Customer Reviews

From the Philip Glass Recording Archive, Vol. II: Orchestral Music

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Ravel described his Bolero somewhat disparagingly as being fifteen minutes of orchestration without music (I paraphrase). Glass' "Days And Nights In Rocinha" is in the same mould, though without the inexorable crescendo and wild climax of the Ravel. Neither of them is devoid of musical content but repetition is the order of the day. Rocinha is a neighbourhood of Rio de Janeiro that Glass used to frequent with a lot of pleasure, a place noted for its carnivals and sense of fun. This musical description of the area has something of the Carnival about it and is based on a sinewy melody that is layered with colourful orchestral effects as it progresses. Those looking for Glass' trademark arpeggios won't find them here - this is Glass of the chugging bass lines, the syncopations and the familiar, easy-on-the-ear chord progressions. Exotic percussion sounds add the South American touch, though the piece is still more Glass than Brazil. Glass decribes it as a Dance For Orchestra. One of my sons thought the opening reminded him of a well-known pop song but couldn't quite call to mind which one. Those of my friends allergic to Glass (most of them, sadly - Phillistines!!) actually enjoyed this. As a Glass devotee I found it highly enjoyable and use it a great deal in the car. The "other" work on the disc, actually slightly longer, is a five-movement suite from "Persephone" for chorus and orchestra. This has a grave beauty all its own, hypnotic and intense.

Both works are vintage Glass (both from the 1990s) and repay repeated hearing. I've enjoyed getting to know them and shall continue to play them often, even with 3,000 other discs in my collection.

Philip Glass devotees need not hesitate. Others wll find a great deal to enjoy if they put their prejudice to one side and stop taking so much notice of the critics!

I am a tremendous admirer of the music of Philip Glass (b. 1937). Glass' music has an arresting quality that is quite unlike anything else in classical music. And this release showcases some of the best qualities of Glass' style.

The present release represents Orange Mountain's second volume of music from the `Philip Glass Recording Archive'. In comparison to the first volume (Philip Glass: Theater Music Vol. 1), I find this release to be far superior. In my opinion, the musical material on the first volume was somewhat bland; and the whole production was plagued by poor sound engineering. But, I am happy to report that the sound quality on this release, while not excellent by modern recording standards, is far better. But more importantly, the two compositions recorded here contain many of the entrancing elements that make Glass one of my favorite modern composers.

`Days and Nights and Rocinha' (1998) is 23-minute orchestral work built upon a series of three versus two rhythmic motifs (beginning as: 3+3+2+2+2+2). If you are trying to tap along (and this is a compulsion I have with most of Glass' music), you will probably get tripped up as Glass begins to switch some of the twos and threes around as the piece progresses. Perhaps, this is what I like most about Glass - that is, despite the music's repetitiveness, there are usually more than a few twists to surprise the listener when he or she least expects it.

The structure of `Rocinha' is arch-like; beginning softly, gradually intensifying as instruments are weaved into the orchestral texture, then finally fading away to nothing. Noticeably absent from this piece are Glass' trademark arpeggiations, which usually serve to provide a sense of forward momentum to much of Glass' music. But that's not to say there is no momentum in `Rocinha' - far from it. Instead, the momentum here is provided by a rich bass line, which emphasizes the rhythmic irregularities mentioned above, as well as Glass' distinctive use of percussion (castanets, woodblock, etc.). The piece itself was inspired by a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro. I suspect that Glass may have been trying to capture some of this region's exoticism through his incorporation of pitched percussion in this piece. Even though this piece, on a whole, is more subdued than most of Glass' compositions, I found it to be wholly engaging. In short, this is an exciting, and endearing, piece of music.

`Persephone' (1994) is a five movement suite for chorus and orchestra. This work did not win me over as readily as `Rocinha', but after a couple of listenings, I was beginning to pick up on some of Glass' interesting nuances. Glass' subtle orchestral effects and wordless choral accompaniment give the suite an airy, dream-like quality. However, my favorite movement here is fast-paced `Cocktail Party' (Track 5), with its swirling rhythmic undercurrent and pounding climax. I will note that the sound quality for the suite seems slightly fuzzy in comparison to `Rocinha', but not to the degree that it took away from the music.

In conclusion, this is a great release and should be acquired by all of those who enjoy Glass' unique style. I do have some slight reservations over the suite's audio quality and short disc duration (there's room for at least one more piece!), but these quibbles do not prevent me from giving this release my most enthusiastic recommendation.

TT: 49:48

Days and Nights in Rocinha is a gem for which Glass fans have ardently been waiting since it was broadcast on television several years ago. The similarities with Ravel's Bolero are evident and will be commented on by many. But the differences are also significant. While both produce continuous repetition of a striking and sensuous melody to suggest a "Latin" flavour, Glass chose a New World location and one with which he is personally familiar. While Ravel's mounting crescendo sets the listener's heart racing, Glass's Rocinha is more likely induce a more contented and peaceful state of mind.

While Rocinha alone is worth the price of the album, this does not mean that Persephone is less interesting. Persephone is comprised of five movements scored for wordless chorus and orchestra and written as incidental music for an exhibit by Glass collaborator Robert Wilson. My appreciation of this work has grown steadily with each listening. I particularly like the dramatic "Cocktail Party" movement.

As in volume 1, the producers have put together two pieces with similar mood but starkly contrasting development and orchestration, but I find this to be the superior album.

This is just another release that sounds like several other Philip Glass recordings. He just keeps using the same thing over and over, recycling stuff from other places that we have already heard a million times before. Nothing he has released in the past ten years sounds different. This is boring junk.

I had purchased this CD after hearing only 30 seconds, thinking that this would not contain major surprises, but I did not expect it to be so beautiful. The first piece, Days and Nights in Rocinha, is a nice relaxed orchestral work that reminds me of some of Philip's early symphonies. The Persephone tracks that follow are the ones that I really love. Lush choral arrangements. Just beautiful. If you loved the choral parts of the 5th symphony, I think you'll also love this. This CD quickly became one of my favorite Glass CDs. GREAT.

Philip Glass continues to fascinate and surprise, and this CD is one of his best. Rich orchestrations and exhilarating rhythms make this a wonderful listening experience.

Excellent addition to my collection of Philip Glass CD's, recommended by New York Times music critic.