Philip Glass: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
Marin Alsop • Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Philip Glass (b.1937): Symphonies nos. 2 & 3

Though he prefers not to be labeled a 'minimalist' composer, that is the style with which Philip Glass is most associated. His compositions, however, though bearing certain tradmarks, employ a great range of techniques. This adaptive ability contributes to his success as a composer of music ranging from string quartets to largescale orchestral works and mammoth film scores. Marin Alsop conducts her Bournemouth symphony orchestra in these amazing performances of the Second and Third symphonies of legendary American composer Philip Glass. The grand Second Symphony was comissioned by the Brooklyn Acadamy of Music and premiered there in 1994 by Dennis Russell Davies. Also a commissioned work, the Third Symphony is composed for chamber orchestra, and thus bears an intimacy that is brilliantly suited to a smaller ensemble. In both the epically-proportioned Second Symphony and the smaller-scale Third Symphony, Glass returns, in his own way, to his roots at the Juilliard School, writing polyharmonies, rousing finales, and fully-formed symphonic paragraphs. They are true symphonies in scope, structure and seriousness of purpose. Marin Alsop comments on this recording: "Conducting and recording the music of Philip Glass is the completion of a circle for me. I first met Philip Glass in the late 1970s when I started playing violin on some of his recording projects. The new music scene in Manhattan was one of my major inspirations at that time, so working closely with Philip and his ensemble was a dream come true. I had not seen Philip since the mid 1980s until he attended an all Glass concert that I conducted in London. Like his music, it felt like the contuniation of an old friendship, only changed in a simple but profound way."

Philip Glass: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3, Music, Philip Glass, Marin Alsop, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, 20th/21st Century Symphony, Classical, Classical Composers, Orchestral & Symphonic, Symphonic
Philip Glass: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
  • Very engrossing
  • Glass Deepens With Two Dramatically Resonant Pieces
  • Defies the theory that Glass's orchestral works are weak
 Philip Glass: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3

Manufacturer: Naxos American
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

SymphoniesSymphonies | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
Modern & 20th CenturyModern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
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All Works by GlassAll Works by Glass | Glass, Philip | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music
$6.99 and Under$6.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
All Classical Music BlowoutAll Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Glass, PhilipGlass, Philip | ( G ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
InstrumentalInstrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Glass: Violin concerto
  2. Glassworks
  3. Solo Piano
  4. Philip Glass : Orion
  5. Glass: Heroes Symphony; The Light

ASIN: B000675OJE
Release Date: 2004-11-16

Tracks:

  1. I.
  2. II.
  3. III.
  4. IV.
  5. I.
  6. II.
  7. III.

Album Description

Marin Alsop • Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Philip Glass (b.1937): Symphonies nos. 2 & 3

Though he prefers not to be labeled a 'minimalist' composer, that is the style with which Philip Glass is most associated. His compositions, however, though bearing certain tradmarks, employ a great range of techniques. This adaptive ability contributes to his success as a composer of music ranging from string quartets to largescale orchestral works and mammoth film scores. Marin Alsop conducts her Bournemouth symphony orchestra in these amazing performances of the Second and Third symphonies of legendary American composer Philip Glass. The grand Second Symphony was comissioned by the Brooklyn Acadamy of Music and premiered there in 1994 by Dennis Russell Davies. Also a commissioned work, the Third Symphony is composed for chamber orchestra, and thus bears an intimacy that is brilliantly suited to a smaller ensemble. In both the epically-proportioned Second Symphony and the smaller-scale Third Symphony, Glass returns, in his own way, to his roots at the Juilliard School, writing polyharmonies, rousing finales, and fully-formed symphonic paragraphs. They are true symphonies in scope, structure and seriousness of purpose. Marin Alsop comments on this recording: "Conducting and recording the music of Philip Glass is the completion of a circle for me. I first met Philip Glass in the late 1970s when I started playing violin on some of his recording projects. The new music scene in Manhattan was one of my major inspirations at that time, so working closely with Philip and his ensemble was a dream come true. I had not seen Philip since the mid 1980s until he attended an all Glass concert that I conducted in London. Like his music, it felt like the contuniation of an old friendship, only changed in a simple but profound way."

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.......2007-07-11

placing this disc under the genre of classical is like puting kenny g's discs in the jazz section. if the music on this disc represents modern classical, we as a country have set our sights too low. granted, it's moody and pretty, but that's what new age music is (and that's what this is at best). the lines between classical, soundtrack, and new age have become too blurred. classical music is SERIOUS music with INTERESTING NON REPETETIVE HARMONY and COUNTERPOINT. this sounds like some dude jamming on a synthesizer doing bong hits.

