On the Transmigration of Souls
| Company type | Musical composition |
|---|---|
| Industry | Classical music |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Founder | John Adams |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
| Products | Orchestral work featuring mixed choir, children's choir, and pre-recorded tape |
On the Transmigration of Souls is an orchestral work composed by American musician John Adams (born 1947), featuring mixed choir, children's choir, and a pre-recorded tape element. The piece was commissioned by the New York Philharmonic alongside Lincoln Center's Great Performers in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Adams commenced composition in January 2002, with the premiere taking place on September 19, 2002, at Avery Fisher Hall. The composition unfolds as a continuous movement lasting around 25 minutes. It incorporates pre-recorded vocalizations that recite victims' names, followed by the word “Missing,” which becomes increasingly distorted as the piece progresses. The score is available through Boosey & Hawkes.
Adams's intentions
John Adams characterized this work as a "memory space," deliberately avoiding labels such as 'requiem' or 'memorial' to steer clear of traditional connotations. He intended it to serve as a reflective environment connected to the events of 9/11 while also resonating with universal human experiences.
He clarified that "Transmigration" signifies a process of movement or transformation—not solely the passage from life to death but also the internal changes experienced by those who survive loss and undergo personal growth.
Instrumentation
The composition calls for an SATB chorus, a children's choir, and an orchestra comprising piccolo, three flutes (the third doubling piccolo), three oboes, two clarinets, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet, two bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, four trumpets, three trombones, two tubas, timpani, four percussionists, piano, celesta, quarter-tone piano, two pedal harps, strings, and a pre-recorded tape.
Critical response
In his review of the premiere for The New York Times, critic Anthony Tommasini highlighted that the composition’s richness stems from its harmonic language—a fusion of solid tonal foundations and layered orchestral textures interspersed with dissonance. He remarked that although some listeners might find the musical material less captivating on its own, the distinctive structure holds attention effectively, making the approximately half-hour duration feel brief.
Awards
On the Transmigration of Souls received the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Music. The initial recording conducted by Lorin Maazel with the New York Philharmonic, New York Choral Artists, and Brooklyn Youth Chorus was honored with multiple 2005 Grammy Awards: Best Classical Album, Best Orchestral Performance, and Best Classical Contemporary Composition.
Further reading
- Blim, Dan. "'Meaningful Adjacencies': Disunity and the Commemoration of 9/11 in John Adams's On the Transmigration of Souls." Journal of the Society for American Music, vol. 7, no. 4, Nov. 2013, pp. 382–420.