Itaipu [CD-single]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Itaipu (1989) is something of a cantata-cum-symphony-cum-oratorio with no clear text. Its topic is the world's largest hydroelectric dam, built on the Rarana River between Paraguay and Brazil, and the piece--in Glass's trademark punctuating minimalism--is filled with distinct South American instrumentation, particularly in the percussion. The music itself is noble, conjuring the human endeavor to build the five-mile-wide dam near the town of Itaipu. The Canyon (1988) is about no canyon in particular but tonally suggests the mystery of canyons in general. Both these compositions are among Glass's better works. --Paul Cook

Tracks:

Itaipu: I. Mato Grosso
Itaipu: II. The Lake
Itaipu: III. The Dam
Itaipu: IV. To The Sea
The Canyon

Amazon.com

Itaipu (1989) is something of a cantata-cum-symphony-cum-oratorio with no clear text. Its topic is the world's largest hydroelectric dam, built on the Rarana River between Paraguay and Brazil, and the piece--in Glass's trademark punctuating minimalism--is filled with distinct South American instrumentation, particularly in the percussion. The music itself is noble, conjuring the human endeavor to build the five-mile-wide dam near the town of Itaipu. The Canyon (1988) is about no canyon in particular but tonally suggests the mystery of canyons in general. Both these compositions are among Glass's better works. --Paul Cook

Customer Reviews:

Glass Soundscape.......2007-01-10

As personified in particular by Philip Glass, the so-called style of "minimalism" in modern classical music is known for its repetitiveness, and as such it has often been misunderstood. But Glass has managed to parlay those disadvantages to his advantage by keeping things interesting, partly through film scores like KOYANNISQATSI and THE FOG OF WAR, and, in this case, with "Itaipu" and "The Canyon"

Both of the works here are sterling examples of Glass' soundscape pallet, with "Itaipu" being a choral work inspired by the building of a hydroelectric dam in Paraguay and sung in the Guarani Indian dialect of that region, and "The Canyon" being more of a symphonic tone poem representation of an imaginary canyon. Utilizing large orchestral and choral forces, Glass came up with some of his best work. And he fortunately found a champion in conductor Robert Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (where Shaw was music director from 1967 to 1991) and the A.S.O. Chorus. Both works received their world premiere recordings here on this 1994 Sony recording, in which Shaw and his Atlanta orchestra proved themselves to be one of the great conductor/orchestral combines in classical music.

Given its similarity to motion picture music, minimalist music of the sort that Glass practices should not seem so unappreciable. It's definitely appreciable here.

Philip Glass en grande.......2007-01-06

Realmente debe ser impresionante escuchar una obra como ésta en vivo. Pero si, como yo, no ha tenido esa oportunidad y cuenta con un buen sistema de sonido y sentado en una silla confortable puede cerrar los ojos podrá notar como la gradiosidad que deja reflejar esta obra músical de una obra aun mas impresionante como son las Cataratas de Itaipu.

El juego de la orquestra, el coro y ciertos instrumentos flokloricos de América Latina le dan una fuerza tremenda a la obra... Recomendada 100% para los amantes de la obra de este compositor o de la buena música en general.

Itaipu - my first contact with Philip Glass.......2006-05-27

Even though I frequently listen to Classical Music, the term Philip Glass was rather new to my brain. I first knew the name discovering a certain (and notorious) knock-knock joke involving this figure bearing a pseudonym-like name.

When I later found out the strange, new composer's style is called "Minimalism", I thought that was a joke... it has to be a far cry from other large trends of the 20th century such as "Serialism" and Avant-Garde, I thought. Well, I was to be proven wrong; I began to really embrace Minimalism as a matter of fact, and my view on music would change forever (Heck, I even met Philip Glass in person. Got a picture with him too!).

Itaipu was the very first Philip Glass piece I heard. I listened to this piece on a radio while riding on an airplane. The certain intense drive and awesome quality in the music, despite being so... "Minimal"... really amazed me. The music really took me to the waterway, from the mountains, to the vast river, to the mighty dam, and finally into the open sea.

Ever since, I began listen to many other music by Philip Glass, as well as other Minimalist composers including Steve Reich and John Adams. Among my favorite Glass music now including Glassworks, Koyaanisqatsi, and Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists.

Grandiose.......2005-09-26

A nice combination of flowing harmony and large orchestra and choirs. Swelling wawes, obsessive rythmes, thick chords and deceptive simplicity echoe the journey of the river to the Dam.

Glass is here combining post minimalist composition with wagnerian effects.

To possess along with Uakti, for a contrast.

Reading The Jacket Notes.......2004-05-07

Umm..did any of the above bother to read the jacket notes to this piece? Aye, a mesmerizing piece, with Guarani vocals no less, you may recognise a similar tonality in the Mission soundtrack, given that particular piece is about the Conquistadors and the Guarani indigenes.

Heck even the preview by Paul Cook that acompanies these reviews acknowledges this, my personal titling for the Canyon piece (Act V) is relentless, as I am swept away by it's multi climactic nature.The Dam itself was built during the Stroesner era. He but one of a rogue's gallery that largely makes up Paraguay's history.
Again, highly and heartily recommended, I was given this as a birthday present in '94 and it remains one of my favoured works.

