Customer Reviews

Philip Glass: Itaipu; The Canyon

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

 

 

The piece "Itaipu" was commissioned by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra through the generosity of an anonymous patron who specified that the work would be written by Philip Glass, for the ASO, to be conducted by Robert Shaw (a champion of American composers and one of the world's greatest choral conductors). I had been listening to Philip Glass for a few years, mostly "Glassworks", "Einstein", "North Star", and "Mishima", but didn't really consider myself familiar with classical music. I bought season tickets to ensure that I had a seat for the performance (I figured if it was Philip Glass it would have to be a sell-out). The work was not performed that year due to scheduling and rehearsal conflicts so I bought season tickets to the following year. During that time I learned a lot about the standard classical repetoire and learned of the Atlanta audiences' overall resistance to new and challeging works (like booing and walking out of Witold Lutoslawski's 3rd Symphony - at least in the cheap seats). I didn't know how the world premire of "Itaipu" would be received but the audience seemed to appreciate the work, with much applause given to the orchestra, chorus, Robert Shaw, and Philip Glass who was in attendence. This was the largest orchestra that Glass had written for, with a massive percussion section and a chorus that filled the stage - probably the most musicians I have ever seen on any stage. "The Canyon" received its North American premire a year later in Atlanta by the ASO under the direction of William Fred Scott. Both the majesty of "Itaipu" and the starkness of the percussion-laden "Canyon" are beautifully captured on this recording by Robert Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.

A heartfelt thanks to the anonymous patron who brought this challenging work to Atlanta. As a concertgoer behind me commented "Well, I liked it but Atlanta's more of a Beethoven town."

Let me start off by saying Philip Glass is a stretch for me. I prefer Mozart, Beethoven, and Wagner...so Glass is quite far from my "main stream" classical tastes.

I have a friend who loves Philip Glass and has played several pieces (particularily opera) for me, which I didn't care for and frankly found annoying. I had written Glass off.

Then, the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum & Bugle Corps, played The Canyon as part of their 1999 show and won the World Championship with it. It was one of the greatest things, if not the greatest, I had ever heard played by a drum and bugle corps.

Therefore, I had to have The Canyon. I went into this thinking I would be buying a cd that is largely not the Canyon and not liking it. Well, this cd is beautiful and Itaipu is quite thrilling in its own right. Very creative and innovative. Like The Canyon, it is very loud at times and thrills with orchestral fire power.

The rhythms are odd, repetative, but alter slightly within the passages...very developing from start of finish..especially the Canyon, which builds and changes and builds and changes, on and on. Quite exquisite.

This cd has proved that Glass is a worthy composer who will no doubt be heard for centuries to come. Afterall, Mozart was "written off" in his day and now is regarded as the worlds greatest composer.

Glass is a new adventure I will undertake. The trick is finding what Glass works for me. Feel free to email me with suggestions or thoughts.

Thank you!

In my opinion Glass has captured the sense of awe that one feels contemplating Itaipu itself. This is a work of massive proportions much like the creation of the Itaipu dam, which Glass feels an "undertaking comparable in daring and inventiveness to the construction of the Egyptian pyramids."

The extensive choral work is written in the language of the Giuranni Indians. Glass often chooses obscure languages for the effect of "distance." People who obsess over the choral pieces of "Carmina Burana" and/or "The Mission" soundtrack, will probably enjoy "Itaipu" a lot.

As personified in particular by Philip Glass, the so-called style of "minimalism" in modern classical music is known for its repetitiveness, and as such it has often been misunderstood. But Glass has managed to parlay those disadvantages to his advantage by keeping things interesting, partly through film scores like KOYANNISQATSI and THE FOG OF WAR, and, in this case, with "Itaipu" and "The Canyon"

Both of the works here are sterling examples of Glass' soundscape pallet, with "Itaipu" being a choral work inspired by the building of a hydroelectric dam in Paraguay and sung in the Guarani Indian dialect of that region, and "The Canyon" being more of a symphonic tone poem representation of an imaginary canyon. Utilizing large orchestral and choral forces, Glass came up with some of his best work. And he fortunately found a champion in conductor Robert Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (where Shaw was music director from 1967 to 1991) and the A.S.O. Chorus. Both works received their world premiere recordings here on this 1994 Sony recording, in which Shaw and his Atlanta orchestra proved themselves to be one of the great conductor/orchestral combines in classical music.

Given its similarity to motion picture music, minimalist music of the sort that Glass practices should not seem so unappreciable. It's definitely appreciable here.

There are those who might scoff at Philip Glass trying to combine
Orffs' "Carmina Burana", Mahlers' "Resurrection" symphony, and
Elgars' "Dream of Gerontius", but Robert Shaw, the Atlanta Symphony and
Chorus show that yes, Glass can do it, and moreover, make it his own
in the process! The percussion battery is exploited to the fullest in
both "Itaipu" and "Canyon", but there is some interesting spotlighting
of other instruments concurrent with that. Although the text in "Itaipu"
is somewhat nontraditional and murky, the chorus shows no fear whatsoever
and really give it their all. Glass proves that great choral works are
not just for those who say "O Fortuna", "Urlicht", or "Jesu, Maria-I am
near to death."

Even though I frequently listen to Classical Music, the term Philip Glass was rather new to my brain. I first knew the name discovering a certain (and notorious) knock-knock joke involving this figure bearing a pseudonym-like name.

When I later found out the strange, new composer's style is called "Minimalism", I thought that was a joke... it has to be a far cry from other large trends of the 20th century such as "Serialism" and Avant-Garde, I thought. Well, I was to be proven wrong; I began to really embrace Minimalism as a matter of fact, and my view on music would change forever (Heck, I even met Philip Glass in person. Got a picture with him too!).

Itaipu was the very first Philip Glass piece I heard. I listened to this piece on a radio while riding on an airplane. The certain intense drive and awesome quality in the music, despite being so... "Minimal"... really amazed me. The music really took me to the waterway, from the mountains, to the vast river, to the mighty dam, and finally into the open sea.

Ever since, I began listen to many other music by Philip Glass, as well as other Minimalist composers including Steve Reich and John Adams. Among my favorite Glass music now including Glassworks, Koyaanisqatsi, and Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists.

This piece is one of the most remarkable I have ever heard. Itaipu has a piercing, soul-searching quality lacking from most music, both Classical and New Age. The depth, imagery, and haunting melodies make it one not easy to forget, and the quiet vocals complete "Itaipu" in a way that marks the composer as a musical genius. This is a must have album, one to contemplate in moments of content solitude and to turn to for a break from the strife of normal, hectic days.

A nice combination of flowing harmony and large orchestra and choirs. Swelling wawes, obsessive rythmes, thick chords and deceptive simplicity echoe the journey of the river to the Dam.

Glass is here combining post minimalist composition with wagnerian effects.

To possess along with Uakti, for a contrast.

This is a fabulous recording of one of the major works of Philip Glass. It has much to offer. To those who do not necessarily like the music of Philip Glass, this may have something to offer you.

Philip Glass has achieved a status few contemporary composers have ever attained. His music is widely listened to.

His distintive pipe organ and choral sound is strong in this work. Segments of which are used in many popular films.