Philip Glass
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Topic: Philip Glass
Posted By: fungusucantkill
Subject: Philip Glass
Date Posted: July 05 2007 at 23:26
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Or Minimalism in general. But i ment Philip Glass. The first time ive listened to him...i fell asleep...12 minutes of straight melody changing ever so slightly...but after a while of listening...and actually LISTENING i started to really like it. Anyone else a fan of Philip Glass or minimalism music? -------------  
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Replies:
Posted By: Moatilliatta
Date Posted: July 06 2007 at 00:38
| I do, a bit. I really enjoy Kronos Quartet performs Philip Glass, to name one title. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: July 06 2007 at 00:41
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I'm a big minimalism fan... more of a Steve Reich man myself, though Glass is excellent.
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Posted By: R o V e R
Date Posted: July 06 2007 at 04:18
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I like his Soundtrack for "Secret Window"
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: July 06 2007 at 07:47
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Totally mesmerised by Philip Glass - I own 30 or so albums and will still buy more. I don't concider him to be a minimalist, his symphonies and film scores are far to complex to be thought of as minimalist compared to Reich or Riley.
My favorites are 1000 Airplanes on the Roof, Einstien on the Beach, Akhnaten, Koyaanisqatsi/Powaqqatsi/Naqqyqatsi, The Music of Candyman, Symphony No 5 - aghh! the list is endless, m u s t s t o p t y p i n g...
The only one I don't like much is Songs From Liquid Days (though 'Forgetting' is wonderful - okay I like that too).
I also like Steve Reich, but I am not an officianado - The Cave is a brilliant peice of work. ------------- What? |
Posted By: Apsalar
Date Posted: July 06 2007 at 08:14
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Minimalism is one of my favourite forms of music. I like Glass to a degree, but definitely not one of my favourites. My first album by him wasy Music With Changing Parts and still remains my favourite. A very subtle changing of patterns over an hour period. Takes a while to sink in. At times I seem to drift in and out of the composition, only to realise ten minutes later the different note in the sequence.
At the moment I'm quite taken with Morton Feldman, and the Austrian scene in general. |
Posted By: Moatilliatta
Date Posted: July 06 2007 at 14:06
Agreed! Steve Reich is the best.
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Atavachron wrote:Posted By: chamberry
Date Posted: July 06 2007 at 14:34
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To be honest, Minimalism is one of my all time favorite genre. I'm fascinated by this kind of music. Sadly I don't have enough money to feed my minimalist needs so I still haven't heard many of the lesser known composers. Koyaanisquatsi, Einstein On The Beach, and Passages (feat. Ravi Shankar) are my favorite Philip Glass works. I personally think that Einstein On The Beach is one of the pivotal works from this music style along with Music For 18 Musicians and In C. I would love to see this opera. Hopefully a miracle will happen and I'll get to see it soon. I don't have a personal favorite of composer from the genre, but at the moment I'm really enjoying Terry Riley's Poppy Nogood And The Phantom Band. ------------- 
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: July 06 2007 at 18:45
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an interesting CD review in today's Guardian: http://music.guardian.co.uk/classical/andrewclements/story/0,,2119600,00.html - Minimal Piano Collection Volumes I - IX, Jeroen van Veen
£30 for a nine-CD box set with lots of Glass, John Adams's China Gates, Terry Riley's In C and others - shame it's only a three-star review. ------------- What? |
Posted By: kellebag
Date Posted: July 06 2007 at 20:33
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Ever since I first saw Koyaanisqatsi (and the others in the trilogy, for that matter) I've been completely taken with Philip Glass. I was introduced to it about three years ago. Si nce then, Philip Glass along with Reich and others have really made a place for themselves in my tastes. 1000 Airplanes on the Roof, The Qatsi Trilogy, The Music of Candyman, all my favorites.. My favorite recording is his solo piano piece 'Mad Rush' along with 'Prophecies' and 'the Grid'. |
Posted By: Reverie
Date Posted: July 06 2007 at 21:21
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I need to check out Glass more. I started watching Koyaanisqatsi, but soon became immensly bored. Maybe i wasn't in the mood and didn't give it a fair go though :P
I like the very little of what i've heard from Reich, and while maybe not quite as, or as strictly minimalist as others, i enjoy John Adams. So it's a style i need to investigate more. But there's this thing called money.... 
