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Philip Glass
Born: January 31, 1937; Baltimore, MD  
Philip Glass is generally regarded as one of the most prominent composers associated with the minimalist school, the other major figures being Steve Reich, Terry Riley, and John Adams. His style is quite recognizable, owing to its seeming simplicity of repeated sounds, comprised of evolving patterns of rhythms, which are often quite complex, and rhythmic themes. In some of his early works, like Two Pages (1967), the whole of the piece evolves ...
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Featured Philip Glass CDs & DVDs:
Glass: Satyagraha / Keene, Reeve, Perry, Cummings
Release Date: 10/25/1990   Label: Cbs Masterworks   Catalog: 39672   Number of Discs: 3
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Works
600 Lines (1)
A Brief History of Time Selections (1)
A Descent into the Maelstrom (1)
A Descent into the Maelstrom: Second Perception of Light, Moon, Mist and Rainbow (1)
A Madrigal Opera (1)
A Musical Portrait of Chuck Close (1)
A Musical Portrait of Chuck Close: 1st movement (2)
Aguas da Amazonia (1)
Akhnaten (1)
Akhnaten: Act 2, Scene 3 The City & Dance (1)
Akhnaten: Act 3 "Year 17 and the Present" (1)
Akhnaten: Akhnaten and Nefertiti (2)
Akhnaten: Attack and Fall (2)
Akhnaten: Dance (1)
Akhnaten: Epilogue (3)
Akhnaten: Funeral (7)
Akhnaten: Funeral of Amenhotep III (1)
Akhnaten: Hymn to the Aten [Sun] (4)
Akhnaten: Prelude (1)
Akhnaten: Prelude, Refrain and three Verses (1)
Akhnaten: Window of Appearances (4)
Analog: Are Years What? (1)
Analog: Etoile Polaire (1)
Analog: Mon Pere, Mon Pere (1)
Anima Mundi (1)
Anima Mundi: Living Waters (1)
Anima Mundi: The Witness (1)
Animals in Love (1)
Another Look at Harmony, Part 4 (3)
Bahia (1)
Beautiful Girl: [Excerpt] (1)
Bed (1)
Bent (1)
Book of Longing (1)
Candyman (1)
Candyman: Helen's Theme (1)
Candyman: It was always you, Helen (1)
Candyman: Music Box (1)
Cassandra's Dream (1)
Cassandra's Dream: A Drive in the Country (1)
Cello Concerto (1)
Closing (4)
Coleman's Consequences (1)
Coleman's Dilemma (1)
Coleman's Theme (1)
Company (6)
Concerto Fantasy for 2 Timpani (2)
Concerto Fantasy: 1st movement (1)
Concerto for Cello (1)
Concerto for Harpsichord (1)
Concerto for Piano "Tirol" (3)
Concerto for Piano no 2 "After Lewis and Clark" (2)
Concerto for Saxophone Quartet (5)
Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra: 4th movement (1)
Concerto for Violin (8)
Concerto for Violin: 1st movement (4)
Concerto for Violin: 2nd movement (6)
Concerto for Violin: 3rd movement (1)
Concerto Grosso (1)
Connected Politically (1)
Contrary Motion (3)
Dance: Dance no 1 (1)
Dance: Dance no 2 (3)
Dance: Dance no 3 (1)
Dance: Dance no 4 (5)
Dance: Dance no 5 (2)
Days and Nights in Rocinha (1)
Dead Things (1)
Disappearance (1)
Double Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra (1)
Dracula (3)
Dracula: Dr. van Helsing and Dracula (1)
Dracula: Dracula (1)
Dracula: Renfield (1)
Dracula: The Storm (1)
Dressed like an Egg (1)
Dressed like an Egg: Part 4 (1)
Dressed like an Egg: Part 5 (1)
Duo for viola & percussion (1)
Echorus (2)
Einstein on the Beach (2)
Einstein on the Beach: Aria (2)
Einstein on the Beach: Bed (4)
Einstein on the Beach: Building (1)
Einstein on the Beach: Knee 1 (5)
