Philip Glass - Symphony 8 - Movement 1 - part 1

[ErichWr]

Brilliant! Just absolutely brilliant! The epic tension creates drama, emotion, and excitment all throughout!

[lichtungdesseins]

i always find glass beeing onedimensional ,but this differs

[SabertoothStudios1]

An Incredible work, truly a masterpiece of contemporary classical music

[arvidtom]

One can only marvel at what has become of this once very interesting and talented composer. This is really mediocre music, completely lacking the inspiration and urgency of, say, 'Einstein on the beach', sounding like it's written on automatic pilot (like most of Glass's recent works).

[ShanniBan123]

This is brilliant. Glass brings the word music to life.

[CossacksChampion]

where is part 2 ?

[TheDavid2222]

Glass has really tapped into the Zeitgeist of our times to create his excellent music. It is a talent in itself to find the spirit of one's own time period.

[anisuthideyakoindu]

What Philip Glass loves himself very much(Quote):

Philip Glass Seventy by Wouter Joseph Smekens

or

Happy Glassday

it's on iTunes

[AramHovhannisyan]

very bad music

[ODRADEK111]

please, remove this video from youtube.

For a better world, for a cleaner world, for a cleaner internet.

Let's erase the irrelevant, outdated, crappy, shallow pastiche-like music from the web. Let's start with this one. Mother Earth thanks you.

[TheArthen]

Weird how people would euphemize themselves away from fear and make believe they are happy, but when it comes to boredom's state of mind, they can't do shit

[POPEATRON]

i mostly only know metal and rock music but but the past month i have been exploring classical music and i find this to be one of the top 10 song i have ever heard i love it. also if anyone could direct me to some good composer of this kind of music that would be great

[PhilosopherEight]

Here a few suggestions:

Try 'The Planets' by Holst. You might have heard a bit of this before, but it is a brilliant example of where music was about 100 years ago.

Also try Glass' 2nd Symphony - easily his best work in my view.

Shostakovich's 10th Symphony (with Karajan & the Berlin Philharmonic) are also a good place to start for fellow metalistas like us. The 2nd movement rocks.

I know why you like this. You like it because it is potent, but in a different way than rock is.

[springbokvlakte]

@POPEATRON If you like Philip Glass check out Steve Reich and Michael Nyman as well. Here's a few powerful works: Shostakovich symphonies 5,6,10 and 12. Everything by Stravinksy, but check out Rite of Spring. Penderecki's Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima. Bruckner symphony 8 and 9.

[madacus2]

Popetaron. Try Michael Nyman.

Madacus 2

[pournam]

@POPEATRON

Search for "Short ride in a fast machine"

[Vlessgorian]

@POPEATRON Brahms' tragic overture, symphony 4, double concerto. Shostakovich string qartet 8 (second movement). ysaye's les furies. Dvorak cello concerto. Grieg piano concerto (when you've heard more)

[laurion69]

I never heard a musical crap worse than this one!

[chrisbooth24]

@laurion69

try tik tok by kesha....or your mother for that matter.

[ODRADEK111]

@chrisbooth24 ignorant

[chrisbooth24]

@laurion69

try tik tok by kesha....or your mother for that matter.

[MrUtube14]

where is part 2? i can't find it.

[ludwigvan17]

Absolutely fantastic. Those fast string line towards the end had me bouncing in my seat.

[ruudzwart]

The music is nice... the video part is great !

[Justino111]

Two words define PHilip Glass symphonic "ouvre": Hollywood and....Bollywood...that's pretty much it!!!

[alexvollrathsmith]

This is awesome.

[ohlordbabyjesus]

It makes me sad that Philip Glass has gotten so crappy. :((

[Justino111]

dude, finally someone else writes a comment that resonates REALITY. I cannot agree with you more.

[jakaput]

the second movement is the best!

[conticreative]

Wow, this is quite the thread. It has been a while since I came across such sparring on modern composers.

I personally like Glass and Adams and I am not a big fan of Berio (or Grisey, Scelsi,etc.) His piano pieces resemble very much what my cats sound like when I leave my piano on.

I have tried liking them, I even studied them, but music is something that has to hit you viscerally and I guess it just doesn't work for me.

I am glad it works for some folks and I am happy to leave it at that.

[Justino111]

it's fine, BERIO, GRISEY AND SCELSI are three of the greatest voices ever.

But of course if one needs to go to the toilet and find toilet paper. That's when Philip Glass comes handy.