4 out of 5 stars Very engrossing.......2005-08-08

I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to sections 1 through 4 of symphony #3 several times in the day since I got this CD. These tracks are very engrossing and makes one think of the soundtrack from an adventure saga where there is a continuous rhythm of travel.

Symphony number 2 is less interesting to me but for the price the symphony #3 tracks are great.

5 out of 5 stars Glass Deepens With Two Dramatically Resonant Pieces.......2005-04-23

Along with his colleague John Adams, Philip Glass is the most familiar of the modern minimalists. Yet like Adams, Glass seems to be building a greater communicative sense with each new work I hear. These two symphonies were composed in the early nineties, and Naxos is now providing a 2003 recording of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra led by the insightful Marin Alsop. This is the same group of artists that played the wonderful version of Adams' "Shaker Loops" this past year, and this recording of Glass' works equals that one for dramatic insight and virtuosic preciseness.

A strings-only piece, Symphony #3 (23:58) has four conventional movements which build in drama and texture. It contains many of Glass' signature sounds with mono-tonal melodies that spiral in larger and larger circles and chords that feel like they are beating down an urban thunderstorm of clandestine activity - jabbing, throbbing, chugging - as they do in the second movement. Yet the music reflects some of his most gentle work especially in the first and third movements. There is an unexpectedly beautiful violin solo in the middle of the third movement that runs initially counter to his quietly driving sequential style until they eventually meld together. The drama turns fiery in the last movement as it broadens into an exciting albeit measured gallop, at the same time not sacrificing the virtuosity of the expert playing by the Bournemouth string section.

Symphony #2 (43:14) is a larger scale piece that makes dramatic sense to be played after the third, as it is a more ambitious work. It slowly builds in intensity with very broad strokes that deepen and darken when it comes to the bass-lines and the repetitive use of contrasting woodwinds. There is a vividly harrowing sense of adventure to the first movement that this section would not be inappropriate to be used as background movie music for a daring escape aboard a hot air balloon crossing the Alps. There is more of an orchestral sense to the second movement and an increasing ambiguity in tone that heightens the drama considerably with yet a new set of pronounced textures. The finale has almost a battle-cry exuberance but with a swooping, sinuous dramatic power with the addition of brass and even bells to the strings and woodwinds. The last movement truly feels like the culmination of what Glass has presented before in both symphonies.

Beautifully recorded at "The Concert Hall, Lighthouse, Poole" in Dorset, UK, this recording verifies that Glass' oeuvre is more than his famous operas often in collaboration with Robert Wilson. Producer-engineer Tim Handley has done an excellent job of keeping the impeccable sound in check throughout. And like the Adams recording, this one sells for the ridiculously bargain basement price of $6.98. Strongly recommended.

4 out of 5 stars Defies the theory that Glass's orchestral works are weak.......2004-12-26

I bought this CD simply on impulse (it was on sale for $5.99) but it turned out to be a rewarding purchase. I have always thought of Glass's great works to be his operas and smaller pieces (Glassworks etc.) but the pairing of these two powerful orchestral works makes you wonder if his symphonies are underrated (and certainly underperformed). Alsop creates a unified structure that makes a more compelling case than the previous recording of the 3rd (I don't have any comparison for the 2nd). Bournemouth, as everybody knows, is a fine orchestra, but really shines when Alsop asks them to provide a little more 'oomphh' than is usually called for in Glass works. No serious contemporary collector should miss this set, and at the price I'd buy one for a friend.

Music Review:

  1. Prokofiev: The Five Piano Concertos
  2. Rachmaninoff plays Rachmaninoff
  3. Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 3
  4. Respighi: Laud to the Nativity; Monteverdi: Magnificat
  5. Robert Schumann: Symphonies Nos. 1-4
  6. Rossini - L'Italiana in Algeri / Horne · Ramey · Battle · Palacio · Zaccaria · I Solisti Veneti · Scimone
  7. Rossini - La Cenerentola / Bartoli, Dara, Matteuzzi, Corbelli, Pertusi, Chailly
  8. Sacred Treasures III: Choral Masterworks from Russia
  9. Satie: Gymnopédies No1-3; Gnossiennes No1-6
  10. Seven: A Suite for Orchestra

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