Philip Glass

Philip Glass
© Jack Mitchell

Philip Glass

Philip Glass is a contemporary (b. 1937) American minimalist (he rejects this term) composer. He authored operas, theatre works, ten symphonies, concertos, chamber music and film scores, such as the magnificent A Brief History of Time for Errol Morris's documentary (more on that here). To me, this is the music of the Physical Universe and, which is the same thing, of Mysterium Tremendum. You can play it here to set yourself in the mood:

I still remember this intimate embrace of the unknown with a promise of revelations, of enlightenment supplanting knowledge, of understanding blossoming in wisdom, of inner, intemporal, everlasting peace at last, that I felt when first hearing this music. I knew I would spend the rest of my life trying to touch with my brain what my soul had fleetingly grasped.

Some renditions of Glass' work, like this passage [1] from the String Quartet No. 5 by the Kronos Quartet (for which this was written), seem to open a door to another dimension.

See also

• Les Enfants Terribles, for which he composed a three-pianos opera.
• Einstein on the Beach, a four-acts opera breaking rules just as Einstein's theories did.
• Mad Rush, one of my favourite classical compositions.
• Modern Love Waltz, an entrancing composition.
• A Brief History of Time's soundtrack.
• Itaipu, a cantata in Guarani.
• Koyaanisqatsi, a tribute to civilizations gone and those who took their place.
• Mishima.

More favourite pieces

• A beautiful rendition is by the Kronos Quartet. A favourite passage is from the String Quartet no. 5: V.
• Solo Piano Music, for instance played by Jeroen van Veen.

Links

• http://www.philipglass.com.
• Philip Glass on Wikipedia.
• How to play piano like Philip Glass.