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Glass: Einstein on the Beach

Box Set

Philip Glass (Composer), Robert Wilson (Composer), Michael Riesman (Conductor), Format: Audio CD

45 ratings

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Audio CD, Box set, September 28, 1993

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$84.56

$24.44

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$88.99

Audio, Cassette, September 28, 1993

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$99.00

$99.99

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Glass's career-making 1976 opera, a collaboration with avant-garde impresario Robert Wilson, was revolutionary then, revered now. This "properly hypnotic" 1996 recording, says the Washington Post, is "more complete than the first recording and superior in both performance and sound." Widely credited as one of the greatest artistic achievements of the 20th century, this rarely performed opera in four acts is touring the world in 2012, nearly four decades after it was first performed and twenty years since its last production.

Amazon.com

Although Einstein on the Beach is by definition an opera, Philip Glass's most famous work also transcends traditional music categories. Glass avoided all vestiges of plot in the piece and dug deep into his quiver of repetitions to create an artfully unnerving five hours of brilliance. The instrumental ensemble never exceeds five members, playing electric keyboards, saxophones, flutes, and a single violin. Furthermore, the music congregates around the upper registers, often darting through its loops at seemingly incredible paces. The chorus bears huge chops, creating a dense, if silkenly staccato, series of juts, and a powerful array of higher-register annunciations that ring with the aural power of leaping, blurring filaments. This 1993 version of Einstein truly supersedes its predecessors, stretching to around 190 minutes over three CDs. There is a strong current of postmodern collage throughout the piece, with rafts of pop culture references. But Einstein, after all, is indeed based loosely on Albert Einstein and ends with booming allusions to nuclear annihilation and mathematics. --Andrew Bartlett

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Einstein On The Beach: Knee 1

2. Einstein On The Beach: Train 1

3. Einstein On The Beach: Trial 1: Entrance

4. Einstein On The Beach: Trial 1: 'Mr. Bojangles'

5. Einstein On The Beach: Trial 1: 'All Men Are Equal'

6. Einstein On The Beach: Knee 2

Disc: 2

1. Einstein On The Beach: Dance 1

2. Einstein On The Beach: Night Train

3. Einstein On The Beach: Knee 3

4. Einstein On The Beach: Trial 2 - Prison: 'Prematurely Air-Conditioned Supermarket'

5. Einstein On The Beach: Trial 2 - Prison: Ensemble

6. Einstein On The Beach: Trial 2 - Prison: 'I Feel The Earth Move'

Disc: 3

1. Einstein On The Beach: Dance 2

2. Einstein On The Beach: Knee 4

3. Einstein On The Beach: Building

4. Einstein On The Beach: Bed: Cadenza

5. Einstein On The Beach: Bed: Prelude

6. Einstein On The Beach: Bed: Aria

7. Einstein On The Beach: Spaceship

8. Einstein On The Beach: Knee 5

Product details

Orchestra: The Philip Glass Ensemble
Conductor: Michael Riesman
Composer: Philip Glass, Robert Wilson
Audio CD (September 28, 1993)
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 3
Format: Box set
Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
Label: Nonesuch
ASIN: B000005J28
Average Customer Review: 45 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #160,331 in CDs & Vinyl (See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl)
- #397 in Operettas (CDs & Vinyl)
- #16612 in Classical (CDs & Vinyl)
- #548 in Techno (CDs & Vinyl)

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Customer reviews

45 customer reviews

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Francia

Great buy! Best Recording of E.O.T.B.

May 21, 2017

Format: Audio CDVerified Purchase

The packaging was a bit worn but I was very satisfied with the music. Nothing was wrong; nothing scratched nor compromised: just the hypnotic 1993 recording of Einstein. The booklet enclosed in the box was very informative and analytical on the structure of Einstein, and offered very interesting information and photos.
The music quality of this recording is vastly superior compared to its counterparts. It's as close to the real thing as it gets. It's perfect

