Glass, Philip

Average customer rating:

Dan's first album...Wiggle the Wiggles out of your CD Player
Thank goodness for Dan Zanes!!!!!!
My daughters favorite!
Dan is her new best friend
Kids love it

House Party
Dan Zanes
Manufacturer: Festival Five Rec.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000CC85J
Release Date: 2003-10-07

Tracks:

House Party Time
Wabash Cannonball - with Bob Weir
Queremos Bailar
Hop Up Ladies
Washington At Valley Forge
Jamaica Farewell - with Angelique Kidjo
Tankoh-Bushi
Down In The Valley
Waltzing Matilda - with Deborah Harry
West Indian Counting Song
Sunny Old Sun
Tennessee Wig Walk
Shining Star
How Do You Do? - with David Jones
Daniel In The Den
Surrounded By Friendship
Old Joe Clark
Hey Little Red Bird
We Shall Not Be Moved
A Place For Us - with Phillip Glass

Amazon.com

For parents, listening to Dan Zanes provides not only instant Raffi relief, but also the warm sense of belonging to the right crowd. On each disc he trots out a posse of cool friends like Sheryl Crow, Suzanne Vega, and Lou Reed and he delivers his openhearted lyrics with the rare roots-rocker's gift for stirring grace into grit. It would seem that the release of his fourth record, House Party would be ripe for a backlash--how long can the hokey conceit of a bunch of aging groovsters banging out kids' tunes in a Brooklyn basement hang onto its charm? Looks like we'll have to wait and see, because House Party rages on with the same winning, welcome-to-our-homespun-revolution vibe as its predecessors. Deborah Harry takes a twirl on "Waltzing Matilda," Bob Weir fires up the "Wabash Cannonball," and Angelique Kidjo bids "Jamaica Farewell," but the Zanes originals are this record's proving grounds, and they pin the tail on the donkey with bulls-eye precision. Contributions from returning regulars Barbara Brousal and Rankin' Don--the best couple of favors a party could hope for--send Zanes' campaign to become the guy who turned lampshade-wearing into a kindergarten fashion craze soaring. --Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews:

Dan's first album...Wiggle the Wiggles out of your CD Player.......2007-06-12

You may have seen Dan on various spots on Sesame Street, I first saw him in his yellow suit, singing Jump Up. This album continues the wonderful music that my daughter has turned my wife and my self on to. The beats are there, and the lyrics are very catchy.

So do yourself a favor, swap out Wiggles or Barney for Dan and his Friends, and enjoy kids music once again.

Thank goodness for Dan Zanes!!!!!!.......2007-05-21

Mr. Zanes, you could not have come along at a better time! In a market where Teletubbies, Barney and the Wiggles seem to have the corner, this parent-friendly album is a welcome relief from all the fruit salad/I love you, you love me/lemondrops and gumdrops drivel that permeate my mushy stay-at-home mom brain!

When I was a single college gal, I remember listening to very hip, fun music. Then came pregnancy and babies. Then Baby Einstein music (which is good, but sounds like someone's ballerina jewelry box after awhile), Barney, Sesame Street and nursery rhyme CDs that took over my music collection. Ack!!! What happened to me? I decided it was time to search for something new for me and the kids to listen to.

After finding this CD and loving it, I just assumed that my one-year-old and four-year-old would not like DZ because it sounded too different from what they were used to. Boy, was I wrong! My older one thinks she is listening to "cool music" -- which she is! We especially like the "Wabash Cannonball" but every song on here is a hit with my kids. The guy is truly talented, and it's just great stuff. And it's fun to hear the celeb singers on a kid's album. Finally, we all have "cool music" to listen to!

My daughters favorite!.......2007-05-14

I bought this CD since Dan Zane is on the Disney Channel. My daughter absolutely loves it! She asks to hear "House Party" all day every day. We dance and sing and it has brought a lot of fun into our house.

Dan is her new best friend.......2007-05-13

We always look for music that is entertaining and enriching for both the toddler and the parent. We had heard Dan sing before on "For the Kids" CD and thought we'd give it a try. We all get down to Dan Zanes House Party! This CD never leaves the car player. The cover is a delightfully drawn board book of Dan & his entorage Whoopin' it up all over town. My 2 year old will "read" the book to me, explaining the pictures and making connections to the music. It's great.

Kids love it.......2007-03-09

My son, aged 6 and my daughter, almost 2 - love to dance to "House Party Time" in the morning. It really gets them going. They are big Dan Zanes fans.

