John Luther Adams (Composer) 

John Luther Adams Catalog of Works
Listed alphabetically by Noah Pollaczek

Across Golden Distance
Composed October—November 1986. Revised December 1986. Unpublished (manuscript reproduction at the NYPL).
For eight horns (two horn quartets antiphonally placed). 8:45.
First performed April 9, 1987 by musicians of the Fairbanks Symphony, Fairbanks, AK.

Composed 1998. Unpublished.
For three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, three percussionists.
First performed November 1997 by Maj. Philip Chevallard and the U.S. Air Force Band of the Pacific at the Discovery Theatre, Anchorage, AK.

After the Light
Composed August 2001. Taiga Press, 2001.
For alto flute, vibraphone, harp. 8:45.
Commissioned by the CrossSound Festival.
First performed November 16-18, 2001 at the CrossSound Festival, Ketchikan and Juneau, AK.

Always Very Soft
Composed June 2007. Taiga Press, 2007.
For three percussionists. 9:00.
Dedicated to Percussion Group Cincinnati.
First performed July 18, 2009 by TimeTable Percussion at the Festival Salihara, Jakarta, Indonesia.

Among Red Mountains
Composed 2001. Taiga Press, 2001.
For piano. 10:30.
Dedicated to Peter Garland.
First performed December 7, 2001 by Emily Manzo at Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH.
Recorded on Red Arc/Blue Veil (Cold Blue CB0026).

Five Athabascan Dances
Composed 1992/1996. Taiga Press, 1995.
Includes Grandpa Joe´s traveling song—They will all go—Deenaadai´ (Long ago)—Grandpa Joe´s hunting song—Potlatch song of a lonely man.
For guitar, harp, percussion. 16:00.

Composed 1992/1996. Taiga Press, 2000.
Includes Grandpa Joe´s traveling song—Deenaadai´ (Long ago)—They will all go—Shik´eenoohtii (My Relatives)—Grandpa Joe´s hunting song.
For harp, percussion. 16:00.
Commissioned by the U.S Embassy, in Tokyo, Japan.
First performed September 21, 1995 at the Interlink Festival by Just Strings, Tokyo, Japan.

... and bells remembered
Composed 2005. Taiga Press, 2005.
For crotales (bowed), orchestra bells, chimes, vibraphone (bowed), vibraphone (struck). 10:15.
Commissioned by the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
First performed April 6, 2006 at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, River Falls, WI.
Recorded on Four Thousand Holes (Cold Blue CB0035).

Clouds of Forgetting, Clouds of Unknowing
Composed 1991-1995. Revised July 1996. Taiga Press, 1995 and 1996.
For two violins, viola, cello, double bass, two flutes/piccolos, clarinet, bass clarinet, two horns, trumpet, bass trombone, piano, celesta, two percussionists. 62:00.
First performed February 26, 1996 by JoAnn Falletta and the Apollo Chamber Orchestra at Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA.
Recorded on Clouds of Forgetting, Clouds of Unknowing (New World 80500-2).

Coyote Builds North America [Giving Birth to Thunder, Sleeping With His Daughter, Coyote Builds North America]
Composed 1986/1990. Complete work unpublished.
Music composed for the theatrical production. Text by Barry Lopez.
For violin, double bass, e-flat clarinet, bass clarinet, dancers (two minimum), storyteller, four percussionists. 70:00.
Commissioned by Perseverance Theater, Juneau, AK.
First performed October 29, 1987 by Perseverance Theater in the Auditorium at the Juneau-Douglas High School, Juneau, AK.

Two sets of publishedexcerpts are available separately:
Four Pieces From Coyote Builds North America
Taiga Press, 1990 and 2000.
Includes Coyote´s dance—Water music—A little joke—Death and the meadowlark—Coyote finishes his work.
Forviolin, double bass, clarinet, two percussionists. 21:00.
First performed separately on Wednesday, January 24, 1996 for the Juilliard Focus! Festival in the Juilliard Theater, New York City, NY.