[Justino111]

I respect composers who learn from history and try to come up with something new. John Adams is NOT one of them!!! His language is old, his harmonies are boring. It's anachronistic music disguised by "satisfactory" orchestrations. His "best" moments could be seem as a student trying to emulate as much as possible from Stravinsky. But he can't go far - his music relies on shallow material - and that's the connection between Adams and Glass, not the repetition or lack of.

[Sipsike]

Well, I think Philip Glass is genius. I am composer, too, I have no idea how he can get those feelings into it. I don't talk about harmony - it's not the most important thing in here. If I want "new" things, then I just listen Schönberg :)

well, I am not trying to convince anyone in here. just everyone has their own opinion

[Justino111]

if you want "NEW" things you just listen to Schoenberg???

Let's face it: composition is not the strongest art form in America. We have to face reality. After Morton Feldman, we have to downgrade many many levels and swallow people like Philip Glass and John Adams...

[Sipsike]

When I sayed "new" I meant unusual. I usually listen not-modernistic music, classical or rock or something else.

And I am not form America... I'm from eastern Europe, I usually don't even like American compositors. And I don't swallow it. Ilisten to it. It's simple - and it is very good.

[Justino111]

and i meant "new" exactly like you did: UNUSUAL.

And if you rely on Schoenberg to get "unusual" music, that means you are consciously or unconsciously ignoring at least 50 years of music creation, i.e., post-war new music. There is a lot of interesting stuff out there. Some can be harsh to the years at first, but it's an entire new world of genuine music creation. Glass gave his contribution around the 70's! Unfortunately, his Postminimalism phase has produced utterly bad and weak music.

[Sipsike]

Can you give me some interesting music? (with no sarcasm). I am 16 and I know just about nothing about post-war new music. Thank you.

You didn't change my mind. I still like Glass, especially Koyaanisquatsi:) I'm not ignoring any music (OK, pop music, yes), I just don't know about it. I don't have time to search for music, but I try to.

[Justino111]

there are a few real innovators whose music will survive till the end of this planet. Ligeti has various phases and you find fantastic stuff in all of them: his last works include a Piano concerto and a Violin concerto that are masterpieces. Pieces like LONTANO are historical landmarks. Check Luciano Berio's CHEMINS, they are all gorgeous works. Giacinto Scelsi, whose music is unique, a journey into the sound. And check Gerard Grisey...a master who died relatively young. Genuine creators...

[kusuna7]

LONG LIVE LIGETI!!!!!!!!!

[Justino111]

indeed!!!!

[Wagnerlover777]

Let's be frank, Glass has lost a lot of his innovative spirit starting from the time he wrote his ridiculous "Low" Symphony. From then on, he has improved, but minimally (get the pun?). Ligeti was a genius. Also, apart from Glass, there has been John Adams who has written some marvelous stuff (considering that it's too unpredictable to be true minimalist), and then there's my personal favorite in the movies: Elfman. However, maybe you should just leave Glass to his poor niche? Just a suggestion.

[TomAndRichardOHansen]

I agree. Philip Glass is a minimalist. I own every album, and quite frankly, almost all the tracks sound around the same. But on the other hand, each song seems to have it own feeling from the previous track no matter how same the song sounds.

[Justino111]

Wagnerlover777: good comment.

I just don't think that the names of Ligeti and John Adams should share the same paragraph. If an ET comes to Earth and first listens to Ligeti and then Adams, the ET would think that after achieving a very high intelligence, mankind must have collapsed after a deadly cataclysm and had the most retrograde flow in the history of the planet.

Yes, I should leave Glass to his poor niche. But this music is insultingly horrible and is occupying too much internet space.

[Wagnerlover777]

Have you listened to some of the other stuff online? Dear God, it makes Glass into a Bach (and that is not a stretch). I have to disagree with you on Adams, I find Transmigration a wonderful work, along with Century Rolls, but I think we can agree to disagree, right?

[MrUtube14]

IDon't laugh but in my opinion hes right behing shostakovich and shostakovich is my favorte composer so that makes him #2 :P If you listen to his music enough it sonds not only normal but better than any other music. Think about it like this, if a song has realy repusive or unusual cords you will at first tink the song sucks. but after listening to it for a minuet or so you will get used to the cords and the cords could show a different aspect of music. Philip Glass does this

with repetition.

