Glass Notes

White Raven & 1981 Interview

Free Download from OMM!

As a gift this holiday season OMM is making available a free download of a live acoustic version "Raising the Sail."  In the OMM Newsletter it reads:

In the late 1990's the Philip Glass Ensemble had arranged a European tour in which there was not enough time for the group to transport its considerable gear from city to city. To compensate, they agreed to play 3 performances "unplugged" in which they played classic PGE repertoire acoustically.  Until now, only those who attended those shows had ever heard this music performed in such a way.  Orange Mountain Music is pleased to offer this free download of "Raising the Sail" from the Truman Show performed by Philip Glass and the Philip Glass Ensemble in Gmuden Austria.

For any issues downloading the track & instructions click here.

 

Thoughts on Einstein...(by Andrew Sterman)

After the Einstein concert at Carnegie Hall a few days ago I considered posting my thoughts on the piece here.  However, recently I had the ocassion to speak with long-time Philip Glass Ensemble woodwind player Andrew Sterman about performances of Music in 12 Parts and Einstein. I thought it would be far more interesting to ask him to share his thoughts on Einstein on the Beach at Carnegie Hall.  Here is his wonderful essay.

Cohen/Glass Discussion @ Standford Podcast (free)

Gregory brought to my attention this hour-long discussion of "Artists in Conversation" with Philip Glass & Leonard Cohen immediately before the West Coast premiere of "Book of Longing"

LA Times Magazine - Critic's Choices

Music  |  MARK SWED  |  Times music critic

“Philip Glass and Robert Wilson: Monsters of Grace” (Orange Mountain Music) and “Philip Glass: Book of Longing” (Orange Mountain Music). Everyone’s got something to say about Philip Glass—the ninth-greatest genius in the world (according to one British newspaper), Hollywood sellout or opera bore. How about just a sensitive, moody, sometimes profound composer? “Monsters of Grace” is Rumi poetry made luminous. “Book of Longing” is a new cycle of Leonard Cohen poems touchingly handled. Beautiful artwork and deluxe packaging are a bonus. (source)

GRAMMY NOMINATION!

Congratulations to Philip Glass on his nomination for his track "I Knew Her" from Notes on a Scandal!

* I Knew Her (From Notes On A Scandal)
Philip Glass, composer (Philip Glass)
Track from: Notes On A Scandal - Soundtrack
[Rounder/Fox Music]

Cassandra's Dream (Woody Allen film)

Soundtrack.net is running a contest to win autographed copies of the Philip Glass score to Woody Allen's newest film which is due out Jan. 4 (distributed by the Weinstein Co.).  The release date in in stores is announced as Jan. 9, but you can pre-order at Amazon for Dec. 25 (the iTunes release date as well)

Also, those in Nashville and Chicago will be treated to radio broadcast of Glass' "Passion of Ramakrishna" from the Nashville Symphony's performance last February.  Nashville Symphony performed the work, which they co-commissioned along with the Pacific Symphony, as part of the inaugural season at their new Schermerhorn Symphony Center.(Thanks to Marv for contributing this)

Transformed by the Tonic of Einstein - NY Times

As opposed to being transformed by the dominant of Einstein. In this week's New York Times, Bernard Holland writes an incredibly personal account of coming to terms with Philip Glass' music through his encounter with Einstein on the Beach which will be heard in a concert version at Carnegie Hall in New York on Thursday.  Holland's piece is particularly wonderful, in that, I believe when music criticism is at its best, it not only fairly assesses music and performance but aptly describes your own feelings about a piece, a composer, a performer....i.e. it describes the indescribable.  Bravo Bernard!
My own note:  Recently, when approaching Michael Riesman, Music Director of the Philip Glass Ensemble about this concert, he described how it is a new an unique experience performing the music of Einstein without the imagery.  Riesman performed the work in '76. '84 & 92. 
Like for so many others, Thursday's performance will be my first chance to hear this music live.  And like for so many others, I have known the opera intimately for a very long time on CD without the benefit of the Wilson concept; Because I was so excited to hear the music it wasn't even a consideration for me that I'd be missing out!  In light of the Holland piece, I look forward with great eagerness to 2009-1010's (proposed) performances of Einstein at New York City Opera.