Five Percussion Quartets From Coyote Builds North America
Taiga Press, 1990and 2003.
Includes Invocation—Consecration—Giving birth to thunder—Playing with fire—Always coming home.
Forfour percussionists. 18:00.
First performed separately in 1993 by Amy Knoles and the Paul Dresher Ensemble, San Francisco, CA.

Crow and Weasel
Composed 1993-1994. Unpublished.
Music composed for the theatrical production. Story by Barry Lopez, stage adaptation by Jim Leonard, script and performance recording published by Samuel French.
For string quintet, piccolo/bass clarinet, celesta, harp, four percussionists. 90:00.
Commissioned by the Sundance Institute and the Children´s Theatre Company.
First performed January 16, 1994 by John Luther Adams and musicians at the Children´s Theatre, Minneapolis, MN.

Dark Waves
Composed 2007. Taiga Press, 2007.
For two pianos, electronically processed sounds. 12:00.
First performed 2007 by Stephen Drury and Yukiko Takagi, Boston, MA.
Recorded on Red Arc/Blue Veil (Cold Blue CB0026).

Composed 2007. Taiga Press, 2007.
For strings (minimum twelve violins [I], twelve violins [II], nine violas, nine cellos, six double basses), two piccolos, two oboes, two clarinets, contrabass clarinet, two bassoons, contrabassoon, two horns, two trumpets, two trombones, bass trombone, tuba, piano, celesta, bass drum, suspended cymbal, orchestra bells, two vibraphones, electronically processed sounds. 12:00.
Commissioned by Music Nova, for the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra.
First performed February 17, 2007 by Randall Craig Fleischer and the Anchorage Symphony, Anchorage, AK.

Dark Wind
Composed September-October 2001. Taiga Press, 2001.
For bass clarinet, piano, vibraphone (or electronic mallet instrument), marimba (or electronic mallet instrument). 13:15.
Commissioned by Marty Walker.
First performed November 11,2002 at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN.
Recorded on Adams Cox Fink Fox (Cold Blue CB0009).

Dream In White On White
Composed March 1992. Taiga Press, 1992 and 2002.
For strings (minimum two violins, two violas, two cellos, double bass), string quartet, harp (or piano). 16:45.
First performed May 25, 1992 by JoAnn Falletta and the Virginia Symphony at Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA.
Recorded on The Far Country (New Albion NA061).

Earth and the Great Weather (A Sonic Geography of the Arctic)
Composed 1990-1993. Taiga Press, 1993.
Includes The place where you go to listen—Drums of winter—Pointed mountains scattered all around—The circle of suns and moons—The circle of winds—Deep and distant thunder—River with no willows—One that stays all winter—Drums of fire, drums of stone—Where the waves splash, hitting again and again.
For violin, viola, cello, double bass, two sopranos, alto, bass, four speaking voices, four percussionists, digital delay, recorded natural sounds. 90:00.
Commissioned by the Alaska Festival of Native Arts.
First performed February 27, 1993 by John Luther Adams and musicians at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK.
Recorded on Earth and the Great Weather (New World 80459-2).

A set of published excerpts is available separately:
Three Drum Quartets from Earth and the Great Weather
Taiga Press, 1993 and 1996.
Includes Drums of winter—Deep and distant thunder—Drums of fire, drums of stone.
For four percussionists (with optional recorded sounds). 25:30.
First performed separately in November 2, 1995 by Percussion Group Cincinnati at the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH.

The Far Country of Sleep (In Memoriam Morton Feldman)
Composed July 1988. Taiga Press, 1988 and 2005.
For strings (minimum six violins [I], six violins [II], four cellos, two double basses), two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, trombone, two percussionists. 15:45.
Commissioned by the Arctic Chamber Orchestra.
First performed October 1, 1988 by John Luther Adams and the Arctic Chamber Orchestra, Haines, AK.
Recorded on The Far Country (New Albion NA061).