Average customer rating:

Outstanding, almost trancelike.
As Haunting and Compelling on Its Own as in the Film.
Bravo!
Music from the Illusionist
Superb

The Illusionist

Manufacturer: Rykodisc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000H0MKI8
Release Date: 2006-08-15

Tracks:

The Illusionist
Do You Know Me?
Chance Encounter
The Locket
The Orange Tree
The Mirror
Wish I Would See You Again
The Sword
Meeting In The Carriage
Sophie
The Secret Plot
Sophie's Ride To The Castle
The Accident
The New Theater
Frankel Appears
A Shout From The Crowd
Eisenheim Disappears
The Search
The Missing Gem
The Chase
Life In The Mountains

Amazon.com

Unlike his popular score for 2002's The Hours, which was intimate and performed by a small ensemble, the music Philip Glass came up with for The Illusionist is quite opulent. Its old-world ambiance befits Neil Burger's movie, a suspenseful period piece set in 1900 Vienna, but the score, performed by the Czech Film Orchestra, easily stands on its own as well. Glass's trademark waxing and waning is present of course--the most Glass-esque tracks include "The Orange Tree" and "The Secret Plot" (in which delicate brushed drums drive the beat against a dull pounding echo). But most rewarding is finally hearing non-stereotypical actions/suspense cues: "The Accident," "A Shout from the Crowd," "The Search" or "The Chase" make you wish Hollywood thought outside the box more often, and called Glass instead of the usual go-to guys when in need of a composer for big-budget action flicks. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Album Description

Music From The Film The Illusionist features an original score by acclained modern minimalist composer Philip Glass. Glass' renowned restrained, yet elegant style has captivated audiences around the world for years. "The soundtrack to The Illusionist is a driving force to the movie," comments director Neil Burger. "There are many scenes and sequences without dialogue and it falls to the music to tell the story." Glass recorded the original score with a large orchestra, which results in an emotionally driven and epic soundtrack.

Glass' sophisticated music has been featured in numerous movies throughout his career, earning him many awards and critical praise.

Award winning writer/director/actor Edward Norton stars alongside Jessica Biel and Paul Giamatti in The Illusionist.

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding, almost trancelike........2007-05-13

My first experience with Philip Glass was as a punchline in a scene in a play called All In The Timing, called Philip Glass Buys A Loaf Of Bread. I read about him to research the role, but listened only to a little bit of Glass's complex, repetitive music to get the joke. Years later, I recognized and liked his music in The Truman Show. When I saw The Illusionist, I was reminded of the Glass sound, but thought it couldn't be his because it was a little too accessible. Of his work, this is the most melodic for me. I highly recommend it to soundtrack lovers. The music is lyrical, trancelike, and dramatic. A good listen.

As Haunting and Compelling on Its Own as in the Film. .......2007-04-30

It's not often that a film's score is so captivating that it makes as strong an impression on me as the film's visual elements and writing. Philip Glass' score for Neil Burger's film "The Illusionist" is one such score that had me rushing to buy the CD. Set in Vienna circa 1900 in the world of the magic arts, the film's rich browns, blacks and elegant illusions work in concert with this score to create a transcendent, mysterious world where nothing is as it seems. There are many scenes without dialogue where the music says what words or actions could not. It literally pulls the audience into the film, enticing us to inch closer to the screen. The score is lush, haunting, with a big orchestra sound that is never overbearing but doesn't fade out of the audience's consciousness either.

There are 21 tracks on the CD for a total of 51 minutes of music. The tracks seem to radiate from the film's theme, "The Illusionist" (2:24), which introduces the CD. I don't know much about classical music. I can only describe this piece as velvety, dramatic, with 2 distinct layers of sound, and thoroughly captivating. It conveys the idea of a mystery of some substance. The music is itself a conjurer of things unknown. The other tracks are variably suspenseful, majestic, mysterious, ethereal, uplifting, contemplative, and occasionally even pompous.

Philip Glass' score for "Notes on a Scandal" was nominated for an Academy Award the same year he did "The Illusionist". I haven't listened to that score on its own, so I can't say if it is as good as this one when taken out of the context of the film. But it doesn't serve the film as well. The music of "Notes on a Scandal" functions primarily to heighten drama. I found the score, like the characters, to be overwrought in the last third of the movie, which put me off. It's obtrusive in a couple of scenes. The music for "The Illusionist" plays a more delicate and integral role and is more introverted. This is stunning music, in or out of the context of the film. I've listened to it nearly every day for months and haven't grown tired of it. There is an essay by writer/director Neil Burger about the music inside the CD cover insert.

Bravo!.......2007-03-14

"The Illusionist" is a superb film, in all respects. The movie is enhanced by Philip Glass's remarkable and haunting score--music that seamlessly transports the listener back to early 20th Century Vienna. Glass's score is presented admirably in THE ILLUSIONIST motion picture soundtrack.

All of the tracks are predicated upon the first piece, "The Illusionist," which is powerful, spellbinding, and haunting. Glass borrows from his original theme and creates stunning music in the subsequent tracks--including "Meeting in the Carriage," "The Chase," and "Life in the Mountains." If you enjoy vertically-inspired, string-driven music, this CD is definitely your cup of joe.

THE ILLUSIONIST soundtrack is a must for enthusiasts hungry for soothing music. Been having a stressful day? This CD is just the ticket.
--D. Mikels, Author, THE RECKONING

Music from the Illusionist.......2007-02-07

Loved the movie and love the sound track. My husband listens to it all of the time. Phillip Glass has always been one of my favorite composers and I think he did an excellent job with music for this movie.

Superb.......2007-01-19

I truly enjoyed this movie and the soundtrack, which I strongly believe shaped the movie itself. there are several reniditions of the main track, but each one is slightly different thanthe next concerning the uses of certain instruments, etc. As much as I enjoyed the sountrack, and how well it was incorporated in the movie, I wish that there was "more to it". All the tracks do sound quite similar, and a little bit of difference here and there would've helped. the only differences that can really be heard from each track can only be seen when they are being played in different scenes in during the movie.

