Glassworks

My second exposure to Philip Glass -my first was a single track from his groundbreaking album "Hydrogen Jukebox", and all I can really say is wow.

Talk about being lulled into a false sense of security - Opening is a beautiful solo piece on piano. Both hands playing almost contra melodies, overlapping to create complexity from simple, individual rhythms; it's almost hypnotic. This leads into Floe.

Did I say, "WOW"? Again, this starts gently enough - a few sustained notes on flugelhorn or bass clarinet before the synthesiser kicks in with a few arpeggio's before all hell breaks loose with saxophones, clarinets and synthesisers repeating the same insanely fast loops. Every time I hear this song it sets my creative juices alight - it's an exciting song and one I can never hear enough of.

Islands, then, is another contrast - repeating the same pattern from Opening but using strings, with a beautiful reed accompaniment.

Then it's back into the fray with Rubric which intercuts amazing changes in time signatures with fast and frenzied playing -using the same techniques of maddening arpeggio's. I get breathless just listening to this song, but what a ride!!

Thankfully Philip Glass sends us off gently with Facades and Closing - two more hypnotically rhythmical pieces of sumptuousness. Glassworks belongs at the top of my contemporary classical music list, alongside Alina by Arvo Part and Music for 12 Musicians by Steve Reich.