On the Transmigration of Souls (2002). John Adams /Grammy/

On the Transmigration of Souls won several Grammies:

1. Best Classical Album: (Award to the Artist(s) and to the Album Producer(s) if other than the Artist.) Adams: On The Transmigration Of Souls. Lorin Maazel, conductor; John Adams & Lawrence Rock, producers (Brooklyn Youth Chorus & New York Choral Artists; New York Philharmonic) [Nonesuch Records]

2. Best Orchestral Performance: (Award to the Conductor and to the Orchestra.) Adams: On The Transmigration Of Souls. Lorin Maazel, conductor (Brooklyn Youth Chorus & New York Choral Artists; New  York Philharmonic). [Nonesuch Records] 

3. Best Classical Contemporary Composition:  (A Composer's Award. (For a contemporary classical composition composed within the last 25 years, and released for the first time during the Eligibility Year.)) Adams: On The Transmigration Of Souls. John Adams (Lorin Maazel; Brooklyn Youth Chorus & New York Choral Artists; New York Philharmonic). [Nonesuch Records; Publisher: Hendon Music.] Adams has won in the past for Nixon in China and El Dorado.

Philharmonic President Zarin Mehta (via WNYC): The award has special meaning because of the circumstances surrounding this work, which John Adams wrote under incredible pressures of both time and emotion. The work is a testament to his great sensitivity to the human challenge of this subject and to the foresight of Lorin Maazel, who oversaw the commission, and who did such a fantastic job of bringing all the forces together to create a memorable performance.

Other American classical winners:

• Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with Orchestra) (Award to the Instrumental Soloist(s) and to the Conductor.)  Previn: Violin Concerto "Anne-Sophie"/Bernstein: Serenade. André Previn, conductor; Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin (Boston Symphony Orchestra & London Symphony Orchestra). [Deutsche Grammophon]

• Best Engineered Album, Classical (An Engineer's Award. (Artist names appear in parenthesis.)) Higdon: City Scape; Concerto For Orchestra. Jack Renner, engineer (Robert Spano)[Telarc]

• Best Classical Vocal Performance. (Award to the Vocal Soloist(s).) Ives: Songs (The Things Our Fathers Loved; The Housatonic At Stockbridge, Etc.) Susan Graham, mezzo soprano (Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano). Track from: Ives: Concord Sonata; Songs [Warner Classics]

Note: Pierre-Laurent Aimard deserves a vocal performance honorable mention on Ives' Ann Street, calling out New York cross-streets ("Broadway", "Nassau crosses Ann Street"). I relish the accented interjections; this was last year's micro-highlight for me. Graham's part is of course good as well. Since the song is quite short, Amazon streams all of it, although it sounds much better on CD.