Philip Glass? wildly popular solo piano performances inspired the recording of "Etudes for Piano, Vol. I, nos. 1-10". Orange Mountain Music is proud to present the premiere recordings of these compositions. Mr. Glass state... more »s in the album?s liner notes: "The Etudes began for me in the mid-90s and I am still adding new music to this collection as I write these notes in 2003. Their purpose was two-fold. First, to provide new music for my solo piano concerts. And second, for me to expand my piano technique with music that would enhance and challenge my playing. Hence, the name Etudes, or "studies". The result is a body of work that has a broad range of dynamic, tempo and emotion. I hope to complete the second set of ten etudes, of which the first six are already composed, in the next few years."This is Orange Mountain Music?s seventh release of Philip Glass? material and the first to contain all new recordings.« less
Philip Glass? wildly popular solo piano performances inspired the recording of "Etudes for Piano, Vol. I, nos. 1-10". Orange Mountain Music is proud to present the premiere recordings of these compositions. Mr. Glass states in the album?s liner notes: "The Etudes began for me in the mid-90s and I am still adding new music to this collection as I write these notes in 2003. Their purpose was two-fold. First, to provide new music for my solo piano concerts. And second, for me to expand my piano technique with music that would enhance and challenge my playing. Hence, the name Etudes, or "studies". The result is a body of work that has a broad range of dynamic, tempo and emotion. I hope to complete the second set of ten etudes, of which the first six are already composed, in the next few years."This is Orange Mountain Music?s seventh release of Philip Glass? material and the first to contain all new recordings.
CD Reviews
Sincere, but woefully inadequate
Vince Leo | 06/16/2004
(2 out of 5 stars)
"Philip Glass can rightfully be credited with ushering in a new type of composition, one which has attracted many fans to 'serious' composition. Whether one values this compositional style is a matter of taste, and there's little point in arguing that. Personally, I really don't see how anyone listening to the piano music of Ives or Griffes or Barber -- just to mention three 20th Century Americans whose anklebones Glass must strain to see up to -- can possibly find much in these works. They are pleasant, they work well for ads or movie soundtracks, but one must be almost willfully ignorant of piano composition to find greatness in them.The real problem is the unbelievable ineptitude of the performances. The world is teeming with exceptional pianists, battling it out in competitions and spending their entire lives honing their skills. Billy Joel (a much better pianist technically than Glass; I'm sorry, but it's impossible to argue with this) was smart enough to get a highly-talented professional to record his 'serious' piano works to best advantage. Joel's works are highly derivative of Schumann and Chopin, but they are very fine for what they attempt. Glass' are a one-trick pony: repetitive, filled with faux Jazz tropes, simple chord progressions, even if on occasion they are effective.Despite my regard for Glass' abilities as a composer, I have to report this record is something of an embarrassment, when held up to much of his ouevre (Einstein on the Beach, Koyaanisqatsi, etc.) After two or three of the etudes, one almost feels the need to shut off the player.If you want etudes, the greatest set ever is by that old, dead guy Chopin. His are works of the purest genius. Ask anyone who really knows piano music. And, if you are ready for them, try Debussy's, which are decades ahead of their time. Listen to Paul Jacobs or Mitsuko Uchida play them, and stand in awe of a great realization of superb, prophetic music. It's sad to think that a shoddy album like this will outsell all these others by an order of magnitude."
A giant upon whose shoulders many will stand.
