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

Philip Glass; piano (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 9, 2003)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Orange Mountain Music
• ASIN: B00009YWAL
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #23,921 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  #11 in	Music > Classical > Featured Composers, A-Z > ( G ) > Glass, Philip
  #29 in	Music > Indie Music > Classical
  #62 in	Music > Classical > Forms & Genres > Etudes

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Philip Glass’ wildly popular solo piano performances inspired the recording of "Etudes for Piano, Vol. I, nos. 1-10". Orange Mountain Music is proud to present the premiere recordings of these compositions. Mr. Glass states in the album’s liner notes: "The Etudes began for me in the mid-90s and I am still adding new music to this collection as I write these notes in 2003. Their purpose was two-fold. First, to provide new music for my solo piano concerts. And second, for me to expand my piano technique with music that would enhance and challenge my playing. Hence, the name Etudes, or "studies". The result is a body of work that has a broad range of dynamic, tempo and emotion. I hope to complete the second set of ten etudes, of which the first six are already composed, in the next few years."

This is Orange Mountain Music’s seventh release of Philip Glass’ material and the first to contain all new recordings.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oddly charming thanks to less than perfect playing, August 4, 2008

By	Peter Cooper (Louth, UK) - See all my reviews

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.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You can hear him listening, April 29, 2005

By	Vince Leo (minneapolis, mn USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

16 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Sincere, but woefully inadequate, June 16, 2004

By A Customer

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.