Search - Philip Glass, Gene Rickard, Joan La Barbara :: Philip Glass: North Star

One of my favorites

Christopher K. Koenigsberg | Norman, OK USA | 03/11/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This has long been one of my most favorite Glass albums.

I got to see the film once, after I'd already heard the album.

I used to play tracks from this album, live on a college radio station where I was a DJ, like every week, through the 1970's.



Now I miss the rough crude abruptness, of the cheesy Farfisa organ sound, in this recording, also the severity and original clarity (AKA "minimalism") of the compositions, when I listen to much later Glass.



Probably that is a very subjective personal thing. If I had heard the late recordings first, I might prefer them.



But since this was one of my original introductions to the music of Philip Glass, it remains one of my top favorites."

Great Music; Absolutely Abysmal Execution

Kevin Currie-Knight | Newark, Delaware | 05/02/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"For a long time, I've had a deep appreciation for Philip Glass's music. Particularly, I like the early stuff such as "Music in Twelve Parts," "Two Pages," and "Einstein on the Beach." It stands to reason that I should be listening to this disc much more than I do. So why don't I?



While I absolutely love the pieces on this disc, the performances of them are absolutely horrendous! Vocalists frequently slip off pitch; instruments attack a hair late here and a hair early there. Even the odd-meter stuff that Glass and his ensemble became so good at making sound natural often sounded akward and stilted. Quite simply, the polished precision that Glass has become known for is nowhwere - I mean nowhere - to be found!



My two stars are purely for the ideas contained on this disc; the missing three are all for such a poor execution, it is somewhat embarrasing to listen to. I sincerely hope that at some point either Glass or an outside party (preferebly the former) rerecords these absolutely thrilling pieces because if you like early Glass, they are to die for. Until that day, I will grudgingly settle for this version and leave to my imagination what North Star would sound like if performed well.



(Three of the pieces, actually, ARE available in a very good all-piano version. They are found on a disc of Glass's piano pieces played by Arturo Salteri called "Circles.")"

Classic Glass

Roland | Idaho | 01/17/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This music is classic Philip Glass minimalism, and is comparable to Einstein on the Beach and Koyaanisqatsi in terms of the sound and style of the compositions. These songs are not as long as those on these other albums, which makes this album short and sweet and may be a good introduction to his work from this period to someone checking out Philip Glasses music from this period for the first time. It should be noted that these songs are very, very minimal - so for those who like Glass but not the older minimalism stuff, you may consider it."