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Tribal Knowledge

Meeting a middle aged friend for lunch

February 8, 2008

Format: Audio CDVerified Purchase

I own this version as well as the original version. I respect both of them. I owned it on vinyl in the seventies and found it to be an exciting discovery. On CD, I bought the Nonesuch version first. It was nice to be reunited with an old friend. A middle aged old friend. The Nonesuch version version has much richer tonality than the original recording. Do I go to Einstein on the Beach for rich tonality? No, I go to it for edgy relentlessness. Although the Nonesuch version is longer, it is much less relentless. It's pacing is more leisurely. It seems to be striving for stateliness, to be seen as a classic, which it now is. I later bought the original recording on CD and was reunited with a friend who hasn't changed, It is still an exciting discovery. I prefer the flat tone of the vocals on the original as well. The later version sounds more practiced to be sure, but with that practice came a desire to emote and vary tone. To "act". It's guilding the lily. Nevertheless, I like both versions and play both from time to time. This opera is a true classic. and much better than it's schmaltzy followups in the trilogy.

6 people found this helpful

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Joakim Zetterberg

1978 and 1993 recording unique in their own ways

November 21, 2013

Format: MP3 MusicVerified Purchase

I saw (experienced!) EotB at Los Angeles Opera in October, 2013, and have since bought both available recordings of which the 1993 recording is my personal favourite - presumably in part because it sounds much more like what I saw and liked. To my ears the original 1978 recording is too fast, the general sound and voices too sharp and cold, although I understand this is how the work sounded at the premiere and that there were revisions in sound (change of organ or something) for the 1992 revival. The newer recording has a much warmer sound all over and decent tempo which (though still quick) brings me into a calmer state of mind than the 1978. I've read comments about the solo voices being drowned out by the chorus in this recording, but that doesn't bother me. I don't really pay attention to the actual spoken lyrics, they simply merge with the whole ebb and flow of sounds. My two electrons.

3 people found this helpful

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Alwin Boon

repeating magic

July 13, 2010

Format: Audio CDVerified Purchase

This title I bought in 1979 as a 4 LP-album, right after its original release. It is one of the milestones of modern music. Hypnotic, repeated phrases ("faaa-faaa-faaa-faaa; do-re-mi-la-ti-do/do-re-mi-la-ti-do;one-two-three-four-five-six/one-two-three-four-five-six/one-two-three-four-five-six..."), interchanged by beautiful, romantic melodies with a dominant role for the violin. Not as accessible als Glass' later recordings, but phenomenal in its groundbreaking combination of minimal music with pompousness and sweet melodies. And now released as a 4 CD-box for only $ 16,-! A must have for this special price, including a 38-page booklet. This original version is much tighter played an sung than its 1993 re-release. Don't miss to give a listen to the first 5 minutes of this work: the phenomenal intro with its suppressed tension, pregnant of all what will follow. But listen especially to what I think is absolutely the CLIMAX of the piece: the exhausting a capella sung "Knee Play 3"; after this you can relax while listening at the outro, the romantic "Knee Play 5" (women's chorus, vilon & electric organ). Relaxation might be wise, beacause it might take a while to land back on earth!
Alwin Boon, Netherlands

4 people found this helpful

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philbertk

Einstein On The Beach

December 9, 2015

Format: Audio CDVerified Purchase

Strange and slightly discordant. Complicated piece worthy of repeated study.

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Moe Coffee

As warned the chorus is much louder than the featured performers

January 28, 2013

Format: Audio CDVerified Purchase

I have had the pleasure of hearing this on vinyl and the voices of the main performers are clear with the chorus in the background as expected.

It was highly disappointing that this version buries the interesting performances under the chorus. One of the main reasons for buying this on CD was to have a quality recording of similar stature but for some reason this mix has the purpose backwards highlighting the chorus at the expense of meaning.

Avoid this if you ever heard the first recording or would like to hear the lyrics and the solo performers.

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mob

Five Stars

July 12, 2014

Format: Audio CDVerified Purchase

wonderful opera!

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George Townshend

Great Product Great Service

February 1, 2014

Format: Audio CDVerified Purchase

Very nice product and great customer service. French merchant communicated well in English. French had a superior product. Very high quality and complete boxed set.

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5 star		54%
4 star		17%
3 star		6%
2 star		14%
1 star		9%

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Glass: Einstein on the Beach

Box Set

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Amazon.com

Track Listings

Disc: 1

Disc: 2

Disc: 3

Product details

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45 customer reviews

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