Philip Glass, Glassworks

US, 1982.

Glassworks is a chamber music work of six movements by Philip Glass. It is regarded as being a characteristically Glass-like work. Following his larger-scale concert and stage works, "Glassworks" was Philip Glass' successful attempt to create a more pop-oriented "Walkman-suitable" work, with considerably shorter and more accessible pieces written for the recording studio.

Playlist:

1. Opening
2. Floe
3. Island
4. Rubric
5. Facades
6. Closing
7. In The Upper Room: Dance I
8. In The Upper Room: Dance II
9. In The Upper Room: Dance V
10. In The Upper Room: Dance VIII
11. In The Upper Room: Dance IX

Link.

more...

Philip Glass, Powaqqatsi

U.S., 1988

More ethnic and incisive than its predecessor Koyaanisqatsi, Powaqqatsi is Hopi for "parasitic way of life" or "life in transition". And once again I recommend watching the documentary itself, of course.
Powaqqatsi is an orchestral piece composed siamese to the motion picture by Godfrey Reggio, and is performed by over 90 musicians and singers which include a Hispanic children's choir.


Playlist:
1. Serra Pelada
2. The Title
3. Anthem – Part 1
4. That Place
5. Anthem – Part 2
6. Mosque And Temple
7. Anthem – Part 3
8. Train to São Paulo
9. Video Dream
10. New Cities In Ancient Lands, China
11. New Cities In Ancient Lands, Africa
12. New Cities In Ancient Lands, India
13. The Unutterable
14. CAUGHT!
15. Mr. Suso #1
16. From Egypt
17. Mr. Suso #2 with Reflection
18. Powaqqatsi


Link.

more...

Philip Glass, Koyaanisqatsi

U.S., 1983

Koyaanisqatsi is the structural musical piece companion to the 1982 film from Godfrey Reggio, a great documentary – the first of the Qatsi trilogy.
The word Koyaanisqatsi is a Hopi term for:

– 1. crazy life; 2. life in turmoil; 3. life out of balance; 4. life disintegrating; 5. a state of life that calls for another way of living;

And although any 2-minute google search will tell you all of this, it will probably also slightly mention the deeply moving – dense, quiet, tense and some other adjectives – nature of both Reggio's and Glass' opus.

I do recommend the whole experience.



Playlist:

1. Koyaanisqatsi
2. Organic
3. Cloudscape
4. Resource
5. Vessels
6. Pruit Igoe
7. The Grid
8. Prophecies


Link.

more...