Customer Reviews

Philip Glass : Etudes For Piano, Vol.1, No.1-10

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The other reviews here that criticize Glass's performances of the études are right in their collective assertion that the playing is somewhat sloppy and riddled with minor technical mistakes, but its these that, I feel, make it an incredibly charming work to listen to.

These performances are an oddly charming depiction of the humanity and soul that Glass provides his music. These qualities are often hard to pick up in his work, but these raw performances exaggerate them and make his love for the music palpable at last. As the composer, Glass is free to perform these pieces as he likes and what he lacks in technical prowess is made up for by these truly engaging performances.

Etude #3 is a good demonstration of this where a rehash of a previously somber theme (which recalls Interlude from Orphee (Act II Scene 5) somewhat) turns into an exciting carousel piece due to the syncopated nature of Glass's performance.

There is an incredible warmth to this album. The sound is good, Glass plays with an imperfect passion, and it makes for excellent music to ponder or work to.

Philip Glass wrote Etudes to take on the road, and in the process stripped everything from minimalism but two hands and a piano. Enriched by this most basic constraint, each etude reveals a musical presence that is both austere and melodic, obsessivley structured and surpisingly open ended. Glass wears his influences on his sleve, but something tells me Chopin isn't complaining. Without hype or flash, Glass continues to push the definition of the cultural moment; reminding us that the essential tool of music is not technology or style but an ability to listen and to imagine a listener unike any other. Etudes is quiet, but approach carefully and you can hear Philip Glass listening.

In about 2000, I attended a Philip Glass performance of his Etudes. They are relatively simple compared with much of his other work, just solo piano, but more than anything else, they have more of a melodic line. It was a treat to actually see him perform these studies, and I have never grown tired of hearing them on CD. I believe he mentioned that he was almost finished writing another ten etudes but I haven't heard about them. He wrote the first ten for himself, so that he could have something to play he himself toured. This might sound like an un-Philip Glass comment to make, but they very much reminded me of Beethoven! Anything but 5 stars means you haven't listened to them!

I'll get out the negative stuff first, then I'll say what I like about it. I'm also a huge fan of Philip Glass, but I think this is one of his poorer recordings. On certain songs, there is an annoying tinging sound when the piano notes are hit. (e.g. beginning of Etude 8) In addition, and this is what bugs me the most, there are parts where Glass makes small mistakes. I have the utmost respect for Glass, and absolutely adore his compositions. But as a pianist, his technique leaves much to be desired.

Now on to the positive parts. My favorite songs are Etude 5, 6 and 8. A good portion of these songs are piano transcriptions from a recording he composed for Uakti a few years ago. This recording might disappoint you if you're looking for a whole CDs worth of new songs. Etude 6 is by far my favorite...Glass's playing is incredibly powerful and emotional, it'll take your breath away. It's almost worth the entire CD. Etude 5 and 8 are beautiful to listen to...very soothing. The other songs to me were decent, nothing too spectacular. So overall, it's a mixed bag.

Philip Glass can rightfully be credited with ushering in a new type of composition, one which has attracted many fans to 'serious' composition. Whether one values this compositional style is a matter of taste, and there's little point in arguing that. Personally, I really don't see how anyone listening to the piano music of Ives or Griffes or Barber -- just to mention three 20th Century Americans whose anklebones Glass must strain to see up to -- can possibly find much in these works. They are pleasant, they work well for ads or movie soundtracks, but one must be almost willfully ignorant of piano composition to find greatness in them.

The real problem is the unbelievable ineptitude of the performances. The world is teeming with exceptional pianists, battling it out in competitions and spending their entire lives honing their skills. Billy Joel (a much better pianist technically than Glass; I'm sorry, but it's impossible to argue with this) was smart enough to get a highly-talented professional to record his 'serious' piano works to best advantage. Joel's works are highly derivative of Schumann and Chopin, but they are very fine for what they attempt. Glass' are a one-trick pony: repetitive, filled with faux Jazz tropes, simple chord progressions, even if on occasion they are effective.

Despite my regard for Glass' abilities as a composer, I have to report this record is something of an embarrassment, when held up to much of his ouevre (Einstein on the Beach, Koyaanisqatsi, etc.) After two or three of the etudes, one almost feels the need to shut off the player.

If you want etudes, the greatest set ever is by that old, dead guy Chopin. His are works of the purest genius. Ask anyone who really knows piano music. And, if you are ready for them, try Debussy's, which are decades ahead of their time. Listen to Paul Jacobs or Mitsuko Uchida play them, and stand in awe of a great realization of superb, prophetic music. It's sad to think that a shoddy album like this will outsell all these others by an order of magnitude.

Well, I'll start by saying that this is some of the most beautiful and complexly expressive music I've heard in a very long time.

I am a big fan of PG and eagerly await recordings of newer pieces like the Tirol Concerto, Symphony No. 6 (Plutonian Ode) and the next set of Piano Etudes mentioned in the liner notes of this recording.

These Etudes will most likely not please those fans that cling strongly to the idea that PG is a minimalist composer. The sheer amount of different aspects/elements of music (rhythm, texture, form, melody, harmony) given full attention in these pieces, as well as other concert pieces of the last 10-15 years, put this music into a completely different category than minimalism.