[TheDavid2222]

@Justino111 Glass has incredible music, and Glass could care less about how entertained you are anyways. It's your job as the listener to find what the composer is trying to convey. This is your fault not Philip's. Figure out why the hell people like this so much and you might just stretch out your ability to appreciate art.

[PhilosopherEight]

Arthur Honegger Symphony #2 & #3. Make sure to get the Berlin Philharmonic with Karajan version. Not at all like Glass, but a master of polytonic music.

Also check out 50's Soviet music, Like Shostakovich's 10th Symphony & Khachaturian.

These are good starting points to go explore the rest of the century. Enjoy...

[Wagnerlover777]

Honneger, I'm going to be frank, was wonderful, but he's not going to last, let's face it. Shostakovich, most definately; musical genius from the start. But you forget people like say Adams, Reich, the "interesting" minimalists. Also, film music at its best: Williams, Corigliano, Horner, Elfman, the rest. There's also the microtone composers (rare). There are the interesting no-nice composers: Higdon, Towers, Jenkins, etc. Basically, there's a lot out there besides those 3. Think about it.

[PhilosopherEight]

He is 'not going to last'? What does this mean? Who cares? Popular consensus is what we should oppose; not cite as a basis for our taste and preference.

[ludwigvan17]

Amen.

[MrUtube14]

thank you. that makes at least 2 of us :)

[PhilosopherEight]

I fail to understand how any music lover could give a thumbs down to my comment recommending Honegger. There is nothing argumentative or controversial in my prev comment. What basis for the thumbs downs?

Seriously, even if you do not like Honegger, what is up with that? Do I stalk the Brahms pages and tell everybody there how derivative and uninspiring his music is? No! I keep politely quiet if I cannot find something nice to say.

[Wagnerlover777]

Shall we put it to a preference of personal taste? I can't say that I love all composers. Honegger, not my favorite, but he was good at what he did. But I try to look at other people's reactions who are not part of the whole "music is God" (or similar) ideology. Instead, if we look at the "common man", to put it lightly, if a composer can't be found in a local music store, they are probably going to die out. And I certainly did not give you a thumbs down (as I still HAVE integrity, and like it).

[TheDavid2222]

@Wagnerlover777 unfortunatley common people can't be depended on. Common people pay attention to functional music instead of art music. the common man doesn't mean a damn thing and composers know that. What dies out for the common man is irrelevant. Composers don't wright music for entertainment. if it were left to your "common man" Wagner would have replaced by brittney spears at this point. The elites of the music world should be listened to when it comes to music created for asthetic reasons.

[Wagnerlover777]

@TheDavid2222 In fact, a lot of composers DO. I cannot think of a single half-decent composer of classical music that has stayed adrift in the past 30 years in even a slight mainstream, save for those who write movie scores. The best that classical music right now can hope for is a totat disembowelment of the old ideas for how music ought to be written, and pay attention to what catches the ear and the imagination, not the mind. We have lost sight of that.

[6JohnRedmond6]

@Wagnerlover777 Yes I think you are correct, it is important that the mind does not stay detached from the ear and imagination. I think even if we look at someone like Haydn, we can see how genius can be in fact helped by commercial means, and not sacrificing the art.

[Orlymusicboy]

@6JohnRedmond6 how did it help?

[6JohnRedmond6]

@Orlymusicboy In numerous ways, though don't think that I don't know that commerce often hurts the artist, but if the right balance is there in the artist and commercial it can lead to inspiration. For example; commercial can keep an artist disciplined and not indulgent and anal, to make his point. In a way, commercial is representative of the human race at a certain point, so if the artist can find the right balance, he can find certain commercial things can feed into an understanding of human

[6JohnRedmond6]

@Orlymusicboy race. condition. I come from films, so take blade runner for example. very few would argue that it is an artistic masterpiece, it's personal expression and technical competence are uncommon to find in films. Well that film would not have happened without Star Wars being a success or indeed without the technical training Ridley Scott the director earned from advertising. I hope that answers your question:)

[Orlymusicboy]

@Wagnerlover777 I do not see composition as purely a way to entertain. That which is mainstream may not be to the composer's taste. The old ideas formed for a reason. This piece may not be the (mostly ugly) mainstream modern classical music, nor is it popular music. This piece conveys more than just entertainment for the people who can appreciate it.

This is no where near as academic a piece as say... Schoenberg's late pieces. The mind comes 2nd, yes, and the ear is not negelcted in this piece.

[PhilosopherEight]

Check out Glass' 2nd symphony. Clearly his best work in my view.

