Top 5 Philip Glass works +bonus

[TheGSMoeller]

So I've made this one a little different, I'm listing my 5 favorite pieces (always subject to change) and a bonus, two movements from other works. I'm placing these two in here (Knee 5, Dance IX) because if I had to pick two movements, works, moments, excerpts, whatever, that I find not only represents the best of Glass, but the music I love the most from the composer's career, I would pick these two. Knee 5 had a big influence on me when I first heard it over 20 years ago, and still does. As many of you know here at GMG, I'm a huge admirer of Glass, and, along with other select few composers, has been an absolute favorite of mine.

Knee 5 from Einstein on the Beach
https://www.youtube.com/v/BpoWWnR348M

In The Upper Room: Dance IX
https://www.youtube.com/v/38Ml_xp55CI

My top 5 works, as of now....

Mad Rush


Low Symphony


Violin Concerto No.2 The American Four Seasons
[asin]B00415AWXU[/asin]

Koyaanisqatsi


A Descent into the Maelström


Honorable mentions...
Symphony No.3, Symphony No.5, Symphony No.9, Akhnaten, Orion, Songs of Liquid Days, Itaipu, 

[Mirror Image]

It's about time you started this thread, Greg. But, seriously, interesting to read your choices. I'm still very much a Glass newbie, but I can assure I like his later work than his earlier music. We now await Ken to chime in with his list.

[SimonNZ]

Even though I feel like someone who's heard a lot of Glass' music I'm scrolling down now through a list of his compositions and realizing I've heard only about a third, if that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_by_Philip_Glass

[Mirror Image]

Even though I feel like someone who's heard a lot of Glass' music I'm scrolling down now through a list of his compositions and realizing I've heard only about a third, if that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_by_Philip_Glass

He's so prolific that I feel that I'll never get a full grasp of his compositional range, but I'm okay with that as I can't afford to buy everything.

[Ken B]

Not sure I ca make a list. I've listened to little Glass in the past year. Off the top of my head

Satyagraha
Tympani Concerto
Songs from Liquid Days
Metamorphosis
Company
Mad Rush (my second 5th choice)

Liquid Days was one of the most important albums in my life, along with Glassongs. I love parts of Einstein, Akhnaten, Photographer, and lots of other pieces but those are the ones that come to mind first. Symphony 8 is high up there, as is VC2. But I haven't lived with them as long or intimately.

[TheGSMoeller]

Not sure I ca make a list. I've listened to little Glass in the past year. Off the top of my head

Satyagraha
Tympani Concerto
Songs from Liquid Days
Metamorphosis
Company
Mad Rush (my second 5th choice)

Liquid Days was one of the most important albums in my life, along with Glassongs. I love parts of Einstein, Akhnaten, Photographer, and lots of other pieces but those are the ones that come to mind first. Symphony 8 is high up there, as is VC2. But I haven't lived with them as long or intimately.

Ken,
Have you heard this recording of Liquid Days?



Gives the songs a more orchestral feel, and a larger choir. Interesting contrast to the original with the PGEnsemble.

[Ken B]

Ken,
Have you heard this recording of Liquid Days?



Gives the songs a more orchestral feel, and a larger choir. Interesting contrast to the original with the PGEnsemble.

No! Never seen that. Must check it out.

[SimonNZ]

One not mentioned yet that would be in my top 5 is Aguas da Amazonia.

[TheGSMoeller]

One not mentioned yet that would be in my top 5 is Aguas da Amazonia.

Great mention, Simon.

[Rinaldo]

One not mentioned yet that would be in my top 5 is Aguas da Amazonia.

Good one. It flirts with kitsch but the overall vibe and sound of the Brazilian instruments is just so damn enjoyable.