Einstein on the Beach: Knee 2 (1)
Einstein on the Beach: Knee 3 (2)
Einstein on the Beach: Knee 4 (4)
Einstein on the Beach: Knee 5 (4)
Einstein on the Beach: Knee Play 1 (2)
Einstein on the Beach: Knee Play 2 (1)
Einstein on the Beach: Spaceship (3)
Einstein on the Beach: Suite for Violin (1)
Einstein on the beach: The Building (1)
Einstein on the Beach: Train 1 (3)
Einstein on the Beach: Trial/Prison (3)
Etudes (10) for Piano (1)
Etudes (10) for Piano: Etude no 1 (1)
Etudes (10) for Piano: Etude no 2 (7)
Etudes (10) for Piano: Etude no 3 (1)
Etudes (10) for Piano: Etude no 5 (2)
Etudes (10) for Piano: Etude no 9 (1)
Etudes, for piano Vol. 1 (1)
Facades (21)
Father Stephen Lewis (1)
Floe (8)
Glassworks, pieces (6) for chamber ensemble or piano (1)
Glassworks: Facades (1)
Glassworks: Opening (2)
Gradus (2)
Heroes Symphony (2)
Heroes Symphony: 5th movement, Neukoln (2)
How Now (4)
Hydrogen Jukebox (1)
Hydrogen Jukebox: no 10, Aunt Rose - now - might I see you (1)
Hydrogen Jukebox: no 11, If I had a green automobile (1)
Hydrogen Jukebox: no 2, Jaweh with Atom Bomb (1)
Hydrogen Jukebox: no 3, Who's the enemy, year after year? (1)
Hydrogen Jukebox: no 6, I'm an old man now, and a lonesome man in Kansas (1)
Hydrogen Jukebox: no 9, Two million killed in Vietnam (1)
Ignorant Sky (1)
In the Penal Colony (1)
In the Summer House (1)
In the Summer House: Molly Is a Dreamer (1)
In the Upper Room (1)
In the Upper Room: Dance no 1 (2)
In the Upper Room: Dance no 2 (4)
In the Upper Room: Dance no 5 (2)
In the Upper Room: Dance no 8 (4)
In the Upper Room: Dance no 9 (4)
Islands (3)
Itaipu (3)
Itaipu: The Dam (3)
Jenipapo (1)
Jenipapo: Finale (1)
Jenipapo: The Interview (1)
Journalism 101 (1)
Kepler (2)
Koyaanisqatsi (2)
Koyaanisqatsi: Cloudscape (1)
Koyaanisqatsi: Koyaanisqatsi (1)
Koyaanisqatsi: Organic (1)
Koyaanisqatsi: Resource (1)
Koyaanisqatsi: The Grid (2)
Koyaanisqatsi: Vessels (1)
Kundun (1)
Kundun: Distraught (1)
Kundun: Escape to India (1)
Kundun: Lhasa at Night (1)
Kundun: Sand Mandala (1)
La belle et la bête (1)
La belle et la bête: Overture (3)
Land-Grab (1)
Les Enfants Terribles (1)
Les Enfants Terribles: Elizabeth Chooses a Career (1)
Les Enfants Terribles: Excerpt(s) (1)
Les Enfants Terribles: Finale (Death of the Twins) (1)
Les Enfants Terribles: Overture (1)
Les Enfants Terribles: Paul Sleepwalking (1)
Les Enfants Terribles: Snow Falling in the Playground (1)
Les Enfants Terribles: The Bedroom (1)
Low Symphony (1)
Low Symphony: Movement 3 (1)
Mad Rush (11)
Mark di Suvero, Sculptor (1)
Melodies for Saxophone: Melody no 1 (1)
Melodies for Saxophone: Melody no 10 (2)
Melodies for Saxophone: Melody no 11 (3)
Melodies for Saxophone: Melody no 12 (2)
Melodies for Saxophone: Melody no 13 (1)
Melodies for Saxophone: Melody no 2 (1)
Melodies for Saxophone: Melody no 3 (1)
Melodies for Saxophone: Melody no 4 (1)
Melodies for Saxophone: Melody no 5 (2)
Melodies for Saxophone: Melody no 6 (1)
Melodies for Saxophone: Melody no 7 (1)
Melodies for Saxophone: Melody no 8 (1)
Melodies for Saxophone: Melody no 9 (1)
Metamorphoses (5) (5)
Metamorphoses (5): no 1 (1)
Metamorphoses (5): no 2 (2)
Metamorphoses (5): no 4 (3)
Metamorphosis, for piano (1)
Mishima (2)
Mishima: Closing (2)
Mishima: November 25, Morning (1)
Mishima: Opening (1)
Modern Love Waltz (9)