[Justino111]

so, let's talk about melody: the ""MOST interesting"" thing is when the trombones hit the Csharp as a passing tone to D, and than continue the descending pattern in a EXTREMELY PREDICTABLE way. I mean, a Csharp is of course the leading tone to the dominant...My gosh, what year was this piece composed?? 1795??? Give me a break...

[starstarstar42]

I'll say it yet again...

Philip Glass is a world famous musical genius, and Justino111 is an anonymous youtube poster that hates that he's a nobody.

[Justino111]

hahaha....awesome!! I like that!!

As far the "world famous musical genius"...please, enough of these jokes. Ask some REAL contemporary composers (not the hollywood crowd which Glass is now part of) about your "genius". The "nice" ones will point out Steve Reich as the only Minimalist worth listening. A few will be nice enough to point out two or three pieces that Glass wrote 30 years ago as being worth listening. And most of them will agree that he has been writing garbage for the last 20 years.

[xxpeyotedragon]

Most of your theoretical "REAL" composers would agree that he has been writing garbage for 20 years? Well I'm convinced, if real composers say it then who am I to doubt it.

[starstarstar42]

I notice you did not deny you were simply a nobody that does anonymous postings on youtube. Those who can't.... well, YOU know. You know all to well, don't you, Mr. Scalieri. :)

[RichardxHollis]

It's rather funny to listen to reactionaries like Justino111 talk about Haydn's and Beethoven's symphonies while critiquing Glass. When Beethoven's symphonies were first written, people hated them, because they expanded and destroyed the old classical structure of the symphony. Only Haydn and Mozart could write symphonies, not Beethoven. It's all about listening to the music and expanding your own mind's definition of what a symphony is.

[Justino111]

u have no clue about what u are writing. You consider GLASS NEW MUSIC, I DON'T. You insult people's intelligence trying to compare historical responses related to Beethoven new practices with this frivolous CONSERVATIVE contemporary composer Philip Glass. This is exactly the OPPOSITE of what Beethoven did in his days. There is NO RESEARCH in Philip Glass, there is NOTHING new.Get the facts correct and listen to this stupid "symphony" again. It's old and frivolous, a bad copy of early practices.

[tarrguss]

People talking shit about glass is the same as people saying abstract painters can not draw, as if they new them personaly. If you look at art or listen to music and think "I could do that, so it isent any good" then it sounds like you are having trouble with self loathing to think anything you can do is no good. And by the way, if you can do it, then do it all ready.

[Justino111]

Glass music HAS NOTHING to do with abstract painting. Much on the contrary!! For the past 20 years, Glass has been the most superficial and explicitly figurative (in the silliest possible way) composer. Your remark is simply wrong from top to end. You don't know what you're talking about. You clearly don't know anything about music and probably even less about painting.

[tarrguss]

Thanks for bieng such a nice person! Does it make you feel like a man to insult the tast of others?

[Justino111]

you're welcome.

I am the one who's taste has been insulted.

[tarrguss]

Not by me, I like Miles Davis.:)

[Justino111]

Miles Davis is only one great musician that I happen to like. And I am glad you like him as well.

But I do love contemporary composers, but not anachronistic ones like Glass. I think people should try to think a bit about what music is about: music is creativity and not only silly entertainment. If Glass did something interesting, it was 30 years ago. But his symphonies are HORRIBLE. The language is poor, conservative and silly.

What about that Tirol Concerto? It's so lame.

[RichardxHollis]

Unfortunately, Justino, you're nothing but a loud mouth. And reviewing all your comments here regarding Philip Glass, you come across as nothing more than a loud mouth reactionary. So why don't offer some serious critique of Glass' music, as opposed to comparing him to Britney Spears. I'm sure you think such a comparison is witty, but you have no clue what you're talking about. And, judging by your comments, you have no clue about music theory, either. So get educated, put up, or shut up.

[RichardxHollis]

P.S. Here's an example of Justino's remarkable music criticism: "But his symphonies are HORRIBLE. The language is poor, conservative and silly." I can't help but think Justino is some 17 year old who thinks he knows it all, so I won't comment on him any further. When it comes to music, he has no clue what he's talking about. Either that, or he has no clue how to critique music or come across as anything other than a dimwit reactionary.

