Track Listing

1. Opening
2. Floe
3. Slands
4. Rubric
5. Facades
6. Closing

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6526 in Music
• Released on: 2003-03-10
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

Customer Reviews

A lovely thing.
When Mr Sax invented what Homer Simpson memorably refers to as "The Saxamaphone" he had in mind a number of uses for it. Something like a clarinet but louder, to make the grade in a marching military band. And in a symphonic setting, something that would allow the wind section to compliment the strings more fully. Well he got his wish with the military bands, but once adopted by jazzers and honking rock and rollers the saxaphone seems to have been diverted from the classical home Adolph intended for it. That is until Philip Glass wrote this sumptious setting for the instrument.You will have heard a few of these pieces in the better class of TV advert. They are all pattering pianos, swelling strings and those saxaphones are there, doing what they were born for. You might not recognise them as saxes. They aren't being played the way we usually hear them.Every track bar Rubric is a meditative gem. The mood is of the more austere Miles Davis. Rubric is one of those urgent insistent repetitive pieces which Glass and his friend Steve Reich are perhaps better known for. Not perhaps to everyone's taste but in my opinion a fine foil to the more restful sections on the rest of the disk. Its modern classical music, but don't be afraid. Come on in. The saxaphones are lovely. Glass is at his most accessible and enjoyable here.

Dynamics and saxophones
I got into the work of Glass through his album Solo Piano and was anxious to purchase this complete album after hearing the track 'Facades'.

Glassworks is an album of dynamics and characterised by Glass' prepensity for dense rhythmic structures - some of these pieces can at first listen seem quite similar. Essentially the album is bookended by 'opening' and 'closing' (quite obviously, I hear you snigger!), both sharing the same notes, but the former played on a solitary piano, while the latter is performed by the orchestra. I prefer 'opening', perhaps because of my enjoyment of 'solo piano' - it is gentle and lilting; a subtly complex construction of notes.

I love the way Glass has used Saxophones in this piece. 'Facades' on balance remains my favourite piece - it is more thoughtful and sombre than the pounding 'Floe' and 'Rubric'. In it, a saxophone floats on top of some simple string refrains and conjures the work of Miles Davis to mind at times.

I found this album interesting and enjoyable. Its dynamics, while initially a little jarring came to be its strength on repeated listenings. Another interesting album from Mr. Glass!

TOTALNI KRETEN
Glass deservers only to be buried alive! His music is irritating everytime i got the unfortunate occasion to hear it and ruins all dramatic movies! How he baceme famous it is a mystery to me! Look the movie "Kundun" or "Hamburger Hill" for example, is that a score for a movies such as this????????? Philis GO HOME and stop selling your garbage!!!!!!!!!!! Please GO HOME!