Comments | gadgeeuropa: How good is Philip Glass?

gadgeeuropa

How good is Philip Glass?

Feb 23, 2004 13:52

Discuss...

Comments 12

ANDYS ARTISTIC DISECTION. andyknifton February 23 2004, 06:09:48 UTC

fuckin' sweet he rocks harder than an epileptic in a greased rockin' chair. (That said I am usually wasted on mind warping chems when I hear him.)

alighieri February 23 2004, 06:17:00 UTC

Glad to see your working hard :) (he says)
As for how good he is, i'd have to hold judgement till i've had him.
Got to say that he makes a damn fine tune or two though.

psr February 23 2004, 06:20:55 UTC

I played Company in a string quartet at school. I think its the only time we ever played anything I actually liked.

So bored.

cyber_child February 23 2004, 06:44:50 UTC

I could wax-lyrical about how important composers like Glass, Antheil and Reich are. However, needless to say, fantatsic.

I mean, the guy wrote a piece called 'clapping music'! :)

Re: _nick_ February 23 2004, 10:50:30 UTC

clapping music is by Steve Reich, and goes with its companion piece 'Music for Pieces of Wood' to which it is very similar. Philip Glass at this point (late '60s) was writing things like Two Pages, 1+1 (knocking on amplified tabletop - which is very like Pieces of Wood or Clapping Music and shows their influence) and Strung Out (for electric violin) - all worth checking out, though a little hard to find.

Re: cyber_child February 23 2004, 11:14:52 UTC

Cheers, nick. Been a while since I've read up on this stuff. Was positive it was Glass, but I trust you on this. It was Reich who did four organs yes? My ex-boss recorded a version of that apparantly!

Re: cyber_child February 23 2004, 11:16:48 UTC

Woot! Just seen the post below. Say n'more :)

_nick_ February 23 2004, 10:46:00 UTC

His early work (c 1967 - 1980) ie. Music in 12 Parts, Einstein on the Beach, Satyagraha, Glassworks, etc. is his least compromising and, to my mind the best. His later music (including film music, symphonies (except no. 2 which is fab), recent opera Galileo, etc.) can tend to be non-descript and a bit of a cliche, though with some exceptions. A bit hit and miss recently, unfortunately ( ... )

gadgeeuropa February 23 2004, 10:55:23 UTC

Quality posting!

Thank you Nick I will check those out.

BTW found a great photo of you looking *very* young the other day!

Re: cyber_child February 23 2004, 11:19:35 UTC

Trust nick on the Arvo Part (well actually don't distrust him on anything!), absolutely beautiful, particularly the pieces for prepared piano. Still haven't got around to obtaining any myself, however, very beautiful, haunting music.