[Justino111]

oh please, please...are you deaf? Can't the music speak by itself? Or you are one of those "professional critics dependent"? Seriously, have you ever heard of 20th century composition, i mean the REAL STUFF. Have u ever heard of Ligeti, Berio, Xenakis, Varese, Grisey and so many other great composers? But you want me to write a musicological critique of Philip Glass??? You want me to analyze this mediocre beginning in gminor (i - ii- V) back to the boring gminor? what about the melody...OMG...

[yumyumwhatzohai]

thats because Justino is a 17 yearl old know it all. Who doesn't seem to get how subjective and shallow his criticisms are.

[Justino111]

grow up, kid. and enjoy this crap like my dog likes to smell shit.

[RaRaLandEQ]

hahaha.... this justino111 is funny. I think all people who are so adamant about hating Glass and minimalism are funny. You just cannot take them seriously when they put more energy into it then those who love it. ....hahahaa

[Justino111]

is this "Symphony" minimalism??? Who told you I don't like Minimalism?? who told you I don't respect Steve Reich, for instance.

well, you don't seem to be able to discuss music in depth anyway. By the way, I LOVE MUSIC and that's why I hate this crap.

[starstarstar42]

Since you love music so much, please put your head up against a running chainsaw, I hear they have a lovely tone. Go, do it right now, before the humidity affects its tonal characteristics.

[Justino111]

Wait a minute: you said you HEARD chainsaws have a lovely tone? But you yourself don't know it!! Wow, it makes a lot of sense. I often have the impression I am debating music with a bunch of parrots who are always mimicking other people's comments.

[RaRaLandEQ]

How old are you justino? Seriously. :) You remind me of my neighbour's 13yr old son. Angst is the word.... you make me laugh too hard : ) Your tactic of debating presumption with presupposition while obsequiously indulging in your righteously indignant ego is jocular to say the least.

Ps> thank you for proving me right :) People who hate Glass truly do care more for him than those who actually like him. Don't be so frustrated that you don't understand it. Its simplicity, requires magnanimity:)

[Justino111]

hahahaha...."requires magnanimity"....yes, really FUNNY, you're right!

People, get REAL: thousands and thousands of awesome, adventurous, serious and established musicians agree that Philip Glass sucks. It's simple. Just stop all this nonsense...."how old r u justino?"

I don't hate Glass, it's just that his music is SHALLOW and MEDIOCRE. Minimalism is over, forget nostalgia. He contributed to this aesthetics 30 years ago. Everything he has written since is basically garbage.

[Wagnerlover777]

While your arguments may hold some merit, may I respond in saying that the ideas that you are trying to impose are about as shallow as the composer you so vehemently dislike? Look, minimalism is older stuff, we get it. That doesn't give you the right to trounce around like a self-righeous little tart which we have to put up with. Get over yourself. Glass is no John Adams, but even he doesn't deserve the crap you give him. Seriously, if you're that obsessed, just leave, and do us all a favor.

[Justino111]

what??? are you using John Adams as a REFERENCE here?? Reference for what??? My gosh, John Adams and Philip Glass...it can't go lower than that!! Two of the most depressing composers ever.

Look, I don't give Glass any crap. As a listener, I am the victim since his music is horrible. And by the way, I am the one who has been constantly attacked since I wrote my opinion about this bad music.

But I must admit: his symphony nr. 5 is even worse.

[Wagnerlover777]

And therefore you just contradicted yourself. Seriously, Glass can get repetitive, but ADAMS? If you don't like Adams, then either stay out of minimalism or stay out of modern music altogether, considering that the constant accusation of us not knowing music can be used against you far more effectively. If you can only accuse people without backing up your arguments, what are you doing here? Whatever it is, I hope it brings solace to you, for it only brings headaches to us.

[Justino111]

man, i think you should listen to more Glass. I have written many times that his early music is way better than the rest of his "ouvre". I've never said I am against minimalism. THAT kind of generalization is pointless. Glass music from the past 15-20 years tends to be more melodic and harmonic and that's where most of my criticism resides: the music gets really superficial and silly, a sort of hollywood frankenstein. I do respect Koyanaskatsi, though.

[Wagnerlover777]

I have listened extensively to his earliest works. And there is no argument from either corner that that music was better, but if you insist on clinging to the old and not finding any relief in the new, then the old-fashioned, 19th Century foolishness that you accuse Glass of can be said the same as your tastes, for let's face it, minimalism is NOT a new idea. As well, melody and harmony might be a new idea to Glass, so let him experiment (however badly), and leave in peace: without criticisms.