The Farthest Place
Composed 2001. Taiga Press, 2001.
For violin, double bass, piano, vibraphone (or electronic mallet instrument), marimba (or electronic mallet instrument). 11:00.
Recorded on The Light That Fills the World (Cold Blue CB0010).

Floating Petals
Composed April 1973. Unpublished (manuscript reproduction at the NYPL and U. of Memphis).
For violin, flute, piano, harp, vibraphone.
First performed 1973 by the Cal Arts Chamber Players, Valencia, CA.

Forest Without Leaves
Composed 1984. Complete work unpublished (manuscript reproduction at the NYPL). Poems by John Haines.
For soprano, mezzo-soprano, alto, tenor, bass, SATB chorus, chamber orchestra. 75:00.
Commissioned by the Arctic Chamber Orchestra.
First performed November 11, 1984 by Byron McGilvray and the Arctic Chamber Orchestra and Chamber Choir at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK.
Recorded on Forest Without Leaves (Owl 32).

Two sets of published excerpts with equivalent instrumentation are available separately:
Excerpts from Forest Without Leaves
Taiga Press, © 1984.
Includes Prologue: In the forest without leaves—Anthem: This earth written over with words—Madrigal: One rock on another—Hymn: And sometimes through the air—Cantilena: How the sun came to the forest—Prophecy: A coolness will come to their children—Benediction: In the forest without leaves.

Soundings 14-15
Soundings Press (Santa Fe, NM), 1986.
Includes One rock on another.

Four Thousand Holes
Composed 2010. Taiga Press, 2010.
For piano, percussion, and electronically processed sounds.
Commissioned by Stephen Drury.
First performed June 23, 2011 by Stephen Drury (piano) and Scott Deal (percussion) at the New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, MA.
Recorded on Four Thousand Holes (Cold Blue CB0035).

Green Corn Dance
Composed April 1974. Taiga Press, 1989 and 2004.
For six percussionists. 7:30.
Dedicated to James Tenney.
First performed March 26, 1977 by the New Music Ensemble at Memphis State University, Memphis, TN.

Ilimaq
For solo percussion (and electronic delay).
First performed November 29, 2012 by Glenn Kotche at the University of Texas, Austin, TX.

The Immeasurable Space of Tones
Composed 1998/2001. Taiga Press, 2001.
For violin, contrabass instrument (double bass, contrabass clarinet, or contrabassoon), piano, electronic keyboard (or organ), vibraphone (or electronic mallet instrument). 27:00.
Recorded on The Light That Fills the World (Cold Blue CB0010).
First performed April 18, 1998 by Scott Deal at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK.

Composed 2010.
For strings, flute, oboe, clarinet, tuba (or contrabassoon), horn, trumpet, bass trombone, vibraphone, piano, harp, sustaining keyboard.
Commissioned by the Emanon Ensemble.

In a Treeless Place, Only Snow
Composed 1999. Taiga Press, 1999.
For string quartet, harp (or piano), celesta, two vibraphones. 18:00.
Commissioned by the Third Angle New Music Ensemble.
First performed November 5, 1999 by Tim Weiss and the Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble at the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH.

In the White Silence
Composed 1998. Taiga Press, 1998.
For string quartet, strings (minimum two violins [I], two violins [II], two violas, two cellos, two double basses), celesta, harp, two vibraphones. 75:00.
First performed November 11, 1998 by Tim Weiss and the Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble in Finney Chapel at Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH.
Recorded on In the White Silence (New World 80600-2).

Inuksuit
Composed 2009. Taiga Press, 2009.
For 9-99 percussionists. 75:00-90:00.
First performed June 21, 2009 by Steven Schick and percussionists at the Banff Centre, Banff, Canada.

for Jim (rising) (In Memory of James Tenney)
Composed August 1986. Perspectives of New Music (Princeton, NJ), Winter 1987. Vol. 25, No. 1/2: 447-454.
For four horns. 5:10.

Composed 2006. Taiga Press, 2006.
For three trumpets, three trombones. 5:30.
First performed October 30, 2007 by the Orkest de Volharding, Rotterdam, Netherlands.