Average customer rating:

A total masterpiece
My First Minimalist Piano
An excellent minimalist piece
Brilliant!
came for Starbuck - stayed for the excellent music

Solo Piano

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000026Y4
Release Date: 1989-08-07

Tracks:

Metamorphosis: Metamorphosis One
Metamorphosis: Metamorphosis Two
Metamorphosis: Metamorphosis Three
Metamorphosis: Metamorphosis Four
Metamorphosis: Metamorphosis Five
Metamorphosis: Mad Rush
Metamorphosis: Wichita Sutra Vortex

Customer Reviews:

A total masterpiece.......2007-05-12

A piano lover shall love this neo-classical masterpiece by one of the best minimalist composer. To weather question our heart and mind or simply to relax this cd is probably one of the best means.

My First Minimalist Piano.......2007-04-05

I have never been a huge fan of solo music in general or piano music in particular; I respect talented musicians, but for the most part, piano music deoesn't really appeal to me. This CD, however, is completely different. I first heard one of the songs on an episode of Battlestar Galactica and fell instantly in love. Even though the music is 'minimalist' meaning that it is very repetetive and the musical lines are relatively simple (this isn't Bach or Beethoven or Mozart with several parts creating an impressively 'large-sounding' whole), every note is so precisely placed that it fits perfectly. In my opinion, the music is just as much about what isn't played as what is - all the notes that Glass plays hints at other notes that are not played.

Basically, I would have to say that minimalist piano is not for everyone - particularly people who don't like a lot of repetition. At the same time, I think that people who do not typically enjoy solo piano music should give it a chance, since minimimalist piano is not the same as the piano music we tend to hear. One of the things that I like about it is, like classical music, if you have it on in the background it is unobtrusive, but still present. I have found this music to be beautiful and relaxing and I hope that other people enjoy it as much as I have.

An excellent minimalist piece.......2007-01-09

An excellent representation of minimalism. At times the songs get a bit repetitive, though I realize thats the point of the genre, and metamorphosis 5 seems to be a rerecording of metamorphosis 1. Its a great song, but there really was no deviation or alteration of the song to warrant putting on the album twice other than making a full circle. Those two reasons are why I gave it four stars. The album is really top notch. Its amazing the emotion this guy can pull out of the piano. He really is a genius with his music.

Brilliant!.......2006-11-04

For those who love the sound of a piano. This album is as good as "In my time" from Yanni, although not all the songs are for relaxation. I recommend it very much!

came for Starbuck - stayed for the excellent music.......2006-07-29

Amazing music, terrific piano. Really really cool.

I found this album (and this composer) from an online forum.

It was played on the episode Valley of Darkness, in the new Battlestar Galactica (Season 2- Episode 2)

"Metamorphisis five" is what was playing in Starbuck's apartment - supposedly a recording of her father.

Average customer rating:

He works magic in film.
Glassworks is an amazing album
Great experiment of questionable musical value
Love - Hate Relationship
A Few Words on Glassworks

Glassworks

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000CD5GV
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Tracks:

Glassworks
Glassworks
Glassworks
Glassworks
Glassworks
Glassworks
In The Upper Room
In The Upper Room
In The Upper Room
In The Upper Room
In The Upper Room

Customer Reviews:

He works magic in film........2007-03-25

Perhaps it is true that the work of Phillip Glass has been of ambiguous nature; many different subconsciousness that would be drawn to his music and many alike would be pulled back in similiar impact or just simply stand in plain confusion. His music works perfect for the medium of film, not because there is another medium 'filling up the void' in his style, but it's the commentary that it makes on the story while the film runs on its own. This music leaves much to the imagination of those filled with it, to tell their own story. It can handle almost anything one throws at it; irony, contradiction, pain, relief, comedic, anything, it will almost seem to work out well perfectly for certain individuals. Minimalism is a common label on this music, however it is precisely minimalism that leaves the mind to explore on its own. Classical greats like Bach, although in a similiar vein, still lay down the scenery in a more conspicuous manner than Glass. After all, this is contemporary art; and it will not work out well for those who do not have the audacity to create their own mental scenes but rather rely more on music for a more solid comprehension to come through.

Glassworks is an amazing album.......2006-11-12

Although I'd heard of Philip Glass I was quite unaware of his music until I attended a performance of The Upper Room by the Washington Ballet in October 2006. The music is by Philip Glass and the choreography by Twyla Tharp. It was one of the most memorable artistic experiences of my life. It was incredible.

I subsequently purchased Glassworks and find the music to be extremely powerful. I recommend this album absolutely. I find most of the pieces on the album to be profoundly moving. The last movement from "The Upper Room" is especially powerful and significant.

Great experiment of questionable musical value.......2006-01-30

Yes, arpeggios are great! Thank you, Philip. That is called harmony. But there also exists such thing as melody, you know. Maybe, you've heard of it. It's what some composers are famous for. I see that you know what it is. But you should definitely use it more often!