Jonathan Lunneberg | Waterford, MI United States | 10/27/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Well, I'll start by saying that this is some of the most beautiful and complexly expressive music I've heard in a very long time.I am a big fan of PG and eagerly await recordings of newer pieces like the Tirol Concerto, Symphony No. 6 (Plutonian Ode) and the next set of Piano Etudes mentioned in the liner notes of this recording.These Etudes will most likely not please those fans that cling strongly to the idea that PG is a minimalist composer. The sheer amount of different aspects/elements of music (rhythm, texture, form, melody, harmony) given full attention in these pieces, as well as other concert pieces of the last 10-15 years, put this music into a completely different category than minimalism.Simply put, these pieces express contemporary emotions by contemporary means. There is no gimmick or simple handle to hold on to this music. It is full and complete music.I have recently read 'Glass - A Portrait' by Robert Maycock, which I purchased right here on Amazon.com. One overwhelmingly restated point is the fact that Glass has not considered himself a minimalist composer since the very early days of his composing career. I am agreeing with that point more and more as I review and contemplate my PG recording collection. This recording of the Etudes is a stand-out example of this point. I don't know of any other composition by PG that features such a complete surrender to the expression of emotion and feeling that is so apparent in this collection of pieces for solo piano.I will take a chance and say that PG's solo piano music is likely the part of his catalogue that resides closest to his heart. Most of it was composed specifically for performance by himself. He acknowledges that about these pieces. This should explain the dramatic difference between these pieces and other larger scale stage or screen projects.Now, to address the title of this review. I am now proclaiming to any that may listen that Philip Glass is the pioneering composer of a new era. He was brave enough to set aside preconceived notions of music that had been completely twisted, mangled and perverted (albeit for the sake of art, and often with fruitful results) by many respected composers of the past 100 years or so. In doing so, he created his own personal musical language (maybe a dialect) from the most basic concepts of the organization of sound. Gradually, over the course of his career, he has expanded that language.This new look at what music is, is the beginning. Just as countless composers have built on the achievements of Bach or Beethoven, so to will many composers pick up where Philip Glass leaves off at the end of his career.That being said, I hope PG will be around for a long time and continue to be as productive and expressive as he has been all along.Do yourself a favor and buy this CD. It will open your eyes."
Oddly charming thanks to less than perfect playing
Peter Cooper | Louth, UK | 08/04/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The other reviews here that criticize Glass's performances of the études are right in their collective assertion that the playing is somewhat sloppy and riddled with minor technical mistakes, but its these that, I feel, make it an incredibly charming work to listen to.
These performances are an oddly charming depiction of the humanity and soul that Glass provides his music. These qualities are often hard to pick up in his work, but these raw performances exaggerate them and make his love for the music palpable at last. As the composer, Glass is free to perform these pieces as he likes and what he lacks in technical prowess is made up for by these truly engaging performances.
Etude #3 is a good demonstration of this where a rehash of a previously somber theme (which recalls Interlude from Orphee (Act II Scene 5) somewhat) turns into an exciting carousel piece due to the syncopated nature of Glass's performance.
There is an incredible warmth to this album. The sound is good, Glass plays with an imperfect passion, and it makes for excellent music to ponder or work to."
You can hear him listening
Vince Leo | minneapolis, mn USA | 04/30/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Philip Glass wrote Etudes to take on the road, and in the process stripped everything from minimalism but two hands and a piano. Enriched by this most basic constraint, each etude reveals a musical presence that is both austere and melodic, obsessivley structured and surpisingly open ended. Glass wears his influences on his sleve, but something tells me Chopin isn't complaining. Without hype or flash, Glass continues to push the definition of the cultural moment; reminding us that the essential tool of music is not technology or style but an ability to listen and to imagine a listener unike any other. Etudes is quiet, but approach carefully and you can hear Philip Glass listening."
Absolutely gorgeous
Howard Schulman | Providence, RI | 01/12/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"In about 2000, I attended a Philip Glass performance of his Etudes. They are relatively simple compared with much of his other work, just solo piano, but more than anything else, they have more of a melodic line. It was a treat to actually see him perform these studies, and I have never grown tired of hearing them on CD. I believe he mentioned that he was almost finished writing another ten etudes but I haven't heard about them. He wrote the first ten for himself, so that he could have something to play he himself toured. This might sound like an un-Philip Glass comment to make, but they very much reminded me of Beethoven! Anything but 5 stars means you haven't listened to them!"
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1