Mon pere, Mon pere (1)
Monsters of Grace (1)
Monsters of Grace: Epilogue (1)
Movements (4) for 2 Pianos (1)
Music for Voices (1)
Music in 12 parts (3)
Music in 12 parts: part 10 (1)
Music in 12 parts: part 7 (1)
Music in 12 parts: part 8 (1)
Music in 12 parts: part 9 (1)
Music in 5ths (3)
Music in Contrary Motion (2)
Music in Similar Motion (5)
Music in the shape of a square (1)
Music with Changing Parts (3)
Naqoyqatsi (2)
Naqoyqatsi "Life as War": Primacy of number (2)
Naqoyqatsi "Life as War": Tissue no 1 (1)
Naqoyqatsi "Life as War": Tissue no 2 (1)
Naqoyqatsi "Life as War": Tissue no 3 (1)
Naqoyqatsi "Life as War": Tissue no 4 (1)
Naqoyqatsi: Point Blank (1)
Neverwas set (1)
Neverwas, film score (1)
Neverwas: Neverwas Restored (1)
No Reservations Combine (1)
No Reservations: Zoe and Kate Watch Video (1)
No Reservations: Zoe Goes to the Restaurant (1)
North Star: Ange des Orages (1)
North Star: Are Years What? "For Marianne Moore" (2)
North Star: Ave (1)
North Star: Etoile Polaire (3)
North Star: Montage (1)
North Star: River Run (1)
Notes on a Scandal (1)
Notes on a Scandal: I knew her (1)
Olympian (1)
One+One (1)
Opening (10)
Orion (1)
Orphée (1)
Orphée: Interlude (1)
Orphée: Suite - no 1, The Cafe (1)
Orphée: Suite - Orphée and the Princess (2)
Orphée: Suite - Orphée's Bedroom (2)
Orphée: Suite for Piano (1)
Passages: Channels and Winds (3)
Passages: Meetings Along the Edge (1)
Passages: Offering (1)
Persephone (1)
Piano Concerto No. 2: The Vision (1)
Piece in the shape of a square (1)
Political Connections (1)
Powaqatsi: Mosque / temple (1)
Powaqqatsi (1)
Powaqqatsi: Mr. Suso #2 with Reflection (1)
Powaqqatsi: New Cities in American Lands, Africa (1)
Powaqqatsi: New Cities in American Lands, China (1)
Powaqqatsi: New Cities in American Lands, India (1)
Powaqqatsi: Powaqqatsi (1)
Powaqqatsi: Serra Pelada (1)
Powaqqatsi: Train to Sao Paulo (1)
Powaqqatsi: Video Dream (2)
Quartet for 4 Saxophones (3)
Quartet for Strings no 1 (3)
Quartet for Strings no 2 "Company" (8)
Quartet for Strings no 2 "Company": 1st movement (1)
Quartet for Strings no 2 "Company": 2nd movement (1)
Quartet for Strings no 3 "Mishima" (7)
Quartet for Strings no 3 "Mishima": 3rd movement (1)
Quartet for Strings no 3 "Mishima": 4th movement (1)
Quartet for Strings no 4 "Buczak" (5)
Quartet for Strings no 5 (4)
Quartet for Strings no 5: 3rd movement (1)
Quartet for Strings no 5: Excerpt(s) (1)
Remaining Silent Now (1)
Rubric (5)
Satyagraha (2)
Satyagraha: Act 3 - Conclusion (5)
Satyagraha: Confirmation and Rescue, 1896 (1)
Satyagraha: Evening Song (6)
Satyagraha: Kuru Field of Justice (3)
Satyagraha: Protest (3)
Satyagraha: Rescue (1)
Satyagraha: Tolstoy Farm (3)
Satyagraha: Vow (1)
Serenade, for flute (1)
Seven or Eight Pieces for a Ballet (1)
Sextet for Brass (1)
Sextet for Strings (1)
Sonata for violin & piano No. 1 (1)
Songs (3) for Choir a Capella (1)
Songs and Poems for Solo Cello (1)
Songs from Liquid Days: no 1, Changing Opinion (4)
Songs from Liquid Days: no 2, Lightning (3)
Songs from Liquid Days: no 3, Freezing (1)
Songs from Liquid Days: no 4, Liquid Days (1)
Songs from Liquid Days: no 5, Open the Kingdom (Liquid Days Part 2) (4)
Songs from Liquid Days: no 6, Forgetting (3)
Sound of a Voice: Excerpt(s) (2)
Strung Out (1)
Symphony no 2 (3)
Symphony no 3 (4)
Symphony no 3: 3rd movement (1)
