Solo/Small Ensemble
All performance materials are available from Wise Music Classical.
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Waves and Particles (2021)
for string quartet
50:00
Commissioned by Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center
Summer Stages Dance @ The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston
Liz Gerring Dance Company
Noctilucent (2020)
for string quartet
21:00
Commissioned by Third Angle New Music with generous support from Betsy Russell.
Lines Made by Walking (2019)
for string quartet
30:00
Commissioned by Tippet Rise Art Center
Everything That Rises (2017)
for string quartet
56:00
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Commissioned by SFJAZZ for the JACK Quartet
there is no one, not even the wind (2017)
for flute, alto flute, 2 percussion, piano, violin, viola, ‘cello, and doublebass
26:00
Co-commissioned by Camerata Pacifica, The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Chamber Music Northwest, Emerald City Music, and Redlands Symphony
Three High Places (in memory of Gordon Wright) (2007/2017)
version for solo ‘cello (also available for violin)
10:30
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Canticles of the Sky (2015)
for string quartet
18:00
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Commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic for the Calder Quartet
Canticles of the Sky (2015)
version for ‘cello ensemble (16 parts)
18:00
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untouched (2015)
for string quartet
24:00
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Commissioned by the University of North Carolina for Brooklyn Rider
Across the Distance (2015)
for horns (in multiples of 8), performing outdoors
22:30
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Commissioned by the East Neuk Festival and the Southbank Centre
Three Canticles of the Birds (2013)
for piano and percussion
17:00
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Commissioned by Tracy-Lipke Perry and Eugene Koshinski
Dream of the Canyon Wren (2013)
for string quartet
7:00
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Tukiliit (The Stone People Who Live in the Wind) (2012)
for solo piano
6:30
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Commissioned for Emanuele Arciuli
The Wind in High Places (2011)
for string quartet
16:00
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Commissioned by Theodore Front Musical Literature
Four Thousand Holes (2010)
for piano, percussion and electronic sounds
32:30
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Commissioned by Stephen Drury
“It is impressive to imagine anyone actually following such conceptual virtuosity, much less creating the seamless, seemingly organic layers of sound Adams lays out over his structurally precise and infinitely flexible power grids.” —Laurence Vittes, Gramophone
The Light Within (2007)
for alto flute, bass clarinet, vibraphone/crotales, piano, violin, ‘cello, and electronic sounds
11:45
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Commissioned by the Seattle Chamber Players and the California EAR Unit
“Inspired by James Turrell’s ethereal installation art, Adams’ thick and undulating wall-of-sound approach suggests a musical corollary to Turrell’s sublime manipulations of time, space and color.” —Josef Woodard, The Los Angeles Times
“… the standout work of the festival … a shimmering spectrum of massive, merging harmonies … the textures of noise as our contemporary counterpart to the sublime.” —Thomas May, Seattle Weekly
Nunataks (Solitary Peaks) (2007)
for solo piano
7:00
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Commissioned by Music Northwest
Three High Places (in memory of Gordon Wright) (2007)
for solo violin
10:30
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Dark Waves (2007)
version for two pianos and electronic sounds
12:00
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for Jim (rising) (2006)
for three trumpets and three trombones
6:30
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Red Arc / Blue Veil (2002)
for piano, mallet percussion, and processed sounds
12:00
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Commissioned by Ensemble Sirius
“…a shimmering, minimalist, impressionistic landscape of sound: rolling waves from the piano, gentle whooshes from the percussion, augmented by an occasional loud groan from the computer.” —Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dark Wind (2001)
for bass clarinet, vibraphone, marimba, piano
13:15
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Commissioned by Marty Walker
“…striking… the deep bass clarinet line weaving in and out of the rolling bass notes of the piano and the vibraphone accompaniment.” — Francois Couture, The All Music Guide
“…a sumptuous ensemble rumble, with thrumming chords from piano and three mallet percussionists.” —Los Angeles Times
The Farthest Place (2001)
for violin, vibraphone, marimba, piano, doublebass
11:00
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The Immeasurable Space of Tones (1998-2001)
for violin, vibraphone, piano, sustaining keyboard, contrabass instrument
30:00
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“…an unbroken, slowly shifting, many-hued sound texture… frequently energized by internal ripples and coruscations… the discipline imposed by the work’s own internal structures has the effect of disclosing, within the sound mass, particular dimensions of power, range and beauty…” —Christopher Ballantine, International Record Review
Among Red Mountains (2001)
for solo piano
10:30
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“It sounded, as its name might imply, like an enormous rock formation turned into sound.” —Greg Sandow, NewMusicBox
The Light That Fills the World (Chamber Version) (revised 2001)
for violin, vibraphone, marimba, sustaining keyboard, contrabass instrument
13:00
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Commissioned by the Paul Dresher Electric Chamber Ensemble
“…an enormous geography of sound… a wilderness of big sky… the audio analog to a series of floating clouds beside a snowcapped mountain.” —Ben Fleury-Steiner, ei magazine
In a Treeless Place, Only Snow (1999)
for celesta, harp (or piano), 2 vibraphones, string quartet
18:00
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Commissioned by the Third Angle New Music Ensemble
“Adams’ music made the unseen visible, like breath exhaled into frosty air, a bodilessness pulsing with life. His rising and falling themes, traded among the strings, built a prayerful melodic arc that stretched out to infinity yet spoke directly to the individual soul.” —Grant Menzies, The Oregonian (Portland)
Make Prayers to the Raven (1996/98)
for flute, violin, harp (or piano), ‘cello, percussion
16:30
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Five Athabascan Dances (1992/96)
for harp and percussion
16:00
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Five Yup’ik Dances (1991-94)
for solo harp
12:00
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Strange Birds Passing (1983)
for flute choir (2/3/2/1)
6:30
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songbirdsongs (1974-80)
for 2 piccolos and 3 percussion
ca. 40:00
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“I’m working as a fire lookout on Aztec Peak in Arizona. Used to work same job on N. Rim of Grand Canyon. Your musical evocation of the hermit thrush, common to both places, moved me to tears.” —Edward Abbey, letter July 1978
“…one of the most sensitive reworkings of birdsong since Messiaen’s.” —Ear Magazine
” …exquisitely gentle evocations of wilderness sounds… songbirdsongs transformed the auditorium into the aural equivalent of some enchanted forest…The effect was musical magic.” —News and Courier/Evening Post (Charleston, S.C.)
“…uncanny…songbirdsongs is a beautiful recording.” —John Schafer, National Public Radio
“…charm and a real feeling for the nature of nature’s music.” —Eric Salzman, Stereo Review
“un monde d’enchantement sonore, vibrant de mystere et de poesie.” —Le Devoir (Montreal)