Let's start again... I absolutely love Opening. It's emotional, it's haunting, it's beautiful, and it's atmospheric. But what follows next... Really, Philip Glass could be a great etude composer. When I'm playing piano etudes, I'm always reminded of Glass' music. Some people say it's atmospheric, I say it's repetitive and boring. Hints of melody and style pierce the arpeggiated clouds on Island and Facades. But that's it.

If you want some good atmospheric minimalism, listen to Harold Budd or Brian Eno. If you want good post-modern influenced compositions, buy James Newton Howard's The Village score. You may want to buy Philip Glass' Glassworks if you can't live without the opening theme or want to find out what his music is about. I've found out. But right now I don't want to go any further...

Love - Hate Relationship.......2006-01-17

Simply, the question is of the following: Is P. Glass one of the 20th century's most creative artists, lending a sublte poignancy to his pieces; or, on the other hand, is Glass merely the most overrated hack in classical music today, utilizing almost endlessly repeating arpeggios to the chagrin of the listener's ear (not to mention, patience)?

From my rating, I clearly fall into the first camp. However, the pleasure you will derive from this CD is undoubtedly personal and subjective, based upon both experience and taste. No doubt, the arguments on both side of the question are passionate and entrenched. I suggest, instead, that you listen to the tracks that Amazon provides. This will give you a sense as to whether you will love or hate the music.

As for my experience with the music, I agree with several fellow reviewers: Glass's methodology is wholeheartedly expressive, providing the composer with ample space to slowly build and play on different moods within the work, making the listener conscious of individual notes, instruments, and rhythms within the ensemble. The only thing I can think to compare this with is, perhaps, flavors. Either you can eat a piece of chocolate hurriedly and grasp the totality of its flavor; or you may calmly savor it and, perhaps, find a nice caramal center, unmask the interplay of various textures, and discover satisfaction in its simplicity.

Bear in mind, however, I approached Philip Glass after having a large exposure to Ravi Shankar and 'classical Indian' music. Some, not all, of the music is rhythmically repetitive. This experience, I think, predisposed me to liking Glass's compositions.

A Few Words on Glassworks.......2005-12-21

In a joke email about the Mozart effect that a friend of mine recieved, the effect of several other composers' music on children was discussed as if it had an effect on the children like Mozart's music does. In "The Glass Effect", "a child tends to repeat him or herself over and over and over and over and over and over and over again." This is true, Glass's music, "Glassworks" in particular, is alarmingly repetitive. The reason that most people knock this set of pieces is because they are totally missing the point. Glass's music has been categorized in the realm of "minimalism." The point of minimalism is to do as much as possible with the least amount of music. Glass executes this agenda quite well with "Glassworks." Most people don't exactly realize what Glass is doing by repeating himself over and over again.

First of all people have to realize a few things about this music. Philip Glass did not intend on having this music being played in the background at your next dinner party. Leave that up to Bach and Mozart. What Glass did want with this piece was for mature listeners to realize what he has done with texture and simplicity. Also, Glass's works are not about melody. They are about texture and mood and atmosphere. Each piece has its own shape little additions keep the piece from becoming overly monotonous. I think that Glass has made a great musical statement with his set of pieces that should be carefully digested with an open mind.

For the most part, Glass's concept works. However, the second movement "Floe" could probably be axed or revised. This is the only movement that seems to get unbelivably monotonous. It's also a lot to digest at the beginning of the suite. If it came more towards the end before the closing as opposed to after the opening where it functions as more of a rhythmic pie in the face. Some of the movements could also stand to use a little more variation but for the most part, Glass keeps the pieces interesting.

I cannot say much about the other work, "In the Other Room" that appears on this album, because I own the original Glassworks album. I just wanted to clear up some of the misconceptions that many have about this different music. It's hard to say whether or not Glass's music will stand up to the same test of time as the music of the greats like Mozart's and Bach's, but things are not looking good for Glass, not because the music isn't good, but becuase too many ignorant people immediately dismiss it as garbage. It seems that if people openly knock this music like they do, the same people that put those parental advisory stickers on CDs might want to instigate a separate rating system. This one should be stickered with: "CDMA: Mature Audiences Only."

Average customer rating:

Theatrical and Accessible
A good showcase of Glass' virtues - and vices!
An excellent introduction to Glass' music
a good place to begin if you've never heard any Glass
Minimalist music with surprising musical content

Glass: Violin concerto

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004SYG9
Release Date: 2000-05-16

Tracks:

Company: I - Ulster Orch/Takuo Yuasa
Company: II - Ulster Orch/Takuo Yuasa
Company: III - Ulster Orch/Takuo Yuasa
Company: IV - Ulster Orch/Takuo Yuasa
Vn Con: I - Adele Anthony
Vn Con: II - Adele Anthony
Vn Con: III - Adele Anthony
Akhnaten: Prld - Ulster Orch/Takuo Yuasa
Akhnaten: Act II, Scene III: Dance - Ulster Orch/Takuo Yuasa