My list:

Music in Twelve parts – had to, the twelve-tone finale is one of my favourite things EVER and hearing it live four years ago was an aural orgasm
Akhnaten – still my favourite opera and I'll never forget first listening to it, on headphones, being swept away and, during the climax of Window of Appearances, literally pushing against the walls of my room like I could bring them down, Samson-style (no, I wasn't on drugs)
Satyagraha – the 2011 MET production really opened my heart towards this one
Songs from Liquid Days – what would Max Richter (and many, many others) do without it?
Anima Mundi – a score that is uncharacteristically varied and still ticks all the "Glass" boxes.. also, Peter Weir

Bonus could be the aforementioned Uakti, Kundun or Les Animaux amoureux, which features one of the most beautiful tunes the guy has written.

[TheGSMoeller]

Good one. It flirts with kitsch but the overall vibe and sound of the Brazilian instruments is just so damn enjoyable.

My list:

Music in Twelve parts – had to, the twelve-tone finale is one of my favourite things EVER and hearing it live four years ago was an aural orgasm
Akhnaten – still my favourite opera and I'll never forget first listening to it, on headphones, being swept away and, during the climax of Window of Appearances, literally pushing against the walls of my room like I could bring them down, Samson-style (no, I wasn't on drugs)
Satyagraha – the 2011 MET production really opened my heart towards this one
Songs from Liquid Days – what would Max Richter (and many, many others) do without it?
Anima Mundi – a score that is uncharacteristically varied and still ticks all the "Glass" boxes.. also, Peter Weir

Bonus could be the aforementioned Uakti, Kundun or Les Animaux amoureux, which features one of the most beautiful tunes the guy has written.

Great list, Rinaldo. Also nice to see Kundun mentioned, a great score.

[vandermolen]

Don't know that much but have enjoyed:

Symphony 7
Kundun film score
Heroes Symphony
Passages
Violin Concerto
Symphony 3

[Trout]

Einstein on the Beach
Koyaanisqatsi
Music in 12 Parts
Akhnaten
Satyagraha

For a bonus, how about the seldom mentioned but beautiful Another Look at Harmony, Part IV?

I guess I tend to like my Glass on the long side!

[TheGSMoeller]

Einstein on the Beach
Koyaanisqatsi
Music in 12 Parts
Akhnaten
Satyagraha

Classics!

[SimonNZ]

While Powaqqatsi isn't quite as strong an album as Koyaanisqatsi, it has at least a couple of tracks that are among my most played Glass pieces.

Also: last time I watched Cocteau's Beauty And The Beast I discovered almost by accident that it had the Glass opera/soundtrack as a bonus audio option, and I was floored by how unexpectedly successful it was, for an idea that must have sounded like sacrilege to some when it was first suggested.

[Reckoner]

Great to see recognition of Glass in this thread. I'm a fan, for sure.

Top 5 would be very tricky. Would look something like this:

Akhnaten (not an opera fan, generally, but I find this work captivating all the way through)
Songs from Liquid Days
Violin Concerto No. 1
Symphony No. 8
Symphony No. 9 (quite possibly a masterpiece)

Bonus:

Tirol Concerto (middle movement)
Symphony No. 3 (third movement)

[TheGSMoeller]

Great to see recognition of Glass in this thread. I'm a fan, for sure.

Top 5 would be very tricky. Would look something like this:

Akhnaten (not an opera fan, generally, but I find this work captivating all the way through)
Songs from Liquid Days
Violin Concerto No. 1
Symphony No. 8
Symphony No. 9 (quite possibly a masterpiece)

Bonus:

Tirol Concerto (middle movement)
Symphony No. 3 (third movement)

Great list, Reckoner. Not many Glass fans here, but a few passionate ones. Search for his own thread here at GMG, I've posted quite a bit in there as well as others, would love to see some new visitors!

Philip Glass thread...

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,7831.0.html

[Reckoner]

Great list, Reckoner. Not many Glass fans here, but a few passionate ones. Search for his own thread here at GMG, I've posted quite a bit in there as well as others, would love to see some new visitors!

Philip Glass thread...

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,7831.0.html

Thanks GSMoeller. Lot to read through in that thread!