The Light That Fills the World
Composed 1999-2000. Taiga Press, 2000.
For strings, piccolo, two flutes, three oboes, three clarinets, two bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, two trumpets, two trombones, tuba, vibraphone, marimba, suspended cymbal, timpani. 13:00.
First performed February 2000 by Gordon Wright and the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra, Healy, AK.

Composed Winter 1999-2000. Taiga Press, 2001.
For violin, contrabass instrument (double bass, contrabass clarinet, or contrabassoon), electronic keyboard (or organ), vibraphone (or electronic mallet instrument), marimba (or electronic mallet instrument). 13:00.
Commissioned by the Paul Dresher Ensemble.
First performed November 21, 1999 by the Paul Dresher Ensemble, San Francisco, CA.
Recorded on The Light That Fills the World (Cold Blue CB0010) and Musicworks 82 (Winter 2002).

The Light Within
Composed November 2007. Taiga Press, 2007.
For violin, cello, alto flute, bass clarinet, piano, vibraphone, crotales, electronically processed sounds. 12:00.
Commissioned by the Seattle Chamber Players and the California EAR Unit.
First performed January 28, 2008 by the Seattle Chamber Players at On the Boards, Seattle, WA.

Composed 2010. Taiga Press, 2010.
For strings, piccolo, oboe, clarinet (or bass clarinet), bassoon (or contrabassoon), horn, trumpet, bass trombone, tuba, piano, harp, vibraphone (or crotales), timpani, bass drum, and electronically processed sounds. 12:00.
Commissioned by the American Composers Orchestra.
First performed October 16, 2010 by George Manahan and the American Composers Orchestra, New York, NY.

Little Cosmic Dust Poem
Composed 2007. Taiga Press, 2007.
Poem by John Haines.
For medium voice, piano. 5:00.
Dedicated to Fred and Alexandra Peters.
First performed February 15, 2009 by Brenda Patterson (mezzo-soprano) and Myra Huang (piano) at Eastern University, St. Davids, Pennsylvania.

for Lou Harrison
Composed 2003. Taiga Press, 2007.
For string quartet, strings (minimum two violins, two violas, two cellos, double bass), two pianos. 65:00.
First performed September 27, 2005 by Stephen Drury and the Callithumpian Consort at the New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, MA.
Recorded on for Lou Harrison (New World 80669-2).

magic song for one who wishes to live and the dead who climb up to the sky
Composed 1990. Taiga Press, 1990.
For medium voice, piano. 5:00.
Commissioned by New Songs.
First performed April 21, 1991 by New Songs at the Security Pacific Gallery, Seattle, WA.

Composed 1992. Taiga Press, 1992.
For medium voice, strings, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, trombone, harp, percussion.
Commissioned by Anchorage Opera.
First performed 1992 by James Demmler with Karen Keltner and the Anchorage Opera Orchestra, Anchorage, AK.

Make Prayers to the Raven
Composed 1996-1998. Taiga Press, 1998.
Music composed for the 1987 TV series of the same name. Written by Richard K. Nelson, narrated by Barry Lopez, directed by John Luther Adams, and produced by Mark O. Badger for KUAC-TV, Fairbanks, AK.
Includes In the forest—Deenaadai´ (Long ago)—Snow falling—Shik´eenoohtii (My Relatives)—Night.
For violin, cello, flute, harp (or piano), percussion. 16:30.
First performed November 9, 2000by the MiN Ensemble, Bergen, Norway.

The Mathematics of Resonant Bodies
Composed 2002. Taiga Press, 2003, and 2007 for CD of electronically processed sounds for use during performance.
Includes burst—rumble—shimmer—roar—thunder—wail—crash—stutter.
For solo percussionist (with electronically processed sounds). 70:00.
Commissioned by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), WNYC and the Subtropics Festival.
First performed April 28, 2003 by Steven Schick at the LACMA, Los Angeles, CA.
Recorded on The Mathematics of Resonant Bodies (Cantaloupe CA 21034).