Amazon.com

Philip Glass's signature doom-and-gloom minor sonorities and shifting rhythms scintillate and eddy under the touch of Adele Anthony and the Ulster Symphony. The solo line in the Violin Concerto is at odds with a unified orchestra throughout, and Anthony's romantic tone draws the listener in for an exploration of the texture, grain, and fiber of Glass's structural minimalism. The Ulster Symphony's rendering of Company and Akhnaten, under the leadership of Takuo Yuasa, forms brilliant darts of tonal color. As a musical adaptation of Samuel Beckett's prose of the same name, Company's dark ruminations are appropriate for the text's depiction of a solitary figure lying on his back in the dark. The orchestra seems aware of their repetitious mechanical task in performing these works, yet this human awareness is what makes Glass's orchestral work so compelling. --Alexis Odell

Customer Reviews:

Theatrical and Accessible.......2007-01-03

Albeit Glass is not for everyone (my girlfriend says he sounds like an alarm clock) but his minimalism (or more accurately, as he prefers, "theatre music") is accessible, simple and passionate. Glass provides marvelous music that sustains emotions for long amounts of time. His works are ideal for creative work (such as writing or painting) and I find that they are extremely inspirational and motivate me to draw or write sonnets.

A good showcase of Glass' virtues - and vices! .......2006-03-14

Glass' violin concerto is the core of this selection and the reason why I bought it. Glass can be magnificently meditative at his best and Tasmanian Adele Anthony pulls this out brilliantly with the sort of pure tone and crisp playing this piece needs.

The problem is with the accompanying pieces. Company, which precedes and the two excerpts from Akhnaten, which follow, are fine in their way. In fact the Prelude to Akhnaten is one of the finest pieces of one of the finest operas of recent times. It's just that the trouble with Glass is that be can be so... well, repetitive. The filler works sound too much like the Violin Conerto to be paired successfully with them. If Naxos were to pair this off with something suitably mellow by another contemporary composer - say Rutter or Pärt - they'd have a much stronger proposition.

As a Belfast man born and bred, I might be biased, but the Ulster Orchestra and their principal guest conductor Takuo Yuasa gave a good enough account of themselves here, and given the super budget price of this CD, the competition would have to be something special to justify the extra cost.

An excellent introduction to Glass' music.......2006-02-27

I am a huge Philip Glass fan. At the same time, I realize that his work is not for all tastes. Working in the minimalist style, Glass' music is a unique sound experience. For those who are not familiar with his music, Naxos publication of Company, his Violin Concerto, and the overture and dance from Akhnaten, is a great, nonthreatening introduction to this composer. Company is a collection of four short pieces that are meditations on death, played by a string quartet. His Violin Concerto is the highlight of the CD, and the Second Movement is to date one of my favourite pieces of his.

a good place to begin if you've never heard any Glass.......2005-12-29

My first encounter with the Glass Violin Concerto was in the form of a dance piece devised by the fringe choreographer Mavin Khoo.The Glass worked brilliantly within this context but i doubted it would stand on it's own without the marriage with movement.
I was proven wrong as i've found the whole piece arresting from start to finish.Glass's trademark minor key arpeggiations sound marvellously idiomatic on the soloist and the slow movement is deeply affecting without being sickly sweet in any way.
Quite unexpectedly (I generally go for the more hard line modernist stuff)i've been won over so this Naxos CD is definitely a good place to start if you've never heard a piece of this guys music.
'Company' and the 'Dance' from Akhnaten are rather plodding by comparison with the Violin concerto but the Akhnaten prelude has a mysterious aura which immediately alerts ones attention.

Minimalist music with surprising musical content.......2005-09-13

I've played plenty of modern music, some of it in front of audiences in Canadian and American cities. So maybe it won't mean much when I say I kind of like the Glass violin concerto, which is indeed minimalist music. But I recommend this work, which reminds me somewhat of Sibelius.

Now, which artist is best on violin? Gidon Kremer or Adele Anthony? Obviously, this recording has Anthony on violin, and I think she does a fine job. I'd choose which recording to get depending on how much I liked the pieces that accompany the violin concerto. I think they are both good choices.

Average customer rating:

Varied, non-repetitive and seems to tell a story all its own
Somewhat less than noteworthy
Haunting
Notes on a Scandal: Original Soundtrack (
One of the best Philip Glass Soundtracks

Notes on a Scandal: Original Soundtrack
Philip Glass , and Original Soundtrack
Manufacturer: Rounder / Umgd
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Illusionist
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The Good German

ASIN: B000KG4BO0
Release Date: 2007-01-09

Tracks:

First Day of School
The History
Invitation
The Harts
Discovery
Confession
Stalking
Courage
Sheba & Steven
The Promise
Good Girl
Sheba's Longing
Someone In Your Garden
A Life Lived Together
Someone Has Died
Betrayal
It's Your Choice
Barbara's House
Going Home
I Knew Her

Amazon.com

Philip Glass deserves his Oscar® nod for this superb, richly atmospheric soundtrack. His work on, say, The Hours may have been found overly sappy and intrusive by many, but Notes on a Scandal is a masterful example of what a film score can achieve. Glass has explained that he wrote it from the point of view of the Judi Dench character, who becomes increasingly obsessive and unhinged as the film progresses; similarly, the early tracks are relatively calm, only to start building up and up and up, and the last third of the CD is a master class in how to suggest psychological tension. The composer's familiar hypnotic repetitions are used very sparingly, giving the technique even more impact when it hits (check out "Invitation" and "Betrayal" for textbook examples). A cue like "Barbara¹s House" easily sits next to Bernard Herrman's best work on Hitchcock classics--no small compliment. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Album Description