Simply put, these pieces express contemporary emotions by contemporary means. There is no gimmick or simple handle to hold on to this music. It is full and complete music.

I have recently read 'Glass - A Portrait' by Robert Maycock, which I purchased right here on Amazon.com. One overwhelmingly restated point is the fact that Glass has not considered himself a minimalist composer since the very early days of his composing career. I am agreeing with that point more and more as I review and contemplate my PG recording collection. This recording of the Etudes is a stand-out example of this point. I don't know of any other composition by PG that features such a complete surrender to the expression of emotion and feeling that is so apparent in this collection of pieces for solo piano.

I will take a chance and say that PG's solo piano music is likely the part of his catalogue that resides closest to his heart. Most of it was composed specifically for performance by himself. He acknowledges that about these pieces. This should explain the dramatic difference between these pieces and other larger scale stage or screen projects.

Now, to address the title of this review. I am now proclaiming to any that may listen that Philip Glass is the pioneering composer of a new era. He was brave enough to set aside preconceived notions of music that had been completely twisted, mangled and perverted (albeit for the sake of art, and often with fruitful results) by many respected composers of the past 100 years or so. In doing so, he created his own personal musical language (maybe a dialect) from the most basic concepts of the organization of sound. Gradually, over the course of his career, he has expanded that language.

This new look at what music is, is the beginning. Just as countless composers have built on the achievements of Bach or Beethoven, so to will many composers pick up where Philip Glass leaves off at the end of his career.

That being said, I hope PG will be around for a long time and continue to be as productive and expressive as he has been all along.

Do yourself a favor and buy this CD. It will open your eyes.

I, like others here, am a big Glass fan. I lately feel like he's been going through the motions - with the exceptions of "The Hours" soundtrack and his latest symphony, composing the same things over again. This CD is no different and is one of the few Glass CDs I feel is 'wasted money'.

First, I was amazed at how poorly these were performed. They are not hard peices and the articulation, attack, and other note mistakes are not only akward, but comlpetely noticeable. His interpretations, whether or not it was deliberate, were significantly less life-like than one heard on his earlier "Solo Piano" disc, which is not only full of life but is well played. It makes me wonder why these takes come off so sloppy.

Second, these peieces are quite uninspired except for two that are simply reworkings of previous peices for Uakiti (and the original etude 1). Other than that, this disc simply is not filled with any of the originality, exciting innovation, or even the melodic joy that is prevelant in so much of Glass's other work. If you've yet to get a Glass CD for solo piano, get his disc entitled "Solo Piano". This one is simply dissapointing.

This CD is a tremendous, quantum leap over Mr. Glass's previous all-piano music CD from 1989, "Solo Piano", which is my least-favorite Glass CD. "Etudes, Vol. 1" consists of 10 short pieces averaging around 5 minutes each. Mr. Glass plays these pieces absolutely wonderfully, authoritatively and powerfully. Sure, Mr. Glass is not a virtuoso pianist by any stretch of the imagination, but the feeling of having Mr. Glass right there in the room with you gives an authenticity that is thrilling. I'm certain that in the future more CD's of these pieces performed by other pianists will be released, just as has been done for pieces such as "Metamporphosis", which appears on a bunch of CD's by various pianists.

The sound quality is the best I've ever heard on a piano CD, and I've listened to quite a few over the years. It really sounds like a piano should sound, with full-bodied sound and no distortion. It feels like Mr. Glass is right there in the room with you. One of the previous reviewers who commented on poor sound quality should buy some good stereo equipment! By the way, who cares about liner notes when the music is this good? Mr. Glass isn't one who spends a lot of time writing about his music, he spends his time writing music!

Each etude has a different "feel", with plenty of variety and different moods between them. Each approaches the piano in a different way. Etudes #2 and #8 are particular highlights for me. Etude #2 makes me melt into a puddle on the floor every time I hear it!

The previous "reviewer" can say whatever he wants (I doubt if he even listened to this CD)- I have the same opinion of the overrated Beatles (and tons of other artists) as he does of Mr. Glass!

To Mr. Glass's real fans, this recording is a gift.

Thanks Orange Mountain Music!

This is great piano music. This is similar to Solo Piano by Glass, some songs are very minimal and others are more complex.
There are a few solo piano versions of songs from the Ukati works, which adds diversity to this recording. Overall, this is classic Glass piano music - beautiful.

Much has been said about this cd. Much have been said about Philip Glass. They keep on saying that the music of Philip Glass is over...my friends...IT'S NOT! These Piano Etudes show the expansion that Philip Glass is adding to his music. They are exactly that...an expansion...experiments. When I first heard this Cd, it felt as if Philip Glass was a total new composer with a bit more major keys. But soon i realised that it was the same Philip Glass just...experimenting. Thses Etudes are not your typical Philip Glass but simply an expansion of him. It is a great Cd that simply proves wrong all of those people that say that the music of Philip Glss is over. This is a Must Have for any Philip Glass fan. It will get under your skin until it gets in your vains and from there...you'll be hooked. And that my friends...it what I call Philip Glass.