Philip Glass

[Rinaldo]

Lucky people who get to see the living legend perform live

*brag mode on*

I saw the ensemble with the man himself perform Music in 12 parts in Ostrava few years ago, unbelievable thing. That twelve-tone finale? BLISS. Especially as I was still high from doing a phone interview with Glass for the music magazine I worked for. Just half an hour of talk mostly about opera but he was super-nice and even gave me a few quotes that didn't sound rehearsed. Good times.

*brag mode off*

[TheGSMoeller]

Double posting, just in case some Glass fans don't visit the "concert" thread...

Since I hadn't posted in a while I thought I'd share an important concert I attended. Important for me at least. My birthday present last month to myself was...

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Peter Oundjian - Conductor
Robert McDuffie - Violin

Glass: Violin Concerto No.2 "American Four Seasons"
Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique

This was the third time I've seen fantastique live, but it's such an amazing work that I'd be willing to see a dozen more times. The real treat was Philip Glass' VC No. 2, which I was a little nervous about how the Atlanta crowd would react to this. I personally love the piece, and own the McDuffie recording of the work, released about 5 years ago. McDuffie's performance at the concert was flawless, and he's a real physical performer which added to the spectacle of the music. To my delight the rest of the crowd was just as mesmerized, they sprung to their feet in excitement the very second the music ended. I was so gitty I actually went to meet McDuffie and have him sign a copy of the CD. Yes, I bought a second copy there at the hall just for the autograph. <----Nerd Alert.  

More exciting Glass news from me...
I just purchased tickets to attend the 80th Birthday Celebration of Philip Glass at Carnegie Hall in January! It will also be the world premiere of his 11th Symphony performed by Dennis Russell Davies and the Bruckner Orchestra of Linz. I'm beyond thrilled to be going to this event!!!

[jlaurson]

Double posting, just in case some Glass fans don't visit the "concert" thread...

Since I hadn't posted in a while I thought I'd share an important concert I attended. Important for me at least. My birthday present last month to myself was...

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Peter Oundjian - Conductor
Robert McDuffie - Violin

Glass: Violin Concerto No.2 "American Four Seasons"
Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique

This was the third time I've seen fantastique live, but it's such an amazing work that I'd be willing to see a dozen more times. The real treat was Philip Glass' VC No. 2, which I was a little nervous about how the Atlanta crowd would react to this. I personally love the piece, and own the McDuffie recording of the work, released about 5 years ago. McDuffie's performance at the concert was flawless, and he's a real physical performer which added to the spectacle of the music. To my delight the rest of the crowd was just as mesmerized, they sprung to their feet in excitement the very second the music ended. I was so gitty I actually went to meet McDuffie and have him sign a copy of the CD. Yes, I bought a second copy there at the hall just for the autograph. <----Nerd Alert.  

More exciting Glass news from me...
I just purchased tickets to attend the 80th Birthday Celebration of Philip Glass at Carnegie Hall in January! It will also be the world premiere of his 11th Symphony performed by Dennis Russell Davies and the Bruckner Orchestra of Linz. I'm beyond thrilled to be going to this event!!!

Noice! I just finished the Glass autobiography that a dear friend had sent me (signed by PG, no less). Very nifty work; not great in any literary way... but breezy enough and with lots of New York flavor that reminded me of my time in the big apple when it seemed more appreciably like back when.

I once called Robert McDuffie a "second tier violinist" or something to that effect in my column for the Washington Radio Station. No, wait, here's the exact quote: "A major niche career".

Robert McDuffie had a major niche career as the go-to violinist for American repertoire. His recording of Glass and Adams violin concertos with Christoph Eschenbach should be a staple in any good classical record collection. But there is only so much Diamond, W.Schuman, and Rosza to perform, and somehow his career didn't take off any further with Mendelssohn or Bruch. At the Philips Collection you can hear him (along with students and faculty from his own "Center for Strings" at Mercer University) on Sunday October 3rd, at 4PM, if you're not busy listening to Bach...

His management took such exception to this paragraph that they cancelled a planned recording with WETA over it. Nitwits. And they wanted to convince me of how wrong I was to have formed this opinion, by quoting his busy concerting schedule including the Detmold Philharmonic, the Chattanooga Symphony, and the Symphony Orchestra Vorarlberg. (I'm paraphrasing, but these -- or orchestras within that estimable third or fourth tier -- were highlighted as making their point. Goes to show on how different a page we were on, because I thought they were making exactly my point. And worst thing: I never meant it in any denigrating way to suggest that he has a major niche career. There are only ten or twenty top violinists on the circuit at any given time... and the rest has to find some way to make their name despite not breaking into that phalanx. Being known as the go-to-guy for the two Glass concertos (and the Adams, I think) isn't the worst thing, is it?

