Homage to the Glass

Sam requested some hints and tips from the classical repertoire, and we can only but oblige. You may be thinking, “What is it with classical music?” and “Who the hell listens to that stuff anyway?” and “Anything composed after 1945 is utter shite!” Okay, fair enough. There is a lot of music post-WWII that was atonal, abrasive, and frankly difficult to listen to. But writing off the last 60 years of classical music doesn’t make any sense. There are lots of great works that will stand the test of time. I have highlighted a few works previously such as Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians and John Adams’ Century Rolls.

But the composer who transcends this mortal coil and really is a great listen is Philip Glass. I’ll highlight first his symphony no 2 and symphony no 3. Both of these works are a delight to listen to. They strike me as tonal works for the modern ear. The previous links are to the Nonesuch recordings at Amazon.com. For those on a tighter budget, there is also this recording of both symphonies for $7. I haven’t heard this recording, but I don’t think you can go too far wrong for that amount.

So I wanted to get the solid recommendations out of the way. Either symphony is great. Enjoy! But the piece I really wanted to highlight is Glass’ Symphony No 5. This is a choral symphony with lyrics taken from the creation myths of various traditions. It is both surprising and wonderful to listen to. The string arrangements are excellent, but the vocalists do a really fantastic job. If you’ve been thinking to yourself, “I’ve been looking for a new challenge” and “I haven’t heard much good new music lately” then this is what you’ve been waiting for! Check out Symphony No 5 if you’re feeling adventurous. It’s different in scope and format than other Glass pieces, but it’s one of his best works in my opinion.