Automobile History & John Adams’s Short Ride in a Fast Machine

Who developed the Fardier à vapeur, and in what year?

Captain Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot developed the three-wheeled steam wagon in 1769 to transport cannons for the French Army

What powered Cugnot's Fardier à vapeur, and what were its limitations?

A boiler produced steam to drive pistons; it needed to be relit every 15 minutes, and its water had to be reheated to 212°F

What were the capabilities of Cugnot's improved 1770 fardier?

It carried four passengers, ran for 75 minutes, reached 2.25 mph, and pulled a five-ton cannon

What happened in 1771 involving Cugnot's fardier?

It crashed into a stone wall, causing the first known automobile accident

Who built the earliest practical motorcar, and when was it patented?

Carl Benz built the Motorwagen in Germany and patented it in 1886; it used an internal combustion engine

Who made the first long-distance automobile trip, and when?

Bertha Benz, in August 1888, secretly drove her husband's third Motorwagen from Mannheim to Pforzheim, approximately 90 kilometers (56 miles)

What was significant about Bertha Benz's stop in Wiesloch during her 1888 journey?

She purchased Ligroin, a petroleum-based fuel solvent, at a pharmacy, making it the world's first filling station

What automobile-related milestones occurred in 1912 and 1914?

1912: White center lines were first painted on streets in Redlands, California; 1914: The first stop sign appeared in Detroit and the first traffic light in Cleveland

When did radios begin appearing in automobiles?

1928

Who won the first major U.S. automobile race, when and where was it held, and what was the average speed?

Frank Duryea won on November 28, 1895, in a 54-mile race from Chicago to Evanston and back, averaging approximately 7 mph

What vehicle holds the land-speed record described in the guide, and who drove it?

The British ThrustSSC, driven by Andy Green, reached 763 mph on October 15, 1997, in Nevada's Black Rock Desert

Who composed Short Ride in a Fast Machine, and in what year?

John Adams; 1986

What inspired John Adams to compose Short Ride in a Fast Machine?

A terrifying late-night ride in a Ferrari driven by an inexperienced driver

What occasion commissioned Short Ride in a Fast Machine, and when did it premiere?

The opening of the Great Woods Center for the Performing Arts in Mansfield, Massachusetts; it premiered June 13, 1986, with Michael Tilson Thomas conducting the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

What musical style does Short Ride in a Fast Machine use, and what defines it?

Minimalism; it uses a small number of musical materials, repeated patterns, and a constant pulse that can interlock in complex ways

What is an ostinato, and what tempo and instrument begin Short Ride in a Fast Machine?

An ostinato is a repeated musical pattern; a high-pitched woodblock begins the piece at 152 beats per minute

What does Delirando mean in Adams's score, and what effect does it create?

An uncommon marking meaning delirious; it creates an intense, disorienting feeling

What are polymeter and quintal harmony as used in Short Ride in a Fast Machine?

Polymeter: two or more different metric groupings occurring simultaneously; quintal harmony: harmony built around intervals of a perfect fifth

What is gating in Short Ride in a Fast Machine?

A technique in which all pitches change simultaneously, abruptly altering the harmonic landscape; Adams borrowed the term from electronic music

Which jazz bandleader influenced the punchy brass accents in Short Ride in a Fast Machine?

Duke Ellington; Adams was influenced by the distinctive jabs and accents of Ellington's brass section

What are the major formal sections and how does Short Ride in a Fast Machine end?

Sections A, B, C, A, D, and a coda; it ends abruptly with a D major triad

Who developed the Fardier à vapeur?

Captain Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot developed the three-wheeled steam wagon to transport cannons for the French Army.

In what year was the Fardier à vapeur developed?

1769.

What powered Cugnot's Fardier à vapeur?

A boiler produced steam to drive pistons.

What were the limitations of Cugnot's Fardier à vapeur?

It needed to be relit every 15 minutes, and its water had to be reheated to 212°F.

Who built the earliest practical motorcar?

Carl Benz built the Motorwagen in Germany using an internal combustion engine.

When was the earliest practical motorcar patented?

1886.

Who made the first long-distance automobile trip?

Bertha Benz secretly drove her husband's third Motorwagen from Mannheim to Pforzheim, approximately 90 kilometers (56 miles).

When did Bertha Benz make the first long-distance automobile trip?

August 1888.

What automobile-related milestone occurred in 1912?

White center lines were first painted on streets in Redlands, California.

What automobile-related milestones occurred in 1914?

The first stop sign appeared in Detroit and the first traffic light in Cleveland.

Who won the first major U.S. automobile race?

Frank Duryea.

When was the first major U.S. automobile race held?

November 28, 1895.

Where was the first major U.S. automobile race held?

A 54-mile race from Chicago to Evanston and back.

What was the average speed in the first major U.S. automobile race?

Approximately 7 mph.

What vehicle holds the land-speed record described in the guide?

The British ThrustSSC reached 763 mph on October 15, 1997, in Nevada's Black Rock Desert.

Who drove the ThrustSSC to set the land-speed record?

Andy Green.

Who composed Short Ride in a Fast Machine?

John Adams.

In what year was Short Ride in a Fast Machine composed?

1986.

What occasion commissioned Short Ride in a Fast Machine?

The opening of the Great Woods Center for the Performing Arts in Mansfield, Massachusetts.

When did Short Ride in a Fast Machine premiere?

June 13, 1986, with Michael Tilson Thomas conducting the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

What musical style does Short Ride in a Fast Machine use?

Minimalism.

What defines minimalism in music?

It uses a small number of musical materials, repeated patterns, and a constant pulse that can interlock in complex ways.

What is an ostinato?

A repeated musical pattern.

What instrument begins Short Ride in a Fast Machine?

A high-pitched woodblock.

At what tempo does Short Ride in a Fast Machine begin?

152 beats per minute.

What does Delirando mean in Adams's score?

An uncommon marking meaning delirious.

What effect does the marking Delirando create in Short Ride in a Fast Machine?

It creates an intense, disorienting feeling.

What is polymeter as used in Short Ride in a Fast Machine?

Two or more different metric groupings occurring simultaneously.

What is quintal harmony as used in Short Ride in a Fast Machine?

Harmony built around intervals of a perfect fifth.

What are the major formal sections of Short Ride in a Fast Machine?

Sections A, B, C, A, D, and a coda.

How does Short Ride in a Fast Machine end?

It ends abruptly with a D major triad.