Philip Glass

[Serial_Apologist]

I went to hear the Glass ensemble in 1984 at the old Sadlers Wells
It was LOUD, relentless and overwhelming and played with extraordinary energy (this was before I heard Workers Union etc)

A bit like the annual trip to hear Messiaen at Lincoln Cathedral I wanted it to go on for ever

Sometimes I worry about you, Gongers.

[MrGongGong]

Sometimes I worry about you, Gongers.

You aren't alone chum

[Bryn]

I went to hear the Glass ensemble in 1984 at the old Sadlers Wells
It was LOUD, relentless and overwhelming and played with extraordinary energy (this was before I heard Workers Union etc)

You too, eh? I remember being collared by one, Michael Nyman after the performance. He wanted to know what I thought of his (Michael's) music. I told him I thought of it an amalgam of Glass and the English amateur tradition. This was intended as a compliment, not an insult. He took it as the latter. He advised me that his music was far more musical than Glass's.

[Conchis]

You too, eh? I remember being collared by one, Michael Nyman after the performance. He wanted to know what I thought of his (Michael's) music. I told him I thought of it an amalgam of Glass and the English amateur tradition. This was intended as a compliment, not an insult. He took it as the latter. He advised me that his music was far more musical than Glass's.

Is it just me, or has Nyman tended to have his head down a bit in recent years?

[Bryn]

Is it just me, or has Nyman tended to have his head down a bit in recent years?

I attended a lecture/interview event of his, organised by Ian Pace at City University a year or so back. He seems to be concentrating more on his photography, these days.

[MrGongGong]

You too, eh? I remember being collared by one, Michael Nyman after the performance. He wanted to know what I thought of his (Michael's) music. I told him I thought of it an amalgam of Glass and the English amateur tradition. This was intended as a compliment, not an insult. He took it as the latter. He advised me that his music was far more musical than Glass's.

I think the whole "English minimalism" thing is due a revival
I notice that there's a fair bit of interest in groups like Man Jumping & The Lost Jockey as well as Jeremy Peyton Jones's Regular Music.

[Boilk]

I think the whole "English minimalism" thing is due a revival
I notice that there's a fair bit of interest in groups like Man Jumping & The Lost Jockey as well as Jeremy Peyton Jones's Regular Music.

The Lost Jockey and Man Jumping were always of more interest to me than Nyman, Glass or much Reich. Some of the later solo stuff by their alumni (e.g. Orlando Gough and Andrew Poppy) is now a long way from those halcyon days. Recently Mr. Gough has uploaded much of his older material onto a Soundcloud page.

[Bryn]

The Lost Jockey and Man Jumping were always of more interest to me than Nyman, Glass or much Reich. Some of the later solo stuff by their alumni (e.g. Orlando Gough and Andrew Poppy) is now a long way from those halcyon days. Recently Mr. Gough has uploaded much of his older material onto a Soundcloud page.

Never mind those 'Johnny-come-latelies' The P.T.O. composers were foremost among the initiators: John White, Christopher Hobbs, Hugh Shrapnel and the late Alec Hill.

[Dave2002]

Anyone going to try ENO's Akhnaten? I saw a much earlier ENO production - but I thought I might try this revival of the 2016 production. Perhaps I'm a masochist. I find some of Glass's music beautiful, but some of it very drawn out, and perhaps pointless. I wasn't too keen on Satyagraha and have yet to see/hear a production of Einstein on the Beach.

[Bryn]

Anyone going to try ENO's Akhnaten? I saw a much earlier ENO production - but I thought I might try this revival of the 2016 production. Perhaps I'm a masochist. I find some of Glass's music beautiful, but some of it very drawn out, and perhaps pointless. I wasn't too keen on Satyagraha and have yet to see/hear a production of Einstein on the Beach.

It takes a while to get under way.

[Serial_Apologist]

Anyone going to try ENO's Akhnaten? I saw a much earlier ENO production - but I thought I might try this revival of the 2016 production. Perhaps I'm a masochist. I find some of Glass's music beautiful, but some of it very drawn out, and perhaps pointless. I wasn't too keen on Satyagraha and have yet to see/hear a production of Einstein on the Beach.

While Glass's music is doing much the same thing, you could be doing something different, Dave.

[MrGongGong]

Anyone going to try ENO's Akhnaten? I saw a much earlier ENO production - but I thought I might try this revival of the 2016 production. Perhaps I'm a masochist. I find some of Glass's music beautiful, but some of it very drawn out, and perhaps pointless..

"There's no point to what we do, that's the point" John Cage

Sounds good to me

[Dave2002]

"There's no point to what we do, that's the point" John Cage

Sounds good to me

Yep. Let's all be nihilists together!

[MrGongGong]

Yep. Let's all be nihilists together!

Nothing nihilistic about the great John Cage chum

[Beresford]

Maybe he will be remembered like Telemann (to Steve Reich's Bach?) - good, but you can have too much of a good thing. He has composed a lot of works.
I have an affection for the 2007 Cello Songs, and for Songs From Liquid Days