John Adams - not the President

About this episode

Renowned American composer John Adams discusses his approach to opera composition and answers listener questions about music.

Renowned American composer John Adams joins Manny to discuss his approach to opera composition, the stories behind his intriguingly titled works, and the time he was once mistaken for John Cage. Adams answers listener questions on the evolution of music and the emotional pull of minor keys. He also shares his love of Stravinsky and Handel. For our game segment, Adams puts his knowledge to the test as Manny quizzes him on outrageous performance directions.

People in this episode

Host: Manny

Guest: John Adams

Topics covered

• opera composition
• music evolution
• minor keys
• listener questions
• performance directions

Keywords

• John Adams
• opera
• music evolution
• minor keys
• Stravinsky
• Handel
• performance directions

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