own compositional standards for quite many years to follow. This performance at the 2017 Proms was ideal in every way, and I am so grateful that the fine production crew at the BBC encapsulated this great moment in music.

[@ChollieD]

It's really one of the best live-recorded performances I've ever seen. The Royal Albert is just perfect, that 400-person choir is magnificently arrayed, and of course the sound is a dream. If this doesn't get an audio release for Spotify, etc., it would be a shame.

[@ctrl_altesc]

When I first visited this video and saw your comment, admittedly I thought it was hyperbole. That same night, I watched this and in that watch, I listened to this piece for the first time in its entirety. I understand now what you mean. From the first time I listened to the whole piece back in November, I listen to a portion of this at least every few days, and the whole thing at least once a month. In particular I find the movement of “Because I could not stop for death” extremely moving. Really every movement is a masterpiece. This music is a bookmark in the story of my life.

[@m0rmento421]

Thanks for the upload! I'm actually in this performance! The hardest thing I've ever had to learn and I like sending people the link to show people I'm really part of this performance even though as an alto I'm out of shot most of the time. Still nice to hear it back and know it all worked out in the end.

[@tromboneflyguy]

I sung bass in it, nice to hear from you

[@briancornish2076]

My favourite part is the transition between the Dickinson pieces, a primordial musical soup composed I know not how, preceding an equally unexpected discharge of immense energy

[@Sopranistin-p4v]

Fantastic!

[@danielcowdrey7757]

So glad to see this back on was such a great experience performing in this piece,learning and performing it will be something I will never forget, you'll see me around the 26 minute mark

[@Scriabin_fan]

9:15 that fourlet in the trumpets is such a cool moment. One of my favorite moments from this piece.

[@TromboneConductor767]

Yes!

[@scentline]

This is my all-time favorite piece! John Adams created this masterpiece 41 years ago and it still sounds like the sound of tomorrow! Thanks so much for uploading this!

[@duncanwilson7390]

Thanks for uploading! I was playing in the orchestra that night and it was a really special performance to be proud of. It was roasting hot that night too, so the cold beer after was very welcome!

[@eamonnvaneetvelde]

What a stunning performance! :o It was an honor to meet you Seth. All the best Eamonn

[@longhaulblue]

Thank you so much for uploading this. I used to watch this from the BBC site regularly until they took it off. This is the most exciting performance of this masterpiece.

[@marcmanning7084]

Heard this today for the first time. Put me in mind of listening perhaps of perpetual choirs in early times. Amazing

[@junglejuice4037]

In neo-Theosophy, the etheric body, ether-body, or æther body is the subtle body propounded in esoteric philosophies as the first or lowest layer in the human energy field or aura. The etheric body is said to be in immediate contact with the physical body and to sustain it and connect it with "higher" bodies.

[@grahamfrankel4932]

Wow, what a stunning piece. Definitely one for my bucket list to sing!

[@steveegallo3384]

BRAVI TUTTI......from Acapulco!

[@pianomanhere]

Can't believe I haven't listened to this piece before... love it.

[@owendimock476]

What a wonderful piece of music, and great advice on how to live.

[@isabelpuerta5443]

Impresionante....!!!!!!! Impresionante.orquesta..voces.coordinacion...!!!!!!!! IMPRESIONANTE........

[@juandisasatube]

Impresionante.

[@martyjohn100]

A wonderful ethereal opening.. music must be great to interact with the listener both physically & emotionally.. magnificent piece…. Utterly beautiful

[@tonigarzon3220]

Incredible! What a wonderful gift! Thanks a lot.

[@andreagori1701]

Molto bello

[@woookkim7125]

What a piece! It’s exciting and inspiring! Thank you for having it uploaded.

[@Serge_Korr_Music]

Great performance! Thank you!

[@bemminem]

❤fantastico

[@jesusperezdemendiguren1815]

Un músico de chapeau

[@diegoinjapan]

That was amazing, I wish that one day I can listen to this live in a similar style venue

[@seedhillbruisermusic7939]

amazing

[@listerofsmeg884]

Sounds like something you would hear during a boss battle in one of the Souls games.

[@benpayne4663]

lovely

[@ditraprasista]

Waaaaalnuts waaaaaaalnuts wa~~~~~~lnutss

[@ChollieD]

lol

[@paulvandermade1682]

Emily’s favourite

[@gkarenstratton]

😵‍💫😔😳

[@sakura7431]

why they deleted this on youtube?

[@tromboneflyguy]

It was erroneously copyright striked by UMG, since I had no way of proving I had the right to post it in the first place, I could not appeal. I re-uploaded on a different channel in case it gets striked again

[@andreasvanengelen1945]

BBC

[@ああ-r3m1p]

菩薩さんから来た人✋

[@hotdrumman]

would not want to be the flute/piccolo sat so close to timpani with no obvious sound barrier kzbin.info/www/bejne/ol6Zq2ClrJt7Z8U

[@ComtedeMonteC]

I'm afraid I find this music boring.

[@pawdaw]

Remember that comments like this are very disrespectful to the performers, who are clearly giving their hearts and souls in this performance.