Philip Glass was born January 31st 1937 and grew up in Baltimore (well, someone had to). He studied at the University of Chicago, the Juilliard School and in Aspen with the French composer, Darius Milhaud. He moved to Europe, feeling disillusioned by the artistic life in the USA, where he studied with Nadia Boulanger and worked with the sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar. Hereturned to New York in 1967 and formed the Philip Glass Ensemble which gave him a voice with which to experiment and present his musical ideas.
Glass, along with Terry Riley and Steve Reich, was evolving a new musical style which became known as “minimalism” - a phrase actually coined by Michael Nyman.
Many of Glass' early works were made up of densely interweaving textures of repeating ideas - a complex polyphony but for a new age.
Few contemprary composers get an opera into the repertoire but Glass has four – “Einstein on the Beach,” “Satyagraha,” “Akhnaten,” and “The Voyage,” which are regularly produced around the world, though, sadly, too infrequently in the UK.
Glass has written music for Oscar- winning movies such as “The Hours” and “Kundun,” and has also produced scores for experimental theatre. “Koyaanisqatsi" has been described as the "most radical and influential mating of sound and vision since Fantasia.”
In the past 25 years, Glass has composed more than 20 operas; 9 symphonies (the 9th receives its premiere this week); concertos for violin, piano, timpani, and saxophone quartet; soundtracks for Hollywood movies and documentaries; string quartets; and an array of works for solo piano and organ.
Some criticise Glass for being too samey; a one-trick pony. I think they are. Issuing the point. Glass has evolved a distinctive, personal style that's instantly recognisable and has been able to use this to touch the hearts and minds of music lovers in just about every field possible.
Happy Birthday, Mr.Glass!
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