Of Beauty & Light - The Music Of Philip Glass

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Of Beauty & Light - The Music Of Philip Glass

	Release Date: 03/25/2008 Label: Naxos Catalog #: 8504040 Spars Code: n/a Composer: Philip Glass, Krzysztof Penderecki, Conlon Nancarrow, John Cage, Giacinto Scelsi, Terry Riley, Edgard Varèse, George Crumb, György Ligeti, Sofia Gubaidulina, Jorgen Plaetner, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Arvo Pärt, Hans Werner Henze, Charles Wuorinen, John Adams Performer: Mia Wu, Cheryl Seltzer, Boris Berman, Maryse Castets, Kathrin Rabus, Maria Kliegel, Elsbeth Moser, Jorgen Plaetner, Laura Mikkola, Peter Sheppard Skaerved, Aaron Shorr, Adele Anthony, Nathan Gunn Conductor: Marin Alsop, Takuo Yuasa, Antoni Wit, Joel Sachs, Hans Zender, Paul Hillier, Christopher Lyndon-Gee, Hannu Lintu, Tamás Benedek Orchestra/Ensemble: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Continuum, Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra, Ars Nova Copenhagen, Percurama Percussion Ensemble, Warsaw Polish Radio/TV Symphony Orchestra, Albert Schweitzer Woodwind Quintet, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Hungarian State Opera Orchestra, Group for Contemporary Music Number of Discs: 4 Recorded in: Stereo	CD $24.99 On Order

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Notes & Reviews	Back to Top

VIOLIN CONCERTO, COMPANY, AKHNATEN: PRELUDE AND DANCE "Naxos' exciting and important American Classics series now includes music of the present day, in this case three recent works by Philip Glass. The Violin Concerto, a work that (surprisingly) adheres to classical conventions, lures us in with beautiful, seductive harmonies. Glass relies both on his trademark arpeggiated technique (sounding in the first movement somewhat like Vivaldi's "Winter" concerto) and on his favorite harmonic progressions to suggest a sustained melodic line. In the first two movements Glass' carefully timed harmonic and rhythmic shifts keep you in a happy daze. He breaks the mood in the finale, however, leaving the soloist to practice arpeggios at length until the quiet, serene coda steals in. Adele Anthony, who plays with the kind of skill and grace we would expect in a Mozart concerto, brings off Glass' work with consummate, convincing musicianship. Company (music for Becket's prose) for string orchestra is in four movements, characterized by stimulating changes in time signature and rhythm. The Prelude and Dance from Akhnaten, Glass' third opera, sound exceedingly repetitious without the opera's spoken dramatic narrative, but of course, this won't bother committed Glass fans who will find much to cherish in this recording. Newcomers, too, will enjoy this tuneful if unchallenging music, which benefits from the characterful playing of the Ulster Orchestra under Takuo Yuasa's keen leadership. The sound is excellent. Another home-run from Naxos." --Victor Carr, ClassicsToday.com SYMPHONIES 2 & 3 "I wholeheartedly recommend this release, and again salute Philip Glass for doing it his way. The music deserves the widest exposure and popularity, and it deepens with acquaintance. This Naxos CD transformed my opinion of these works." --Paul Ingram, FANFARE THE LIGHT, HEROES SYMPHONY "Although Glass stays firmly in accustomed tracks the musical experience engages and draws you in. His potent way with hypno-rhythmic tonal writing continues visceral and in full spate." --Rob Barnett, MusicWeb International


Works on This Recording			Back to Top

1.	The Light by Philip Glass
	Conductor: Marin Alsop Orchestra/Ensemble: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Period: 20th Century Written: 1987; USA	Length: 23 Minutes 51 Secs.


2.	Akhnaten: Prelude by Philip Glass
	Conductor: Takuo Yuasa Orchestra/Ensemble: Ulster Orchestra Period: 20th Century Written: 1983; USA	Length: 12 Minutes 16 Secs.


3.	Heroes Symphony by Philip Glass
	Conductor: Marin Alsop Orchestra/Ensemble: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Period: 20th Century Written: 1996; USA	Length: 51 Minutes 39 Secs.


4.	Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima by Krzysztof Penderecki
	Conductor: Antoni Wit Orchestra/Ensemble: National Radio Symphony Orchestra Period: 20th Century Written: 1960; Poland	Length: 8 Minutes 52 Secs.


5.	Toccata for Violin and Player Piano by Conlon Nancarrow
	Performer: Mia Wu (Violin), Cheryl Seltzer (Piano) Conductor: Joel Sachs Orchestra/Ensemble: Continuum Period: 20th Century Written: 1938; Mexico	Length: 1 Minutes 32 Secs.


