Philip Glass (1937 - Present)

Introduction
Philip Glass, born in Baltimore on January 31st, 1937, is an Oscar nominated avant-garde composer who has had major pieces of music in orchestras, operas, and in films. Glass has studied at Peabody’s conservatory, the University of Chicago, and the Juilliard School. Glass would later on travel to Europe to study alongside Nadia Boulanger and sitar musician Ravi Shankar, a major influence on his music. Philip Glass would become known for his music thought of contemporary in minimalism.

https://www.npr.org/sections/deceptivecadence/2015/04/25/401246742/the-world-music-education-of-philip-glass - Photo

Work Analysis
In 1982, Philip Glass would release his album Glassworks. Philip had mindset for this project to create an listening experience that could be exposed to a wider demographic of people; he would accomplish this by having shorter songs that one would see on a pop album. Glass’ technique of contemporary minimalism would be on full display through his album by composing pieces that were built of repetition that evolved as the music progressed. An example of this can be heard in the opening song Opening. Opening is very intimate piece by Glass. Usinging just piano, Glass uses his minimalist techniques to create a motif that can leave listeners lost in the hypnotic beauty of the work and not notice how the long the song goes on for.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Stu7h7Qup8

Observations
The more modern presentation of this album to be more “easy listening” for anyone pulled me in immediately. Glass’ work in Opening and throughout the album is great for anyone that is being introduced to minimalist or composed music not in pop-culture for the first time.