Symphony no 5 "Choral" (1)
Symphony no 5 "Choral": 7th movement, Suffering - Excerpt(s) (1)
Symphony no 6 "Plutonian Ode" (1)
Symphony no 7, "Toltec" (1)
Symphony no 8 (2)
Symphony no 8: 1st movement (2)
Taiji: Chaotic Harmony (1)
The Canyon (1)
The CIVIL warS: Interlude no 1 (1)
The CIVIL warS: Interlude no 2 (1)
The CIVIL warS: Prologue (1)
The Fog of War (1)
The Fog of War: 100,000 People (1)
The Fog of War: The war to end all wars (1)
The Fog of War: Why are we here? (2)
The Grid (1)
The Hours (4)
The Hours, music from the film score for piano: Morning Passages (1)
The Hours: Escape! (2)
The Hours: Morning Passages (3)
The Hours: Suite (1)
The Hours: Tearing Herself Away (1)
The Hours: The Hours (1)
The Hours: The Poet Acts (4)
The Illusionist (2)
The Illusionist: Finale (1)
The Interview (1)
The Juniper Tree (1)
The Light (3)
The Olympian, for piano (1)
The Orphée Suite for Piano: Orphée's Bedroom (1)
The Photographer (1)
The Photographer: A Gentleman's Honor (2)
The Photographer: Act 2 (1)
The Photographer: Act 3 (1)
The Reclamation Bill (1)
The Screens (1)
The Secret Agent (1)
The Secret Agent: Blood on the stairs (1)
The Secret Agent: Emigration (1)
The Secret Agent: The First Meridian (1)
The Secret Agent: The secret agent (3)
The Secret Agent: The secret agent ending (1)
The Secret Agent: Winnie goes to sea (1)
The Sound of a Voice: Suite (1)
The Thin Blue Line: Help Me (1)
The Truman Show: Raising the Sail (1)
The Truman Show: Truman Sleeps (2)
The Upper Room: Dance 9 (1)
The Voyage (1)
The Voyage: Mechanical Ballet (1)
The Windcatcher (1)
The Windcatcher: Part 1 (1)
The Windcatcher: Part 3 (1)
The Witches of Venice: The Plant-Boy's Song (1)
Thin Blue Line (2)
Thin Blue Line: Houston Skyline (4)
Trilogy Sonata for Piano (4)
Trilogy Sonata for Piano: 3rd movement, Dance [Akhnaten] (1)
Two Pages (3)
Undertow (1)
Undertow: The Chase (1)
Violin Concerto No. 2 ("The American Four Seasons") (1)
Waiting for the Barbarians (1)
Waiting for the Barbarians: Dreamscape No. 3 (1)
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion (1)
Where We Go (1)
Wichita Vortex Sutra (7)
Witches Of Venice (1)
Work(s): Long Life (1)
More Featured Philip Glass CDs & DVDs:
Glass: Akhnaten / Davies, Esswood, Et Al
Release Date: 10/25/1990   Label: Cbs Masterworks   Catalog: 42457   Number of Discs: 2
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$26.99
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Essential Phillip Glass
Release Date: 01/24/2012   Label: Sony   Catalog: 191720   Number of Discs: 3
CD  $17.99
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Glass: Einstein On The Beach / Philip Glass Ensemble
Release Date: 10/25/1990   Label: Sony   Catalog: 38875   Number of Discs: 4
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Glass: Violin Concerto; Schnittke / Kremer, Dohnanyi
Release Date: 01/25/1993   Label: Deutsche Grammophon   Catalog: 437091   Number of Discs: 1
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Biography by Robert Cummings