[TheGSMoeller]

Noice! I just finished the Glass autobiography that a dear friend had sent me (signed by PG, no less). Very nifty work; not great in any literary way... but breezy enough and with lots of New York flavor that reminded me of my time in the big apple when it seemed more appreciably like back when.

I once called Robert McDuffie a "second tier violinist" or something to that effect in my column for the Washington Radio Station. No, wait, here's the exact quote: "A major niche career".

His management took such exception to this paragraph that they cancelled a planned recording with WETA over it. Nitwits. And they wanted to convince me of how wrong I was to have formed this opinion, by quoting his busy concerting schedule including the Detmold Philharmonic, the Chattanooga Symphony, and the Symphony Orchestra Vorarlberg. (I'm paraphrasing, but these -- or orchestras within that estimable third or fourth tier -- were highlighted as making their point. Goes to show on how different a page we were on, because I thought they were making exactly my point. And worst thing: I never meant it in any denigrating way to suggest that he has a major niche career. There are only ten or twenty top violinists on the circuit at any given time... and the rest has to find some way to make their name despite not breaking into that phalanx. Being known as the go-to-guy for the two Glass concertos (and the Adams, I think) isn't the worst thing, is it?

It's not the worst thing if you can create an enjoyable experience such as the concert I attended. But I get your point, Jens, and don't think you're way off base. And he's good at his niche 

I need to read that autobiography, and also re watch the Scott Hicks documentary which was done quite well.

[TheGSMoeller]

Been a while, but revisited the wonderful music of The Photographer today. The lengths of Act II and Act III are perfect for allowing Glass' music to build and intensify, which Act III truly reaches a high level of. These movements and their build ups are similar to some of his earlier operas like Einstein and Akhnaten. The Photographer is great for headphones as well, the whirlwind of the synthesizers are mesmerizing, especially at 8:26 in Act III.

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[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

The Photographer is probably what I believe to be the pinnacle of his work with the Philip Glass Ensemble after Einstein on the Beach.

[TheGSMoeller]

There are good amount of recordings of Philip Glass piano music available, but unfortunately most of them seem to feature similar programming. I mean how many recordings of Metamorphosis does one need? But this new disc from Anton Batagov is different, and worth it. Not all of Glass' music sounds great when transcribed to piano, but these selections from Einstein and Koyaaanisqatsi successfully make that transition, especially Night Train. These works are still from an early time in his career when pure Minimalism was still in the forefront of his compositions.


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[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Of all the Glass compositions out there, I find the piano works to be of least interest to me. Of course, there are always exceptions like '600 Lines' which is often performed on piano and I enjoy that work very much.

[Reckoner]

More exciting Glass news from me...
I just purchased tickets to attend the 80th Birthday Celebration of Philip Glass at Carnegie Hall in January! It will also be the world premiere of his 11th Symphony performed by Dennis Russell Davies and the Bruckner Orchestra of Linz. I'm beyond thrilled to be going to this event!!!

That is super cool. I hadn't realised he had written an 11th.

btw, for anyone who may be interested, much of Glass' catalogue has recently been made available on Apple music for the first time:

http://philipglass.com/glassnotes/philip-glass-on-apple-music-press-release/

[Drasko]

New release:

 

Glass / Wilson
Einstein On The Beach
Theâtre du Châtelet
Helga Davis
Kate Moran
Antoine Silverman

The Philip Glass Ensemble / Michael Riesman

Director: Robert Wilson
Choreography: Lucinda Childs

This seminal work of avant-garde opera from composer Philip Glass and director Robert Wilson arrives full-circle, coming to France, the site of its 1976 Avignon Festival world premiere, at the tail end of this 2014 revival tour for a landmark Theâtre du Châtelet production and a first ever filming by award-winning arts filmmaker Don Kent. Eschewing conventional narrative, the opera revolves loosely around pacifist Einstein's relationship to the creation of the atomic bomb. In continuity with the opera's debut, for this new production, hailed by Le Figaro as 'meticulously crafted total artwork in which the visual and musical craft are inseparable', the music is again performed by the Philip Glass Ensemble and the choreography devised by original cast member Lucinda Childs for her Lucinda Childs Dance Company, with the scenes taking place under Bob Wilson's own digitally remastered light design.

This very special release is packaged in a luxurious 56 page hardcover book.

- World premiere BD for Philip Glass' landmark opera from 1976.
- Director Robert Wilson & Philip Glass revived the work in 2012 for a world tour ---the first time the work had been performed in 20 years.
- ''Einstein'' helped to establish the international reputations of Glass and Wilson.
- Extra features: Includes a Cast Galler

Running time: 263 minutes
Sound format: LPCM & DTS Master Audio 5.1

http://www.mdt.co.uk/glass-wilson-einstein-on-the-beach-riesman-opus-arte-2blu-rays.html

[TheGSMoeller]

New release:

 

http://www.mdt.co.uk/glass-wilson-einstein-on-the-beach-riesman-opus-arte-2blu-rays.html

Thanks for the info, Drasko. A definite purchase for me.
I've seen footage online of what I'm guessing is from this production, not 100% sure, but I'm very excited to watch this.

