Radio Eclectus #60: Become John Luther Adams (Sep. 3, 2020)

John Luther Adams takes the spotlight as we preview two major releases featuring his complete Become Trilogy (with Seattle Symphony) and a pair of new string quartets (with the JACK Quartet). We also discuss the origins of his music, with special attention on his teacher James Tenney, and we juxtapose the new compositions with excerpts from our choice for the most fundamental JLA work of them all.

There’s more: a new collection of British lockdown tracks from Gabriel Prokofiev & Nonclassical, a great new ambient album from the Seattle-based trio Three Point Circle, and three different examples of cross-cultural music from Korean, Chinese, Canadian and Japanese musicians. We check in with the Polish live electronic scene, continue our survey of the new Scelsi Revisited album with a piece by Haas, and even sample a bit of Ives from a major new LA Phil recording. Gamin Kang, Anna Pidgorna, Lao Dan, Li Daiguo, Ben Vince & Langham Research Centre round out the playlist. Radical new music!