6.	Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano: Interlude no 1 by John Cage
	Performer: Boris Berman (Prepared Piano) Period: 20th Century Written: 1946-1948; USA	Length: 3 Minutes 24 Secs.


7.	Pezzi (4) for Orchestra: no 2 by Giacinto Scelsi
	Conductor: Hans Zender Orchestra/Ensemble: Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra Period: 20th Century Written: 1959	Length: 2 Minutes 29 Secs.


8.	In C by Terry Riley
	Conductor: Paul Hillier Orchestra/Ensemble: Ars Nova Copenhagen, Percurama Percussion Ensemble Period: 20th Century Written: 1964; USA	Length: 5 Minutes 14 Secs.


9.	Déserts by Edgard Varèse
	Performer: Maryse Castets (Electronics) Conductor: Christopher Lyndon-Gee Orchestra/Ensemble: Warsaw Polish Radio/TV Symphony Orchestra Period: 20th Century Written: ?1950-54; USA	Length: 4 Minutes 15 Secs.


10.	Songs, Drones and Refrains of Death: Death-Drone 2 by George Crumb
	Conductor: Christopher Lyndon-Gee Orchestra/Ensemble: Warsaw Polish Radio/TV Symphony Orchestra Period: 20th Century Written: 1968; USA	Length: 1 Minutes 51 Secs.


11.	Bagatelles (6) for Wind Quintet: no 3, Allegro grazioso by György Ligeti
	Orchestra/Ensemble: Albert Schweitzer Woodwind Quintet Period: 20th Century Written: 1953; Hungary	Length: 2 Minutes 44 Secs.


12.	Pieces (5) for Accordion, Violin and Cello "Silenzio": no 2 by Sofia Gubaidulina
	Performer: Kathrin Rabus (Violin), Maria Kliegel (Cello), Elsbeth Moser (Accordion) Period: 20th Century Written: 1991; USSR	Length: 2 Minutes 30 Secs.


13.	Beta by Jorgen Plaetner
	Performer: Jorgen Plaetner (Electronics) Period: 20th Century Written: Denmark	Length: 5 Minutes 34 Secs.

	Notes: Composition written: Denmark (1962 - 1963).


14.	Concerto for Piano no 1, Op. 45: 1st movement, Con grandezza by Einojuhani Rautavaara
	Performer: Laura Mikkola (Piano) Conductor: Marin Alsop, Hannu Lintu Orchestra/Ensemble: Royal Scottish National Orchestra Period: 20th Century Written: 1969; Finland	Length: 9 Minutes 47 Secs.


15.	Fratres by Arvo Pärt
	Conductor: Tamás Benedek Orchestra/Ensemble: Hungarian State Opera Orchestra Period: 20th Century Written: 1977-1980; Estonia	Length: 8 Minutes 51 Secs.


16.	Nachtstücke (5) for violin and piano: no 1, Elegie by Hans Werner Henze
	Performer: Peter Sheppard Skaerved (Violin), Aaron Shorr (Piano) Period: 20th Century Written: 1990; Germany	Length: 3 Minutes 0 Secs.


17.	Symphony no 3 by Philip Glass
	Conductor: Marin Alsop Orchestra/Ensemble: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Period: 20th Century Written: 1995; USA	Length: 23 Minutes 18 Secs.


18.	Symphony no 2 by Philip Glass
	Conductor: Marin Alsop Orchestra/Ensemble: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Period: 20th Century Written: 1994; USA	Length: 43 Minutes 5 Secs.


19.	Company by Philip Glass
	Conductor: Takuo Yuasa Orchestra/Ensemble: Ulster Orchestra Written: 1983; USA	Length: 8 Minutes 20 Secs.


20.	Concerto for Violin by Philip Glass
	Performer: Adele Anthony (Violin) Conductor: Takuo Yuasa Orchestra/Ensemble: Ulster Orchestra Period: 20th Century Written: 1987; USA	Length: 24 Minutes 11 Secs.


21.	Quartet for Strings no 2: 1st movement by Charles Wuorinen
	Orchestra/Ensemble: Group for Contemporary Music Period: 20th Century Written: 1979; USA	Length: 5 Minutes 1 Secs.


22.	Shaker Loops: A Final Shaking by John Adams
	Performer: Nathan Gunn (Baritone) Conductor: Marin Alsop Orchestra/Ensemble: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Period: 20th Century Written: 1978; USA	Length: 4 Minutes 8 Secs.


23.	Akhnaten: Dance by Philip Glass
	Conductor: Takuo Yuasa Orchestra/Ensemble: Ulster Orchestra Period: 20th Century Written: 1983; USA	Length: 5 Minutes 34 Secs.

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