[Reckoner]

I've been going through a lot of his stuff on Apple Music lately.

Some great discoveries:

Les enfants terribles - absolutely brilliant. Scored for a Stravinsky-esque 3 piano line-up, Glass creates an extraordinary sound world, full of rhythmic bite and lyrical beauty.

La belle et la bete - some remarkable colours and harmonies are extracted from a slightly larger than usual Philip Glass ensemble. As in the above piece, the singing in French works really well with the music.

Concerto for Saxophone Quartet - surprisingly jazzy in places, this is one of the more inventive orchestral pieces he's written. The slow third movement is particularly atmospheric, and there's some great interplay between the saxophones throughout.

[TheGSMoeller]

I've been going through a lot of his stuff on Apple Music lately.

Some great discoveries:

Les enfants terribles - absolutely brilliant. Scored for a Stravinsky-esque 3 piano line-up, Glass creates an extraordinary sound world, full of rhythmic bite and lyrical beauty.

La belle et la bete - some remarkable colours and harmonies are extracted from a slightly larger than usual Philip Glass ensemble. As in the above piece, the singing in French works really well with the music.

Concerto for Saxophone Quartet - surprisingly jazzy in places, this is one of the more inventive orchestral pieces he's written. The slow third movement is particularly atmospheric, and there's some great interplay between the saxophones throughout.

All great works, Reckoner. Have you ever watched Cocteau's film of belle et la bete with Glass' playing over it? It works really well.

[TheGSMoeller]

More exciting Glass news from me...
I just purchased tickets to attend the 80th Birthday Celebration of Philip Glass at Carnegie Hall in January! It will also be the world premiere of his 11th Symphony performed by Dennis Russell Davies and the Bruckner Orchestra of Linz. I'm beyond thrilled to be going to this event!!!

Four months away from this event. Bought a ticket for my lifelong friend, also a Glass fan, to meet me in NY for the concert.
Here's the program from the CH website...

Bruckner Orchestra Linz
Dennis Russell Davies, Music Director
Angelique Kidjo, Vocals

ALL-PHILIP GLASS PROGRAM
Days and Nights in Rocinha
Ifé: Three Yorùbá Songs (NY Premiere)
Symphony No. 11 (World Premiere)

[Ken B]

Four months away from this event. Bought a ticket for my lifelong friend, also a Glass fan, to meet me in NY for the concert.
Here's the program from the CH website...

Bruckner Orchestra Linz
Dennis Russell Davies, Music Director
Angelique Kidjo, Vocals

ALL-PHILIP GLASS PROGRAM
Days and Nights in Rocinha
Ifé: Three Yorùbá Songs (NY Premiere)
Symphony No. 11 (World Premiere)

Decades ago, before Glass got really famous, an acquaintance of mine saw him at a local high school.

[Reckoner]

All great works, Reckoner. Have you ever watched Cocteau's film of belle et la bete with Glass' playing over it? It works really well.

I haven't. But I'd heard good things before, and glad to hear good things again! Will have to check it out at some point.

They're performing Les enfants terribles in London for his 80th birthday but I found out too late and it's sold out now. 

[TheGSMoeller]

Decades ago, before Glass got really famous, an acquaintance of mine saw him at a local high school.

From High School to Carnegie Hall. The title to his second book of memoirs?

They're performing Les enfants terribles in London for his 80th birthday but I found out too late and it's sold out now. 

That would be great to see live, Reckoner, keep looking for someone selling them online!
. I'm hoping PG will be in attendance at the Carnegie Hall concert considering they're premiering his 11th Symphony.

[Reckoner]

I'm hoping PG will be in attendance at the Carnegie Hall concert considering they're premiering his 11th Symphony.

If he is, you need to make a selfie happen. 

[TheGSMoeller]

If he is, you need to make a selfie happen. 

Oh ill try. Last time I saw Glass in concert was pre-cell phone days so pics happened.

[Keep Going]

Releasing July 30th in the U.S., pre-orders available on Amazon...

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I felt like the 10th symphony was a slight disappointment, after the big, poetic statements of the 8th and 9th. I wasn't impressed by the fact that he re-hashed old material for the work. Here's hoping he gets back to good form in the upcoming Symphony No. 11.

If anyone's interested, there are some great, detailed notes here on all the symphonies:

http://dunvagen.com/d/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/SymphonyBox_NOTES.pdf

I'll try to get round to posting a 'favourite works' list for Phil. There'd be so many to choose from.