[Justino111]

Haydn's symphony number 101 is nicknamed "The Clock" ; Mozart's 41 is called Jupiter; Beethoven's 3rd is the famous Eroica. And Glass Symphony nº8 ought to be nicknamed "BRITNEY SPEARS Symphony". Way to go PHIL!!!!!!

[EMPERORMIKI]

Wrong, Spears has some talent. This music is non important.

[Justino111]

very well said, INDEED!!! I was being too generous with Philip Glass when I equated him with Britney Spears.

[AliceHatt]

I like it.

[Justino111]

Haydn's symphony number 101 is nicknamed "The Clock" ; Mozart's 41 is called Jupiter; Beethoven's 3rd is the famous Eroica. And Glass Symphony nº8 ought to be nicknamed "BRITNEY SPEARS Symphony". Way to go PHIL!!!!!!

[starstarstar42]

Dear Justino111: I write your name because almost all your comments go into double digit negative numbers 10 minutes after you post them. We GET it, you don't like Glass' music. No need to post on every single Glass video. Look, you are simple, close-minded pseudo-critic. Its not his fault he's a genius and you are an anonymous youtube poster. Accept the truth, this music is beyond you. Its beyond your ken. Admit your mediocrity and embrace it, Mr. Scalieri.

[Justino111]

Look, listen less of this CRAPPY MUSIC and try to get the numbers correct.

[Justino111]

Look, listen less of this CRAPPY MUSIC and try to get the numbers correct.

[philglassfan]

GLASS RULES! 1:34 RULES!

[chilepatriota]

philip glass glass is fantastic. Is big

[nicosupersex]

glass is good

[ODRADEK111]

the retarded Glassians want to bring censorship back!!! HAHAHAHAh

[ODRADEK111]

this is NOT emotional music. Philip Glass should STOP bullshitting around about 'abstract' versus emotional. THIS IS NOT EMOTIONAL...this is second class, BAD Hollywood stu

[karoloandria]

is becouse you can feel souless monster

[MlekoKofolaCaj]

Great video:-D

[theoldstro]

I told you to save your money, people...... the gravy train is over!

Aaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!

[xonoffx]

anyway, tirol conc. mov. II sounds great

[Justino111]

the thing is: Philip Glass doesn't really care about BEING RIDICULOUS. This music is an insult to any living being, starting from an ameba upwards. Seriously retarded stuff.

[Justino111]

this is NOT emotional music. Philip Glass should STOP bullshitting around about 'abstract' versus emotional. THIS IS NOT EMOTIONAL...this is second class, BAD Hollywood stuff.

[WaitingxxRoom]

ur insults to him are on like every single video

[Justino111]

the thing is: Philip Glass doesn't really care about BEING RIDICULOUS. It is THIS music that's an insult to others. It's outdated, frivolous, cheap, an amalgamation of CLICHES that have been used in 100 out of 100 stupid hollywood movies.

[Ubertastic]

why cant people stop trying to break things down? just listen to it for what it is. music. nothing else. once you do that you can start enjoying music

[Justino111]

sorry, your comment is AGAINST ART and AGAINST CREATIVITY. It's AGAINST the struggle of MANY ARTISTS who have to FIGHT HARD against the establishment because they were and are proposing something different. Now you say that everything is fine, life is great, we should accept everything and enjoy it. Nobody say that things have to be "broken down". It's part of the NATURE OF ART to investigate, to move forward even if that leads to mistakes.

This symphony is PATHETIC, it's passive, it's fake.

[Ubertastic]

wrong. all it is, is sound. and its a sound that should be enjoyed

[Justino111]

YOU are completely wrong. Anyways, enjoy this garbage. There are many great composers out there. I don't have to WASTE time with this. Bye.

[Ubertastic]

ok. I am enjoying it :), with enough badmouthing people get the idea that it is bad. and to those people; just listen to it for what it is, music.

[nealio990]

you sure have wasted enough time here as it is with your various comments

[Justino111]

yes, but even more time and a lot of money was wasted in the process of commissioning, rehearsing, and performing such frivolous and pathetic work.

[sequenzaVII]

Abso-fucking-lutely. I couldn't have said that better myself. None of the truly great proponents of western art music have pandered to their audiences the way Glass has. Even with Mozart, who wrote what you could call fairly populist music, never threw away the fundamentals of compositional technique, counterpoint etc etc. Now this piece may HAVE counterpoint, but it's low-grade and amateurish.