Night Peace
Composed November 1976-January 1977. Taiga Press, 1989 and 2004.
For double SATB chorus (antiphonally placed), solo soprano, harp, percussion. 14:00.
Commissioned by the Atlanta Singers.
First performed April 28, 1978 as “Celestial Silence” by Kevin Culver and the Atlanta Singers at St. Luke´s Episcopal Church, Atlanta, GA.
Recorded onA Northern Suite/Night Peace (Opus One 88) and The Far Country (New Albion NA061).

A Northern Suite
Composed 1979-1980. Revised 2004. Taiga Press, 2004.
For strings, two flutes (1st doubles piccolo), two oboes (2nd doubles English horn), two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, two trombones, piano (or celesta), harp, three percussionists. 19:00.
Commissioned by the Arctic Chamber Orchestra.
First performed October 4, 1981 by Gordon Wright and the Arctic Chamber Orchestra, Galena, AK.
Recorded on A Northern Suite/Night Peace (Opus One 88).

Nunataks (Solitary Peaks)
Composed 2007. Taiga Press, 2007.
For piano. 7:00.
Commissioned by Music Northwest.
First performed March 29, 2008 by Jane Harty at Music Northwest, Seattle, WA.

The Place Where You Go To Listen
Created 2004-2006.
Sound and light environment started March 21, 2006 at the University of Alaska Museum of the North, Fairbanks, AK. Ongoing.

Poem of the Forgotten
Composed 2004. Taiga Press, 2004.
Poem by John Haines.
For medium voice, piano. 5:00.
First performed October 23, 2005 at Music Northwest by Thomasa Eckert (soprano) and Jane Harty (piano), Seattle, WA.

Qilyaun
Composed 1998. Taiga Press, 1998.
For four bass drums (or bass drum with electronic delay). 15:00.
Commissioned by the Fairbanks Symphony Association.
Dedicated to Scott Deal.
First performed April 18, 1998 by Scott Deal, Fairbanks, AK.
Recorded on Red Arc/Blue Veil (Cold Blue CB0026).

Red Arc/Blue Veil
Composed 2002. Taiga Press, 2001, and 2007 for CD of electronically processed sounds for use during performance.
For mallet percussion, piano, electronically processed sounds. 12:00.
Commissioned by Ensemble Sirius.
First performed 2002 by Ensemble Sirius, Boston, MA.
Recorded on Red Arc/Blue Veil (Cold Blue CB0026) and the accompanying CD to Winter Music (Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 2004).

Resurrection Dance
Composed 1983.Unpublished (manuscript reproduction at the NYPL).
For violin, cello, piccolo, vibraharp, congas, percussion. 7:00.
First performed 1983 by Newband, Bronx, NY.

Sky With Four Suns and Sky With Four Moons
Composed 2007-2008. Taiga Press, 2008.
For four SATB choirs. 8:00.
First performed July 3, 2008 by Chamber Choir Kamer, Riga, Latvia.

Composed 2010.
For string quartet.
Recorded on Cold Blue Two (Cold Blue CB0036).

songbirdsongs
Composed 1974-1979. Alry Publications (Denver, CO), 1983 [Book 1]. Taiga Press, 2003 and 2009. [Books 1 and 2].
For two piccolos and two-three percussionists. 40:00.
Grant funding by the NEA.
First performed 1974 by John Luther Adams and musicians, Atlanta, GA.
Recorded on songbirdsongs (Opus One 66) [Books 1 and 2]; Exotic Chamber Music
(Centaur CRC 2273) [Book 1]; and songbirdsongs (Mode 240) [Books 1 and 2].

Spring Rain
Composed 1975/1985. Unpublished (manuscript reproduction at the NYPL).
Poem by Chiyo Ni.
For two sopranos, two altos, piano. 3:15.
First performed 1985 by Kevin Culver and the Atlanta Singers, Atlanta, GA.