Philip Glass is inarguably one of the most distinctive and influential composers of the modern era. In addition to his ground-breaking concert hall works and operas, his film scores, such as The Hours, Kundun, and The Thin Blue Line, have won acclaim and popularity through their combination of Western classical music, synthesized sounds, and non-Western influences. His emotive score for Notes on a Scandal is an integral part of the dramatic arc of the film. Notes on a Scandal is a story of loneliness, loyalty, envy and love. Directed by Richard Eyre, the film follows a free-spirited and charismatic art teacher Sheba Hart (played by Cate Blanchett), who is brought down by scandal when she is arrested for engaging in sexual relations with a 15-year-old student. Academy Award winner Judi Dench plays a fellow teacher, Barbara Covett who befriends the younger woman and observes her fall from grace. "The score essentially is about Barbara," Glass states. "It begins with Barbara and it ends with Barbara."

Notes on a Scandal opens in theaters December 25th.

Customer Reviews:

Varied, non-repetitive and seems to tell a story all its own.......2007-06-06

This score makes the film. It is also varied, non-repetitive and seems to tell a story all its own. I have dozens of soundtracks I listen to while I work (write) and consider this one of the best for the dramatic genre. Better than the Illusionist (by the same composer).

Somewhat less than noteworthy.......2007-05-13

Knowing it was nominated for Best Musical Score and after being entranced by his music to The Illusionist, I eagerly looked forward to Glass' music to Notes on a Scandal. After repeated listenings it falls short of my expectations. There just isn't enough to it. It seems somewhat spartan and uninspired. Themes are understated but pleasant. It almost feels like simple background music that does not have much power to lift or color a scene. The Illusionist is far better, nearly hypnotic, and should have been nominated for an Oscar for Best Musical Score.

Haunting.......2007-05-01

Another 5 star soundtrack for a 5 star movie. Beautiful and yet haunting music that sets the perfect tone for the movie. Philip Glass is an epic composer. Not since Hitchcock's Psycho have I ever heard such music that creates the ultimate mood of the movie. It just made sense and fit the script perfectly, as movie music should. It's music that you'll be thinking about soon after the credits roll by. If you are a fan of such classical strings, add this CD to your collection today.

Notes on a Scandal: Original Soundtrack (.......2007-04-11

I like Philip Glass music. This sound track has some parts of moody deep string sections which I enjoy.

One of the best Philip Glass Soundtracks.......2007-03-09

This is one of Philip Glass's best soundtracks since The Hours and is an enjoyment to listen to, even outside of the context of a movie soundtrack. If you have not listened to Glass before, some of his music is quite esoteric. Start with the Hours and then try Notes on a Scandal. Both should please the general auditory palate.

Average customer rating:

Very engrossing
Glass Deepens With Two Dramatically Resonant Pieces
Defies the theory that Glass's orchestral works are weak

Philip Glass: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3

Manufacturer: Naxos American
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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$6.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

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Glass: Violin concerto
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Philip Glass : Symphony No. 8

ASIN: B000675OJE
Release Date: 2004-11-16

Tracks:

I.
II.
III.
IV.
I.
II.
III.

Album Description

Marin Alsop • Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Philip Glass (b.1937): Symphonies nos. 2 & 3

Though he prefers not to be labeled a 'minimalist' composer, that is the style with which Philip Glass is most associated. His compositions, however, though bearing certain tradmarks, employ a great range of techniques. This adaptive ability contributes to his success as a composer of music ranging from string quartets to largescale orchestral works and mammoth film scores. Marin Alsop conducts her Bournemouth symphony orchestra in these amazing performances of the Second and Third symphonies of legendary American composer Philip Glass. The grand Second Symphony was comissioned by the Brooklyn Acadamy of Music and premiered there in 1994 by Dennis Russell Davies. Also a commissioned work, the Third Symphony is composed for chamber orchestra, and thus bears an intimacy that is brilliantly suited to a smaller ensemble. In both the epically-proportioned Second Symphony and the smaller-scale Third Symphony, Glass returns, in his own way, to his roots at the Juilliard School, writing polyharmonies, rousing finales, and fully-formed symphonic paragraphs. They are true symphonies in scope, structure and seriousness of purpose. Marin Alsop comments on this recording: "Conducting and recording the music of Philip Glass is the completion of a circle for me. I first met Philip Glass in the late 1970s when I started playing violin on some of his recording projects. The new music scene in Manhattan was one of my major inspirations at that time, so working closely with Philip and his ensemble was a dream come true. I had not seen Philip since the mid 1980s until he attended an all Glass concert that I conducted in London. Like his music, it felt like the contuniation of an old friendship, only changed in a simple but profound way."

Customer Reviews:

Very engrossing.......2005-08-08

I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to sections 1 through 4 of symphony #3 several times in the day since I got this CD. These tracks are very engrossing and makes one think of the soundtrack from an adventure saga where there is a continuous rhythm of travel.

