Philip Glass on Writing Music

[cosmiclight]

Glass is pure genius! His work with Godfrey Reggio’s Koyaanisqatsi is incomparable to any other modern classical works. Miles Davis said: "Do not fear mistakes; there are none." We find it easy to judge another’s artworks to our personal liking-disliking. Man loves to criticize. "Some will criticize what they do not know yet only champion what their small narrow window hears and sees in such a big sky of the entire universe." -Mark Seibold, Retired IT Tech, Artist-Astronomy Educator, Portland Or

[nobodady1]

Glass is notorious for scoring wrong notes. But it doesn't surprise me in the least that a conductor would have powers of audition that could rival a composer since it is their task to attend to the details of the sound and performance.

[yisacknayrabin]

Yes Phil, a "foggy field" of minor third ostinatos....

[oklahomma]

@yisacknayrabin lol so true...

[Tommybeelersaccount]

@yisacknayrabin ostinati

[getbent000]

Philip Glass might be the last person in the world you'd want to consult about writing MUSIC.

[louis621]

@getbent000 the man trained with boulanger, if theres anyone you would want to consult about music, it would be him. what sets out art music is that it is methodical and in the past 3 centuries by its nature experimental, whether it be classics like bach or mozart who experimented in thematic and contrapuntal effects to romantics like chopin who experimented with emotion. Todays music focuses more on sound, texture and ambience but this does not mean it is not music.

[adognamedsally]

@getbent000 That is uncalled for. Music is not a formulaic mass of cadences and phrases, done to death over the last couple thousand years. There is an abstraction behind music, which should be the impetus for it. The abstraction is feeling, pure formless expression. The music needs to be molded to that expression in order to give it tangibility. The music should not be formed based on 'rules' and typicalities. Music as you (seem to) understand it is only one facet of music as a concept.

[ZeitOner]

@adognamedsally YOU WIN. :) Not being cynical.

<3

[0FlightlessBird0]

@adognamedsally Amazingly Said!

[Archimagister]

He sounds like he had a couple before climbing onstange

[Dannepihls]

@Archimagister

Hahaha he does, it is quite funny :)



[mreyno02]

Glass has the the Beethoven syndrome. "I've often felt that for someone that was destined to write so much music I had been given poor equipment. Why couldn't I hear that second clarinet part being wrong? But (the conductor) could hear it." Personally, I marvel at the critical listening skills a conductor has. They frequently can zero in to the source of any anomaly during a rehearsal so by showtime the piece is perfect. So, I am in awe of both the conductor and Philip Glass!

[nostoi68]

for one or it's better Firstly, this is my opinion and for this reason i defend it as much as i can; for two or secondly, mind your business i can state my opinion or any other judgement whenever I want and as much as i want.............

[theredmetallic]

This guy is an amazing composer, yes there are many arpeggios, if you don't like it than don't listen to it. But also take into consideration that no matter what you or anyone does in their life there will always be those who hate you and what you do, these people are petty and not worth a min of your time.

[bmikesci]

Beethoven went deaf. Don't feel so bad:-)

[TheVirginQueenShane]

@bmikesci But that doesn't mean he still could not hear music...

[retrocareermelted]

thats so rad, this is the asact impression I feel when listening to his music

[nostoi68]

americans even the more genius ones need to do joke to entertain people .....

[bucoliclandscape]

@nostoi68 For one, if you're going to insult anyone, you should use correct grammar. For two, if you dislike America so much, why are you writing in English?

[KikiManini]

@bucoliclandscape Sorry to intervene but I can't help but disagree on you're second point. What has disliking America got to do with writing in english? The english language pre-dates the discovery of America and there are many other countries in which english is the primary language.

[dstreamerII]

@LittleTortillaBoy34 nice meter in your response. i think it is cool that you left such a poetic response regardless of what your view was.

[LittleTortillaBoy34]

@dstreamerII  lol dude i actually do like him. that line is from a song that i thought was funny

[hartnell114]

misspelt philip but otherwise,amazing

[moviesmyway]

misspelled misspelt

[hartnell114]

i wrote it the same way you have,but,does it honestly matter, you understood it all the same

[fraserdaly]

You mean to write "misspelled misspelled".

But actually both 'misspelled' and 'misspelt' are correct spellings.

[dimeloloco]

@fraserdaly who the fuck cares who misspelt misspelled mispelled mishpellled what.

so you can write a word that has been written down correctly millions of times before the egg that created you was headfucked by tiny fucking sperm. congratulations at speaking english! I'm sure you suck at every other language in the world

[vindikation]

lol that was great, so honest!

[chubbaustralia]

great to see this!

[tradogg3]

I like this one I find it very funny glass is awsome!!

[heyboy08]

scott hicks didnt win the oscar hah.

[Kreutzer21]

the best. Glass Powah!

[fosco85]

I love Philip Glass, and this interview is excelent, thanks for the post!!!!!

[tommyk77]

Glass is a good composer. I must say though that I prefer his film music as his style is best appreciated with other media to put it in perspective

[666hater666]

a good composer? hes the best out there lol

[tommyk77]

Wow, no way man. Arpeggios aren't all there is to music, lol

[CONSIDERyou]

You're funny.

[Zetara22]

umm... Subjective... how about the choice not to listen...