Philip Glass is generally regarded as one of the most prominent composers associated with the minimalist school, the other major figures being Steve Reich, Terry Riley, and John Adams. His style is quite recognizable, owing to its seeming simplicity of repeated sounds, comprised of evolving patterns of rhythms, which are often quite complex, and rhythmic themes. In some of his early works, like Two Pages (1967), the whole of the piece evolves from a single unit or idea that expands as notes are added. In later works, expansion comes via the lengthening of note values or through other inventive processes. Many describe his music in the minimalist vein as mesmerizing; others hear it as numbingly repetitive and devoid of variety in its simplicity. The latter view of his style is itself simplistic and fails to take into account the many subtleties and complexities found in his methods. Glass' mature style embraces more than just minimalism and thus must be viewed being more eclectic and far less dogmatic. There is greater emphasis on melody, less on controlling rhythmic patterns. His opera Einstein on the Beach (1975) was the first of an important triology of stage works, the other two being Satygraha (1980) and Akhnaten (1983). He is one of the most popular serious composers of the latter twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.

Glass showed musical talent early on, both on violin and flute. He graduated from the University of Chicago (he moved to Chicago in his teens) at the age of 19. He next enrolled at Juilliard, and had by then rejected serial techniques in composition in favor of more conventional styles, favoring the music of Ives, Copland, and Virgil Thomson. Over the next four years he studied with Persichetti, Milhaud, and Bergsma.

He later studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris, and it was during this two-year period that he met and worked with sitar player Ravi Shankar, who introduced him to Indian music. He was intrigued by its sound and possibilities and attracted to Asian and Middle Eastern cultures. Eventually, he even converted to Buddhism. Glass later spoke of how greatly his 1966 visit to Tibet influenced his thinking, both musically and spiritually.

After returning to New York in 1967, Glass struggled financially and had to work as a cab driver and plumber for a time. Eventually, he established the Glass Ensemble in the early '70s. This group consisted of seven players and used keyboards, woodwind instruments, and amplification of vocals. Though it also struggled at the outset, it eventually became immensely popular.

Glass' Einstein on the Beach was staged in 1976 and was his first large-scale triumph. By this time, too, his Ensemble was in greater demand, as were a good many of his other works. Since the 1980s, Glass' popularity has grown with the successes of his 1982 Company, for string quartet or string orchestra, the 1987 violin concerto, and the 1997 score, Kundun, written for the Martin Scorsese film. There have been other operas from Glass' pen, including The Fall of the House of Usher and Orphée. Among other works is the remarkable Monsters of Grace, for voices and instrumental ensemble, a mystical composition that uses light and other effects in performance.

Glass has received many awards, among which have been the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1995, from the French government. Glass continues to write music and must be regarded as among the most important composers of his time.
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