John Adams and Minimalism
13. What holds Short Ride in a Fast Machine together as the orchestra hurtles forward at “delirious” speed?
A single woodblock provides a steady, relentless pulse throughout much of Short Ride in a Fast Machine. While the orchestra erupts in a dazzling array of overlapping rhythms, shifting accents, and brilliant orchestral colors, the woodblock keeps hammering away, seemingly oblivious to all the excitement surrounding it.
That persistent beat is one of the clearest examples of Minimalism's influence on Adams's music. No matter how wild the musical ride becomes, the woodblock keeps reminding us where the pulse is!
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