[kly45]

That's really not the point, you should see it as music, not a chance to shove as many concepts in, you pedant!

[Justino111]

very well said, indeed!!!!

My gosh, what is this?? the rhythms come from a bad hollywood formula, the melodies from some computer game, something like "Merlin and the lonely princess whatever", the harmonies...well, probably from a TV ad for Marlboro tobacco??? It is not the lack of counterpoint that bothers me, it's the content itself!!! The whole thing is of Britney's proportions!!!!

[sequenzaVII]

I totally agree, but be careful, we're not allowed to hate it. We'll get accused of being pretentious, elitist, ignorant..

Well, if preferring Elliott Carter's 'Symphony of Three Orchestras' over this pathetic symphony is elitist, then I'm happy to be elitist.

I can't wait for the Britney remix- I can totally hear her voice coming in at 2:13 =D

[joe187yo]

I love generally MOST music (from gothic satanic death metal, to christiand rock, chopin, beethoven, tchikovsky, transiberian orchestra, mozart, led zeppelin, hendrix, beatles, pink floyd, bb king, jimmy page etc.)

Individuals are allowed to hate this music . . . it's just their expressions of their hatred is the on par with the whole

"I'm better than you"

mentality because I PREFER more complex music. Childish thinking I should say -- not so much elitist.

[sequenzaVII]

well, it's not that I feel complex music is superior to simpler music, though I will say, composers who are only capable of composing simplistic music and show no *objective* signs of true musical talent, aren't worth much attention. Certainly not "the greatest living composer" level of attention. The way Mozart communicates a simple idea and the way Glass does, are two entirely different things, and the conclusion is thus; Mozart is a 100 times better.

[joe187yo]

To be frank though, in my opinion, mozart has a tendency to get extremely boring. If a few measures of Glass's piece is boring -- I'll at least know it will change in about 5 seconds. With Mozart, it could be minutes before I get to a better part of the music.

[sequenzaVII]

Boredom is a state of mind.

[ODRADEK111]

one of these clueless Glass fans called me "soulless monster"!

ANother one told me to F***..The whole thing is so pathetic. The music is so shallow, so empty. Obviously his listeners behave like catatonic zombies. The problem is when one of these zombies comes with a great dose of stupidity and ignorance. Would we call such a person the "perfect example of a Glass fan?" Hopefully not...But thinking again, maybe they are trying to prove that that is the case!!!!

[FelixCulpa81]

why all the bickering? you either like it or not - end of!! everyone has their own tastes.

[ODRADEK111]

it's not about taste AT ALL!!!! It's about TALENT or, in the case of Mr. Glass, THE LACK OF IT!

[DrStrangefate]

yes....yes...lack of talent....

Music does not require talent.

Any half decent musician would know that.

Just because Mozart was a child prodigy and possessed a gargantuan amount of works does not make him the best. THERE IS NO BEST. Music is feeling and Music is Passion. It is to the individual to judge what music speaks to THEM. Musical talent without passion or feeling is truly empty. Give me a shitty composer with feeling and I'll take them over a pretentious composer anyday.

[TheDavid2222]

@FelixCulpa81 Some just have more educated, thus more valuable taste, than others. lol

[afffred]

I wouldnt tell you to f*** off or tell you that you are a soulless monster, but you shouldnt say this music is shit here, you know you expose yourself to stupid comments.

[joe187yo]

"Boredom results from the grandiose love of the world with exclusion of man's wonderous imagination."

- Me

[laurion69]

Glass is a rough and elementary composer.

He cannot write for piano: his composition for piano are not pianistic, 'cause he is not a pianist.

In the same way, he cannot write for orchestra: he does know nothing about orchestration tecnique and insists on composing senseless muddles, imitatating silly the great simphonism of '800.

Totally ridicoulus!

[Wishchrono]

You really do have no clue what you're talking about do you? Why must everyone assume that merely cos a person is not writing a complex piece that follows "orchestral laws", this particular artist CAN'T do it? Are you all this ignorant, do you all jump to these stupid conclusions you bunch of robotsheep?

[laurion69]

It's not my fault if Glass' music has the same deepth of a puddle.

[joe187yo]

It's called minimalism -- it generally sounds cooler to me than other pedantric musicians flaunting their overused techniques . . . but to each their own right?

[MrUtube14]

hey u know that nobody cares about yur comments anymore. just watch something u like.

