Glass Notes

Amazon Barbarians

One can preview all the selections from "Waiting for the Barbarians" at Amazon.com's MP3 store.  Just click "Preview All"

Bizarre Note. No. 157

Who knew that Philip Glass composed a score called "la jeune fille et les loups" (the maiden and the wolves) for a French film that came out by a composer called Armand Amar.  You will  hear some electronic stuff then a clear sampling of Glass "Company" for string orchestra. I've heard of composers borrowing ideas, but never just sampling a recording then calling it their own...weird.Download armand_amar_01_ouverture.mp3

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Bizarre Note No.156

Back on March 6th, I called attention to a Glass-Elfman connection. Having admired some of Elfman's music in the past I anticipated his latest collaboration with long-time Glass collaborator Errol Morris.  I was blown away by the "new" Elfman score.  One can only consider this an homage.

iTunes Drama

The other day I issued a call to arms, hoping to push The Concerto Project Vol.III to number 1 on iTunes classical music store.  It is featured in the "new release" section and has since been overtaken in the top 10 by Philip Glass' "Songs and Poems" which is currently no. 9.  Also there is a whole section dedicated to "Music in 12 Parts"...thus we can say that PG is represented and supported in the democratic world of downloading.

Watch the drama unfold at your local iTunes

1+1=1 & WNYC Interview

Here is the most elaborate rave-review that I have ever read in my life...I think Mr. Sandow enjoyed the record but I'm not sure.  Let me know what you think.
Also, WNYC has posted the recent interview of Philip Glass & Wendy Sutter (who has a new website) discussing Songs and Poems. 

It's not over till the skinny man has sung

Last night I attended the final performance of Satyagraha at the Met which featured a new Gandhi, Alan Oke, who performed the role at the ENO production last year. It's always fun to hear opera-goers gossip about their take on the opera. You can hear the weirdest things: "I was non-violent before, now I'm really non-violent"....?
Anyway, it was nothing short of a triumph with a curtain-call by the composer who got a bigger ovation than on opening night.  It was really great and apparently unexpected that he would be there.  The audience loved it and it was a lovely end to a special opera.

Call to Arms!

C'mon people...the usually saccharin list of top albums on iTunes which has a reigning no.1 of "Mozart for Your Mind - Boost Your Brain Power"....BUT there is some quality on the list including, I'm happy to report that Glass is twice in the top 15 (as the only living composer) at no. 8 and 13, beating out the likes of recording artists Andrea Bocelli, Pavarotti and Beethoven's 9th Symphony. 

Glass has never made it up to No.1...at no. 8, Concerto Project no.3 is a deal at $6.93 for the album. Let's see if we can take it to no 1!

Barbarians....

José was the first to discover that Philip Glass' Waiting for the Barbarians, which is being performed at London's Barbican June 12th, is being released by Orange Mountain Music.  The company's Newsletter confirms it.
For those unfamiliar, this is Glass' 2005 opera has more than just a little contemporary relevance.  The 1980 story by J.M. Coetzee, which was optioned by Glass in 1990, tells of a village on the fringe of an Empire that is overtaken by military officials from Empire who claim the "Barbarians" are about to attack and therefore it's necessary to launch a preemptive war, a "short quick war to safegaurd the peace." Of course they also torture innocent prisoners without cause or trial: "normally speaking, we would never approve of torture, but I think it's widely understood that this is an emergency"....

It's all too eerie that the book is from 1980.  The timeless thing about this opera is that the music is just wonderful and perfect for the story of our recent times. I don't recall such a "traditional" narrative opera from Glass and baritone Richard Salter as the Magistrate, an imperfect man, does a magnificent job.  In Stores and on iTunes June 3 in the US (May 26 in the UK in advance of the performance at the Barbican).

The Battle of the Balls

In a distant universe, far from the somber reflection and allure of Satyagraha at the Met Opera, the world continues to be inspired by Philip Glass' music in off the wall and occasionally intriguing I present to you, The Battle of the Balls.