Glass: Itaipu/ Salonen: Two Songs to Poems of Ann Jaderlund
Average customer rating:

Itaipu

Glass, Salonen, and the Inimitable LA Master Chorale

Enigmatic

Warning: Itaipu has been edited.

LA Master Chorale Latest Release

Glass: Itaipu/ Salonen: Two Songs to Poems of Ann Jaderlund
Philip Glass , Grant Gershon , and Los Angeles Master Chorale
Manufacturer: Rubeda Canis Musica
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00006EXDA
Release Date: 2002-09-03

Tracks:

Mato Grosso - Los Angeles Master Chorale & Orchestra
The Lake - Los Angeles Master Chorale & Orchestra
The Dam - Los Angeles Master Chorale & Orchestra
To The Sea - Los Angeles Master Chorale & Orchestra
Djupt I Rummet - Los Angeles Master Chorale
Kyss Min Mus - Los Angeles Master Chorale

Customer Reviews:

Itaipu.......2007-01-13

Excellent recording. The Los Angeles Master Chorale did a great job in this performance

Glass, Salonen, and the Inimitable LA Master Chorale.......2005-05-26

First a note about the performers on this extraordinary CD. Grant Gershon now heads the Los Angeles Master Chorale and has assumed the premiere position once held by Robert Shaw, Margaret Hillis, and Roger Wagner as the most sophisticated interpreter of choral music. Not only has he brought the Chorale to new heights of musical professionalism, he constantly challenges his musicians and audiences with commissioned works by significant contemporary composers as well as keeping the folks clapping with transcendent performances of the masterworks.

Case in point is this recording, which includes not only Philip Glass' 'Itaipu, symphonic portrait for chorus & orchestra' in a performance that goes far beyond other recordings in its urgency and meticulous manipulation of the atmospheric repetitive pulsations we have come to expect form Glass' output, Gershon elects to offer the a cappella 'Songs to Poems of Ann Jäderlund, for chorus' by Esa-Pekka Salonen. And for this listener these latter two songs are alone worth the price of the recording.

While Salonen is accepted as one of the more important composers for orchestral and chamber music today, his works for the voice are less well known (though the importance of the human voice in his exquisite 'Wing on Wing' have prepared us for a man who not only understands the vocal instrument but opens venues for expression unused by others). The two songs are eloquent, airborne, and linger in the space around you even after the last notes recede. This is truly beautiful composition and Gershon and the Chorale perform them beautifully.
One can only hope that Salonen will continue to write for the voice and pursue his dream of writing opera! Highly recommended. Grady Harp, May 05

Enigmatic.......2003-02-22

All thumbs up for some wonderful performances of two instant classics in their respective genres. Itaipu is one Philipp Glass' most cinematic scores, and Gershon and the LA Master Chorale give it a powerful reading indeed. The surprise of this CD are the two pieces by Salonen, however. EPS's choral works to the poems of the swedisch poet Ann Jaderlund bear testimony to his own musical development over the past ten to fifteen years or so, namely influences he took with him. I hear some Ligeti, I sense some of the religious spirituality of a Messiaen. But still; these works sound surprisingly 'medieval', almost gregorian. A gregorian Messiaen, or a gregorian Ligeti? Headshaking, but Salonen makes it possible...! An original combination, and one can see how Salonen is about to discover his own style. Looking forward hopefully for much much more to come.

For both pieces: Highly recommended, world class performances.

Warning: Itaipu has been edited........2003-02-20

Almost two minutes have been removed from the Glass piece. I know because I have the Atlanta Symphony recording as well. This may not matter to those who like the melodies but get irritated with the highly repetitve nature of Glass's music. And a previous reviewer is right about the quality of this recording. There is a better balance here between the orchestra and chorus. You can hear different instruments more clearly and the chorus exerts more power here than in Atlanta. But if you appreciate the purer form of minimalism and are familiar with "Itaipu", you will not hear it on this CD. LET THE BUYER BEWARE! And one minor correction to a previous review: the Atlanta Symphony CD has another Glass piece besides "Itaipu". It's called "The Canyon". It starts with a simple rhythm offered only by percussion instruments over which many layers of instrumentation are gradually added. It crescendos in the middle and then descends to it's original starting point. Interesting, but just ok.

On the other hand, the Salonen choral work on this CD is wonderful. Lush, hypnotic, mysterious, breath-giving (trust me you'll hear it), and breathtaking.

I would have given this CD more stars but the "Itaipu" edits bug me.

LA Master Chorale Latest Release.......2002-09-26

Stunning performances by the Los Angeles Master Chorale, under its new Music Director Grant Gershon, of the Philip Glass "Itaipu" and two newly-composed a capella songs of Esa-Pekka Salonen.If Philip Glass is your meat, this is surely the best recording-and the Master Chorale's ability to carry-off the challenge of Salonen's two new pieces is most impressive.

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