Customer Reviews

Glass: Songs from the Trilogy

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Man . . . how the hell do I start?

This is a collection of pieces from three operas scored by Philip Glass: "Satyagraha," "Akhnaten" and "Einstein on the Beach." They're about spiritual and moral pioneers: Ghandi in South Africa, the Egyptian leader who introduced monotheism and, well, Einstein.

I haven't seen these; I'm not sure if I'd like them. But some of these pieces are so stunningly beautiful and profound that I feel like looking up the full scores.

Not for everybody, especially the bits from Einstein, which consist of barely audible and repetitive muttering to the accompanyment of a chorus chanting numbers. Damn cool.

The three operas comprising Glass' trilogy are something special, but this disc of arias from those three operas is even better. The selections themselves, the pacing of the sequencing, and absolutely top-drawer performances make this a standout disc. It's a great introduction disc for those seeking to learn more about Philip Glass's operas without having to invest in the full length recordings, although Akhnaten especially is a masterpiece and more than worthy of the price for the complete opera. I've given this disc to many friends and received only grateful raves, even from those already familiar with Glass' music. Douglas Perry's singing deserves special mention; his singing of Evening Song from Satyagraha is perfect in every way, with immaculate phrasing and a kind of passion of restraint that is mesmerizing. Glass' intentions are deceptive to the ear; he is master of a simplicity that keeps giving. The selections from Einstein on the Beach are richly complex; even after years of listening, new directions continue to appear in the score, each time revealing another dimension, an idea not really noticed before will suddenly become clear and engaging, creating a wonderfully familiar listening experience. Beautiful stuff. The melismatic Bed aria from Einstein on the Beach is a joy, heartbreaking as it is. Milagro Vargas contributes passionate singing in the Window of Appearances, and some marvelous ensemble singing is generously spread throughout the entire disc. Glass' best work may be found in his opera scores, and this disc presents the cream of the cream. Check it for yourself. You won't be disappointed.

I would say this is Mr. Glass' best work. The songs are simply beautiful. The orchestration is rich and complex, yet gives a tranquil quality. I highly recommend this album.

This album is my favorite Philip Glass album. I remember the discordance of "Glassworks" in the early 1980s when Philip Glass became more well known with Steve Reich, John Adams, and other "minimalist" composers. Somewhere along the line, Glass has lost a lot of the real shocking discordance that he used to express energy. Some individuals cannot stand Glass's music and lament about its repetitive (and therefore boring) nature. Repetition is the real seed of this music. The repetition by itself can be a simple and beautiful thing, just like a fugue. Then it grows and blossoms out into various new and unexpected ways. I think that Glass really stuns the listener by using the speaking voice as an instrument. Voices read at times. The importance is in the sound of the voice, not the meaning of what is being read. It's an intellectual exercise as well as a lush and beautiful garden of sound and movement. Listen to it and experience its simple beauties. This is not country music. This is not "traditional" opera. It's a work of creativity and sensitivity. Shut your eyes and enjoy.

ArckivMusic shows 146 recordings of the music of Phillip Glass available on its site. (Not that you shouldn't shop here).

This is a great place to start. The music from Akhnaten is just beautiful -- especially the Hymn to the Sun.

Alright people listen up... This is Dusty Tex Tumbleweed of the American Funboys and I have a thing or two which I would like to share with all the Philip Glass fans out there regarding this here album. At first I was'nt quite sure what to make of it - I was a little hesitant because of the weird-looking artwork on the cover { I usually pick out my music based on several criteria - one of which is album cover art... I only see in pinks and browns so some album cover art makes my eyes hurt } When I saw this album it immediately made me feel sick to my stomach, but when I listened to it I was pleasantly surprised. Philip Glass went out on a limb by combining monotonous keyboard riffs and bizarre electronic chirrups { made my girlfriend Shawangtang have a kiniption fit on my red leather sofa.. } Anyway, I found that the more I listened to this album the more I liked it - at one point about seven minutes into the first movement you can distinctly here the sound of a dozen or so camouflage parrots sqwaking in time with the simple yet extremely tedious keyboard noodling of this great boring composer Philip Glass... simply ear spliting. I'm going to wrap up this album review by saying that Philip Glass is an amazing gentleman with an ear for really live electric sounding combustion... Peace, I'm out { Shawangtang and I are taking our manager Sir William Buorbonaugh out for raisin corndogs and chocolate ice water... and keep an eye out for me and the rest of the funboys this summer on the Tab sodapop steam-engine jetski tour }