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Posted By: BroSpence
Date Posted: July 07 2007 at 05:16
| I'm a bit of a Glass nut. Did two school papers on him (one bio, one on minimalism in general). I have two books about him that are excellent. I also own many of his recordings and love them all. He is my most favorite composer. I also have Koyanisqatsi and Powaqqatsi. Great films! My friend recently saw the Glass Ensemble in Nashville and said it was one of the greatest concerts he'd ever been to. Phil is the man. |
Posted By: chamberry
Date Posted: July 07 2007 at 10:59
John Adams' Nixon In China is a very powerful piece. Highly recommended if you enjoy John Adams' minimalism.  -------------
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Posted By: A B Negative
Date Posted: July 08 2007 at 06:32
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I first came across Philip Glass on The South Bank Show (a well-respected British arts programme) in the 80s, around the time of Glassworks. I'd never heard anything like it before and I immediately became a convert to minimalism. ------------- "The disgusting stink of a too-loud electric guitar.... Now, that's my idea of a good time." |
Posted By: Syzygy
Date Posted: July 08 2007 at 06:57
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I like Philip Glass - recently I went to see a production of Satyagraha at the English National Opera.
I also like some of Steve Reich's work, and I've got a great version of Terry Riley's In C by NY ensemble Bang On A Can.
Right now I'm listening to Outside the Dream Syndicate by Tony Conrad with Faust. If you're into Minimalism this one you should definitely hear; Jean Herve Peron and Zappi Diemaier on bass and drums backing Tony Conrad who plays endless drones on his violin.
I've also recently got into Rhys Chatham, who is similar to Glenn Branca; Crimson Grail was played on 400 electric guitars in a Paris church and sounds wonderful. ------------- 'Like so many of you I've got my doubts about how much to contribute to the already rich among us...' Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom |
Posted By: A B Negative
Date Posted: July 16 2007 at 06:16
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I just bought a double CD, Alter Ego Performs Philip Glass - Music In the Shape of a Square. It's made up of some really early Glass pieces, some of them recorded for the first time. I've only listened to one of the CDs but I've really enjoyed what I've heard so far. ------------- "The disgusting stink of a too-loud electric guitar.... Now, that's my idea of a good time." |
Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: July 16 2007 at 11:05
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Have to remember the first London 'pop' Promenade Concert, in August 1970, whilst best known for Soft Machine's appearance, had originally been intended as a concert of minimalist works - composers included Terry Riley and Tim Souster - however, this element of the show ended up as the warm up for Machine. Terry Riley was perhaps the first minimalist composer to be recognised, with Rainbow In Curved Air, which influenced Curved Air (e.g. Francis Monkman plays 30 or so second of Rainbow In Curved Air in the live version of Propositions), Soft Machine and Pete Townshend. The Soft Machine/Terry Riley connection goes back to at least 1966, when Daevid Allen recorded with Riley in Paris. Apart Rainbow and compositions methods above, also check out Riley's collaboration with John Cale: Church Of Anthrax. What may be surprising, according to one serious music encyclopaedia, minimalism may be dated back to the early 40's ------------- The best eclectic music on the Web,8-11pm BST/GMT THURS. CLICK ON: http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php - http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php Host by PA's Dick Heath. |
Posted By: thellama73
Date Posted: July 16 2007 at 12:42
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I have over 24 hours of Philip Glass music and minimalism is one of my favorite genres. My favorite records by Glass are Einstein on the Beach, The Photographer, Glassworks and Music With Changing Parts. Other minimalists I enjoy are Steve Reich, Terry Riley and Alvin Lucier. I have been looking everywhere for some LaMonte Young records, but it seems they are all out of print or ridiculously expensive. ------------- 
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Posted By: Ghandi 2
Date Posted: July 16 2007 at 14:57
| I wish I could see why other people like minimalism. :( It just annoys the hell out of me, which is bad since I am a fan of the avant-garde. What is the difference between repeating a piano riff for 10 minutes and the simplistic repetition of a pop song? |
Posted By: thellama73
Date Posted: July 16 2007 at 15:05
well, most of the time in minimalism the piano riff will gradually change over time until the end result is unrecognizable as the original phrase. It has a sort of hypnotic quality and the effect of stationary motion (if that makes any sense.) -------------
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: July 16 2007 at 16:37
Give this a try - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il4VDf-ugPI - Philip Glass: Metamorphosis 1 - you'll find the other 4 parts on YouTube too. ------------- What? |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: July 16 2007 at 16:46
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it's definitely an acquired taste but as thellama73 points out, the hidden qualities of minimalism are what make it so interesting, mainly the gradual (sometimes barely noticable) changes and shifts that occur over the course of a piece.. it's almost like watching the stars, changes are slow but rewarding.
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Posted By: chamberry
Date Posted: July 16 2007 at 18:20
That's mainly why I listen to minimalism. -------------
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Posted By: Ghandi 2
Date Posted: July 16 2007 at 21:32
I liked that; it's a nice piano line, and I did listen to it until the end. I listened to 2, and it was nice too, and there was some variation so I made it almost all the way. Then I skipped to 5 and it sounded exactly the same as 1 so I turned it off. I sort of got what you were saying on the first one (I'm not sure if I could tolerate it if I weren't on the computer as well, though), but after that, at this point in time, I can only see it as laziness. Maybe some day I can see it; after all, I did use to think that SGM were lazy songwriters, but now it all seems logical to me. But I don't think that day is anywhere near.