[guy4stuff]

I don't know what you philistines are babbling about, this is a fine piece of music. It's ability to move cannot be denied. If he's derivative of himself so what, it's called style, you heathens.

[negrooptico]

Probably this is not a very good piece, but something I never understand is why some people think they are doing better. Avant-garde musicians think they are geniouses...in fact, the thinking process they follow is this: "Beethoven broke the rules and he was genial, Debussy broke more rules and he was even greater, if I broke even more rules I will be the best ever". Ashaam: clusters are for lazy people, do the job and write every note you need.

[vbbdesign]

It does move me - to boredom. Philip Glass tends to bag the first motif he sees, smother it, and show us its corpse five or six times. It's sometimes amusing, sometimes very tedious.

[Wagnerlover777]

Wow, someone finally realized what is minimalism! Seriously, this symphony well outdoes many of his other works of the past 20 years. So he'll never be as good as he used to be, but at least it's interesting music.

[vbbdesign]

I am not against minimalism per se. Anyway, Philip Glass is not a minimalist, according to him.

By the way, I have always admired early Stravinsky. Have you seen Angelin Preljocaj's interpretation of the Rite?

[Wagnerlover777]

Stravinsky is a great passion of mine (seriously, I have the whole box set of his complete works) and everyone knows that Glass thinks his music is just "music with repetetive patterns" but that's pretty much the definition of minimalist music (and my favorite recording of the Rite is with the London Symphony)

[ashaam]

tonality is dead. well, THIS tonality is dead. Go write clusters, stop being old-fashioned mr. glass, please, do it for yourself :D

[BlueCougar]

Clusters have been dead for 30 years. No need to drag THOSE corpses out again...

[ashaam]

glassians have no sense of humor, at all U_U

[Wagnerlover777]

Tone clusters are great to use, but only in SOME situations. This music makes great use of the minimalistic ideas that Glass has, and if you think that tonality is that dead in this case, there's enough dissonance in it to fill up a few measures I'd say. Glass isn't the greatest composer, but he is definately not THAT bad as you connotate this piece.

[trunks2861]

pretty awesome so far!

[Nitervol]

wow i did not know he got up to 8 already! the last one i got was 5 and i did not like that one. From what i hear its okay. :)

[clintcooper2003]

Philip Glass is brilliant. Sometimes having good taste is a lonely affair.

[Philomastix]

I've been listening to Philip Glass' music since I first heard it in 1985. I've been to many of his concerts and still regard him as one of my favourite composers. I don't think he is a "great" composer, but then I don't pretend to be a critic, and tend to be driven like you by taste rather than by judgement. All I know is that his music can often thrill me, and in my opinion his music has evolved, rather than dimished since 1987.

[incrediblub]

How do you know? just kidding.

[egapnala65]

Personally,I think Glass stopped being original c.1987, since "Songs From Liquid Days" he has been churning out the same formulaic drivel over and over again.

I love the early stuff, but this is simply mass produced factory churned music. No humanity or personality. Its just like a production line.

This person gave us "Einstein on the Beach" for god's sake.

[anaklasis]

Yes!! I completely agree with you. I think Glass got stuck, instead of being that Glass who made fantastic works such as Songs from etc, Passages, and the 3rd Symphony which is better done than this one.

[TheArthen]

stop it man. Each of us have our own journeys, as do artists have their own. How they evolved, how they became of or not, we will never understand them. Evolution just simply can't be judged.

[egapnala65]

Probably, but but I have just sat here listening to this piece and writing down which pre 1987 work every phrase comes from.

The sad thing about Glass is that he hasn't evolved, he has just written the same handful of useful gestures over and over again.

Check out "Music in 12 Parts" or "Music in Changing Parts", that was Glass being original and interesting. Since 1987 he has been functioning on auto pilot.

[laurion69]

Glass is the very draft copy of the wrost composer of the ninettenth-century.

He does know strumentation, orchestration, movement of parts...

He calls this muddles "Symphonies", but maybe he never listened a true symphony!

[Violinfanatic]

I don't know about composer, but he is the best minimalist ever... :)

[BornAgain2989]

Laurion69, your opinions are about as insightful as a plastic cup, stop posting non-sensical comments, or even better, watch something you actually like!

[DPeca83]

are you sure you can understand&feel minimalist music?

[mcgill969]

The orchestration makes this piece sound like poorly-written band music...why is this guy so popular? I guess fame and talent don't always go hand-in-hand.

[BornAgain2989]

Evidently he doesnt