Adams: Harmonielehre
Of the music by the four reigning minimalists in this country (Steve  Reich, Philip Glass, and Terry Riley are the others), that of John Adams is  perhaps the simplest, constructed on punctuated--and percussive--chords riding  above coherent melodies. This is probably why Adams has had such success with  his two operas.Harmonielehreis a sustained orchestral piece in three  sections--triptychs framing a slow second movement of unusual somberness, given  the gaiety of the opening section. Part III, called "Meister Eckhardt and  Quackie", is a sprightly fairy tale of shimmering, glissando-like textures  underscored by a dignified flowing melody.--Paul Cook