Symphony number 2 is less interesting to me but for the price the symphony #3 tracks are great.

Glass Deepens With Two Dramatically Resonant Pieces.......2005-04-23

Along with his colleague John Adams, Philip Glass is the most familiar of the modern minimalists. Yet like Adams, Glass seems to be building a greater communicative sense with each new work I hear. These two symphonies were composed in the early nineties, and Naxos is now providing a 2003 recording of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra led by the insightful Marin Alsop. This is the same group of artists that played the wonderful version of Adams' "Shaker Loops" this past year, and this recording of Glass' works equals that one for dramatic insight and virtuosic preciseness.

A strings-only piece, Symphony #3 (23:58) has four conventional movements which build in drama and texture. It contains many of Glass' signature sounds with mono-tonal melodies that spiral in larger and larger circles and chords that feel like they are beating down an urban thunderstorm of clandestine activity - jabbing, throbbing, chugging - as they do in the second movement. Yet the music reflects some of his most gentle work especially in the first and third movements. There is an unexpectedly beautiful violin solo in the middle of the third movement that runs initially counter to his quietly driving sequential style until they eventually meld together. The drama turns fiery in the last movement as it broadens into an exciting albeit measured gallop, at the same time not sacrificing the virtuosity of the expert playing by the Bournemouth string section.

Symphony #2 (43:14) is a larger scale piece that makes dramatic sense to be played after the third, as it is a more ambitious work. It slowly builds in intensity with very broad strokes that deepen and darken when it comes to the bass-lines and the repetitive use of contrasting woodwinds. There is a vividly harrowing sense of adventure to the first movement that this section would not be inappropriate to be used as background movie music for a daring escape aboard a hot air balloon crossing the Alps. There is more of an orchestral sense to the second movement and an increasing ambiguity in tone that heightens the drama considerably with yet a new set of pronounced textures. The finale has almost a battle-cry exuberance but with a swooping, sinuous dramatic power with the addition of brass and even bells to the strings and woodwinds. The last movement truly feels like the culmination of what Glass has presented before in both symphonies.

Beautifully recorded at "The Concert Hall, Lighthouse, Poole" in Dorset, UK, this recording verifies that Glass' oeuvre is more than his famous operas often in collaboration with Robert Wilson. Producer-engineer Tim Handley has done an excellent job of keeping the impeccable sound in check throughout. And like the Adams recording, this one sells for the ridiculously bargain basement price of $6.98. Strongly recommended.

Defies the theory that Glass's orchestral works are weak.......2004-12-26

I bought this CD simply on impulse (it was on sale for $5.99) but it turned out to be a rewarding purchase. I have always thought of Glass's great works to be his operas and smaller pieces (Glassworks etc.) but the pairing of these two powerful orchestral works makes you wonder if his symphonies are underrated (and certainly underperformed). Alsop creates a unified structure that makes a more compelling case than the previous recording of the 3rd (I don't have any comparison for the 2nd). Bournemouth, as everybody knows, is a fine orchestra, but really shines when Alsop asks them to provide a little more 'oomphh' than is usually called for in Glass works. No serious contemporary collector should miss this set, and at the price I'd buy one for a friend.

Average customer rating:

CD phillip Glass
Nice melody
The music is better than the film!
A Perfect Marriage of Film and Music
beautiful and haunting

The Hours (Score)
Philip Glass
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

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Philip Glass : Music From "The Hours" Solo Piano

ASIN: B00007BH3Y
Release Date: 2002-12-10

Tracks:

The Poet Acts
Morning Passages
Something She Has To Do
'For Your Own Benefit'
Vanessa And The Changelings
'I'm Going To Make A Cake'
An Unwelcome Friend
Dead Things
The Kiss
'Why Does Someone Have To Die?'
Tearing Herself Away
Escape!
Choosing Life
The Hours

Amazon.com

How better to score a movie that takes place in three tangentially related time periods than with music that strives for timelessness? The hallmarks of Philip Glass's minimalism serve The Hours well. The film, based on Michael Cunningham's novel, tells the stories of three women--Virginia Woolf in the early 1920s, a housewife just after World War II, and a book editor in the present--whose days relate in different ways to Woolf's novel Mrs. Dalloway. Yet rather than construct a sonic montage of these three time periods (perhaps some Ravel for Woolf, some Max Steiner for the housewife, some Enya for the editor), Hours producer Scott Rudin turned to Glass, a contemporary-classical composer who has had a substantial side career in film, most notably with Koyaanisqatsi. The familiar Glass sounds--the endlessly layered violins, the static melodies, the glacial rhythms--all lend a consistent aural foundation to a story that moves fluidly back and forth in time. The music is scored for orchestra, string quartet, and piano. Those plentiful strings lend a thick cushion, a triumph of tonal suspension, for the piano part, which Michael Riesman plays coolly, emphasizing what are often single notes separated by thoughtful silences, as well as short sets of scales cascading in slow motion. Not only will these compositional themes be familiar to fans of Glass's work, so too will several of the melodies. Some sections of the score are derived from his albums Glassworks and Solo Piano and from his opera Satyagraha--which, incidentally, involved the stories of three legendary men active in different eras. --Marc Weidenbaum

Album Description

The superb orchestral music for this powerfully affecting film is by Philip Glass, whose spellbinding 1999 score for Martin Scorcese's Kundun (also on Nonesuch) added an aura of portent and sweep that contributed significantly to the film's impact. The film stars Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, Nicole Kidman & Ed Harris. Slipcase. 2002

Customer Reviews:

CD phillip Glass.......2007-05-14

It is a wonderfull music by this genial author. However, as a different and special music you must be used to it to appreciatte this kind of sound

Nice melody.......2007-02-21

I had heard one song from this movie on the radio and really liked it. It seems this cd is that one song played different ways and so its like you are listening to 45 minutes of pretty much the same song. Its nice, but not what I was expecting.

