On the Transmigration of Souls

thumb|right|335 pxOn the Transmigration of Souls is a composition for orchestra, chorus, children's choir and pre-recorded tape by composer John Adams (born 1947). It was commissioned by the New York Philharmonic and Lincoln Center's Great Performers (and an anonymous but prominent New York family) shortly after theSeptember 11 terrorist attacks of 2001. Adams began writing the piece in late January 2002, and the music was premiered by the New York Philharmonic on 19 September 2002 at Avery Fisher Hall. It is approximately 25 minutes long.
== Tossup Questions ==
# Much of the text of this work was inspired by Barbara Haws. One section of this work describes "windows on the world," while one speaker in this work describes another character so handsome that girls would never talk to the speaker when he was around. The composer claimed that he avoided isolating the children's chorus to avoid the ethereal effect created in works like Mahler's 8th symphony, and this work repeatedly quotes Charles Ives's The Unanswered Question as the trumpet asks what the meaning of life is. The composer described this work as a "memory space, a place where you can go and be alone with your thoughts and emotions." One section of the text consists only of a list of names, while another contains fragments from the "Portraits of Grief" feature of The New York Times. For 10 points, identify this work for chorus and orchestra, a commemoration of the 9/11 attacks by John Adams.