Christian Zeal and Activity

No, not the blogging kind, the musical kind. I'm speaking of an interesting piece by John Adams, minimalist and pulse-phase composer of our time. I'm not aware of his personal religious beliefs, but Christian Zeal and Activity is worth a listen if you have a fast connection to the net. It's linked here and it's about 10 MB - if you don't have a fast connection be prepared for a long download. The piece is for orchestra and tape. The tape portion was from a sermon but a Protestant preacher and is added in parts with some repetition of his phrases and barely perceptible layering of the tape portion. You can hear the preacher clearly about the strings, but you can also hear layers of the speaking part beneath. Normally taped speech and music is repugnant, but Adams has crafted a very effective and evocative piece. This is the original recording. I found a CD with a newer version but it was complete garbage - same string parts with a speaker trying to do the same thing Adams did with tape in the original. It was moronic for them to even attempt, much less record and sell. Have a listen to this version and let me know what you think.