Philip Glass: Glass Box Mania

Even though Philip Glass' 70th birthday is now well behind us, the goodies keep coming in. To keep up with the tireless productivity of the composer and to provide at least a tentative overview of his mushrooming oeuvre, Nonesuch Records have just announced the release of „Glass Box“, a massive 10CD set celebrating Glass' music over a career spanning almost four decades. In fact, „Glass Box“ is so utterly aimed at completeness and a fair balance between all periods of his oeuvre that even scanning the MP3s to all of its 102 tracks on the Nonesuch site would take you almost two full hours. Even though no retrospective on Philip Glass could ever manage featuring extracts from every single one of his works, all major pieces are represented here: Next to revisiting the psychedelic organ dreams „Music in Contrary Motion“ and „Music with Changing Parts“, offering luxuriously extensive looks and listens into „Music in 12 Parts“ and „Einstein on the Beach“ - as well as several other operas – the set also highlights the all too often forgotten instrumental genres, such as Glass' String Quartets, Symphonies and Soundtracks.

Accompanying the music of „Glass Box“ is a 191 page book, featuring an introductory note from the composer, photos dug up from the vaults, libretti, texts, and friendly words by expected and unexpected fans of Philip Glass' compositions: Paul Simon, David Byrne, Chuck Close, Laurie Anderson and David Harrington. Various essays will also analyse the specifics of his personal style, as well as the effect his work has had. Even Nonseuch Records President Bob Hurwitz felt inclined to include a personal statement: “The list of artists with whom Philip has collaborated is extensive and impressive, but there have been a few of these relationships that have helped change the world“, he writes, „One could not imagine Einstein on the Beach without Bob Wilson. One could not imagine the Qatsi films without Godfrey Reggio,” Hurwitz continues. “He has worked with many great musicians, but his relationships and collaborations with Dennis Russell Davies, the Kronos Quartet, and, most significantly, Michael Riesman, have created a new repertoire. It is an honor and a privilege for me personally to have known Philip for so many years, and for Nonesuch to be able to present so many of these important artistic relationships in the Glass Box.” Next to being presented in a visually appealing cube, at $86, the „Glass Box“ certainly seems fairly priced as well.

As if this weren't enough, Philip Glass very own label Orange Mountain Music have made their 2006-recording of „Music in 12 Parts“ available as a 4CD Box. Formerly released one-part-per month at itunes, the set makes for another potential christmas gift – and allows for a look back at a time when even Glass called his music „minimal“.

Homepage: Philip Glass
Homepage: Nonesuch Records
Homepage: Orange Mountain Music