The music is better than the film!.......2006-08-03

The Hours is a very good film, but the music is so good that it makes the film seem more extraordinary than it actually is. I saw it at a theatre and, as is usually the case, it was much more impressive than when seen at home. Those who have the soundtrack will notice that the music in the film is significantly different in some places; the songs are the same, but they have different effects, like glockenspeil.

The only thing that would make this music better is if some of it would have a slower progression of ideas in the tracks. This issue is particularly apparent in the Solaris soundtrack (by Cliff Martinez), and less of a problem with this one. I've heard some Glass that I absolutely detest (Music in Twelve Parts) because it's so repetative and tacky. The music here is nothing like that. As another reviewer said, it's warm and the tempos are smooth, not forced.

A Perfect Marriage of Film and Music.......2006-07-05

Thanks be to the act of providence responsible for Philip Glass creating this score for the soundtrack of the movie The Hours.
Glass, the greatest composer of our time, has created a perfect score, an inspired work that not only complements, but melds beautifully with and becomes one with the film's disparate emotions and images. Film and score seem to have sprung from the same artistic womb. It's hard to imagine one without the other. This is a composition by turns as serene then turbulent as the River Ouse Virginia Woolf drowned herself in. Beautiful, yet emotionally draining, with unresolved chords mirroring the complex biographies, the tormented emotional landscapes of the story's characters.
It would have been easy for the film's producers to have chosen a forgettable composer and score that would have played on sentimentality and the maudlin and cheapened a great film. With Glass' inspired piece, the film is greatly elevated and becomes something quite fine and rare.

beautiful and haunting.......2006-03-17

For me, the test of a truly great film score is that the music stands alone in isolation. This is certainly the case for Glass' music for The Hours.

When seen in conjunction with the movie it adds, accentuates, highlights and underpins the visual work, as any good soundtrack should do.

When listened to on CD, away from the movie screen or DVD, it remains a priceless, moving and inspiring piece of music. Glass has achieved here what Nyman did with his score for The Piano.

Also worth owning for how hot Julianne Moore is looking on the cover.

Average customer rating:

Philip Glass: Theater Music Vol. 1
Glass , Man , Chang , Feeney , Rejto , Sher , and Cook
Manufacturer: Orange Mountain Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000PHW16O
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Tracks:

Sound of a Voice Suite
In the Summer House
"My one and only hope..."
Gertrude's Paradise
Mr. Solares' Picnic Lunch
"Molly is a Dreamer."
Enter Vivian
The Beach/ Lionel and Molly
Vivian's Death/Two Marriages
"Life is tragic, Mrs. Constable"
Gertrude leaves the Summer House
Left alone...
The Lobster Bowl
Back to Sad Things
Gertrude Returns
"I knew you'd come back..."
A Choice
Lionel Departs
"When I was a little girl..."

Product Description

From the Philip Glass Recording Archive Vol. 1 represents the first release by Orange Mountain Music from the extensive archive of recordings made in the last 40 years of Philip Glass' recording career. Theater Music Vol. 1 features two ravishingly beautiful works from the world of theater: the instrumental suite from Glass' 2003 chamber opera is highlighted by eastern and western instrumentation in one of Glass' most original scores. In the Summer House is music composed for the revival of the 1953 Bowles play. Both these scres bring a rare chance to hear one of the most important theater composers of our time in unknown scores.

Average customer rating:

Best of Philip Glass

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000LPRHSW
Release Date: 2007-03-05

Tracks:

Lighting
Facades
Evening Song
A Gentleman's Honor
Hymn To The Sun
Metamorphosis Four
Open The Kingdom
Dance Ii
Glasspiece No. 1
Changing Opinion
Opening
Floe
Knee Play
Funeral Fo Amenhotep
Wichita Sutra Vortex
Forgetting
Dance Ix
Dam

Album Description

2007 import-only two CD set released to coincide with the innovative and influential composer's 70th birthday. Throughout the years, apart from his own releases, Glass has been involved with scoring soundtracks, producing albums by other esoteric artists as well as more conventional acts plus inspiring and influencing generations of fans and peers. This thoughtfully compiled collection contains 18 tracks including 'Lightning', 'Metamorphosis Four', 'Glasspiece #1', 'Wichita Sutra Vortex', 'Changing Opinions' and more. Sony/BMG.

Album Details

2007 Issued Double CD Anthology of Recordings by One the Most Influential Classical Composers of the 20th Century Commemorating his 70th Birthday.

Music Composers:

Music Composers

Music Composers