Strange and Sacred Noise
Composed 1991-1997. Taiga Press, © 1997, 2003 and 2007.
Includes . . . dust into dust, solitary and time-breaking waves, velocities crossing in phase-space,
triadic iteration lattices, clusters on a quadrilateral grid, … and dust rising …
For four percussionists. 75:00.
First performed November 25, 1997 by Percussion Group Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH.
Recorded on Strange and Sacred Noise (Mode 153).

Strange Birds Passing (In Memory of Tadashi Miyashita)
Composed 1983. Taiga Press, 1983 and 2003.
For two piccolos, three flutes, two alto flutes, bass flute. 6:30.
Dedicated to Dorli McWayne and the Fairbanks Flutists.
First performed 1983 by the Fairbanks Flute Choir, Fairbanks, AK.
Recorded onsongbirdsongs (Mode 240).

Three High Places (In Memory of Gordon Wright)
Composed 2007. Taiga Press, 2007.
For solo violin. 10:00.
First performed April 11, 2007 by Erik Carlson, New York, NY.

Tukiliit (The Stone People Who Live in the Wind)
Composed 2012.
For solo piano. 6:30.
Commissioned for Emanuele Arciuli.

The Time of Drumming (Sauyatugvik)
Composed 1995. Revised June 1996. Taiga Press, 1995.
For strings, piccolo, two flutes, three oboes, three clarinets, two bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, three trumpets, two trombones, bass trombone, tuba, two pianos, timpani, four percussionists. 10:30.
Commissioned by the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra.
First performed February 17,1996 by George Hanson and the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra, Anchorage, AK.

Composed December 1996 (revisions). Taiga Press, 1997.
For two pianos, timpani, four percussionists. 10:30.
First performed November 8, 1997 by Richard Brown and the Shepherd School of Music Percussion Ensemble at Rice University, Houston, TX.

Time Undisturbed
Composed 1999. Unpublished.
For cello, piccolo, flute, alto flute (or three shakuhachis), sustaining keyboard (or sho), three harps (or celesta, piano and harp, or three kotos).
Commissioned by the Kanagawa Cultural Council.
First performed December 5, 2000 by the Monophony Consort, Kanagawa, Japan.

up into the silence
Composed 1978. Taiga Press, 2003.
Poem by ee cummings.
For medium voice, piano (or harp). 3:30.
First performed 1978 by Cheryl Bray (voice), Atlanta, GA.

Composed 1984. Unpublished (manuscript reproduction at the NYPL).
For medium voice, strings, harp, percussion. 3:30.
First performed 1984 by Lauren Pelon (voice) with Gordon Wright and the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra, Fairbanks, Alaska.

Wind Garden
Composed 1977.
For flute and percussion. 12:00.
For Jim and Patti Atwood and Tad Miyashita.
First performed April 29, 1978 by Patti Atwood (flute, alto flute) and Jim Atwood (vibes, percussion) at St. Luke´s Episcopal Church, Atlanta, GA.

The Wind in High Places
Composed 2011. Taiga Press, 2011.
For string quartet. 16:00.
Commissioned for the 50th anniversary of Theodore Front Musical Literature.
Dedicated to Christine Clark.
First performed October 26, 2011 by Ethel at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, Cerritos, CA.

Veils and Vesper
Sound and light installation first exhibited May 6-27, 2006 at the Diapason Gallery, New York, NY.
Additional exhibitions September 23-October 8, 2006 at the Happy New Ears Festival, Kortrijk, Belgium; April 25-27, 2007, at the Arizona State University Art Museum, Tempe, Arizona; and March 8-25, 2011at the Arts@29 Garden, Cambridge, MA.

Five Yup´ik Dances
Composed 1991-1994. Taiga Press, 1991 and 2002.
Includes Invitation to dance—Jump rope song—Shaman´s moon song—Juggling song—It circles me.
For harp. 12:00.
First performed 1991 by Heidi Lehwalder, Seattle, WA.