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Posted By: fungusucantkill
Date Posted: July 16 2007 at 21:35
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Thats how i felt when i first listened to glass. I hated it i just fell asleep. But it was one of those things that i had to listen to over and over to get into it. and i finally did. -------------
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Posted By: chamberry
Date Posted: July 16 2007 at 21:44
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Ghandi, minimalism isn't always like that. There are other less "mechanic" composers. Arvo Part and Henryk Gorecki are the ones that quickly spring to mind. They are more melodic with their music and less repetitive as well. I highly recommend Symphony no. 3 (a.k.a. "Symphony of Sorrowful Songs") by Henryk Gorecki and Alina by Arvo Part. Maybe you'll enjoy the genre a bit more with these pieces of music. -------------
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Posted By: Apsalar
Date Posted: July 16 2007 at 22:06
I think time is one of the biggest keys here, I know if I was presented with such music a couple of years back, I would have been disinterested. Also it is best not listened to as background noise. For me I'm inherently interested/intrigued in the relationship between time and space in both musical and non-musical environments. Because of the extended nature it gives time to both analysis and feel the different notes/textures. I like both composed and improvised minimalism, though the improv branch probably gets more plays. I think it also help, to read a little about the composer/improviser to try and understand what they are trying to archive. |
Posted By: thellama73
Date Posted: July 16 2007 at 23:30
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For the record, I think the metamorphoses are some of Glass' least interesting pieces pieces, so I don't blame you for not liking them.
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: July 17 2007 at 13:10
I agree, but it was the easiest complete piece to find on the web. (As I have already said somewhere in this thread - I don't consider Glass to be particularily minimalist). Though I do like watching the pianists hands as she plays it, it's quite mesmerising. ------------- What? |
Posted By: chamberry
Date Posted: July 17 2007 at 13:13
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Most of these guys grow out of the genre. Philip Glass and Stever Reich's recent stuff don't sound like the minimalism they did in the 70's and early 80's. -------------
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Posted By: oracus
Date Posted: July 25 2007 at 17:12
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No, I don't like Philip Glass and i really don't enjoy so much minimalistic music in general. But i heard Der Heisse Brei by Wim Mertens and i was blown away. What a music! Everyone heard of him? ------------- 
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Posted By: nightlamp
Date Posted: July 26 2007 at 14:09
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Not a huge Glass fan (he's ok), I'm more into Steve Reich & Terry Riley. Favorite Reich works are Sextet, Six Marimbas, Drumming, and Music for Mallet Instruments, Voice, and Organ. Favorite Riley works are Persian Surgery Dervishes, Descending Moonshine Dervishes and Poppy Nogood. I also really dig Pauline Oliveros' album Deep Listening... If you haven't heard it, you need to! |
Posted By: cuncuna
Date Posted: July 26 2007 at 14:14
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I think I'll throw one of those "giant monkey balls" comments here. Bored to death while listening Heroes Symphony and something else (can't remember title). ------------- ĦBeware of the Bee! |
Posted By: chamberry
Date Posted: July 26 2007 at 15:45
I want that album!! I'm very curious about Oliveros' work since reading about them in allmusic.com. I would really like to know what "Deep Listening" is all about. -------------
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Posted By: Visitor13
Date Posted: July 26 2007 at 15:56
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I guess the really long and monotonous minimalist pieces are a 'take it or leave it' - kind of thing. This is demanding stuff, and if you're looking for a simple(r) kind of pleasure, you'll be disappointed. It's about the frustration of expectations, I think. Want variety? You're not really going to get it. Want a manageable timescale? Nope, not here, either. You'll get what you'll get and it's up to you to accept it and find a way to enjoy it, or to reject it. If you accept it, maybe you'll get something from it. Or not. Kind of like life, really.
I don't know of any of the above makes this music and its creators good or bad. But it sure sets certain boundaries, makes additional demands and, because of this, puts things in perspective. |
Posted By: Nicholas Linear
Date Posted: August 27 2007 at 13:31
I remember reading the liner notes from (either Einstein on the beach or Satyagraha) stating that it was extremely difficult for even the best musicians to perform this repetitive kind of work because of the need for perfect time and the ability to perfom almost the same thing over and over again with minor mistakes.
In answer to the first questino - I love Philip Glass. Reich too, but glass more if only for these two above mentioned albums ------------- there are three kinds of people. Those who can count and those who can't |