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Two out of three isn't bad.   November 27, 2003

The Company is okay, but it's nothing to rave about. I'd say that the disc was more than worth the price for the first two movements of the Glass Violin Concerto.


Boringboringboringboringboringboringboringboring   November 9, 2003
  12 out of 32 found this review helpful

The first time I listened to the Glass Violin Concerto, I found it interesting in a few spots, but decided I'd have to listen a second time in search of something deeper. The second time I listened I didn't hear anything deeper. This is ear candy, for the ears what Star Wars is for the eyes. In his excellent review for a different recording of the concerto, reviewer Karl Henzy says (and I hope he doesn't mind me quoting him): "...nothing could show the paucity of Glass's ideas than this Violin Concerto. Folks, we'd heard it all from him by the end of the 70s--he's just recycling now, and the material he's recycling was largely cliche to begin with." Hits it right on the head, in my opinion. Much the same is true of the other works here. I understand the idea behind minimalism, but we don't see even microchanges here, just repetitions. Glass' earlier music, to me, is far more interesting--Einstein, for example--even as it was expressively even more limited. Koyaanisqatsi works because of how it matches the images and because The Grid, for one, goes through some interesting developments. Those kinds of developments (vs sheer repetition) are missing in these works. Philip Glass said it all 20 years ago, I'm afraid.


A Little Glass Goes a Long Way   June 12, 2003
  7 out of 21 found this review helpful

It is fun to experience different composers and different styles. I picked up this CD on a whim, having heard only a snippet of the first movement of Glass's Piano Concerto. Since I had not encountered minimalism previously, this was an education.

My first reaction to this CD was to defrock the composer and declare that "the Emperor has no clothes." But , minimalism being what it is, I have since revised my opinion that Glass is presenting us with a Thong as a fashion statement. After all you can get a thong in various colors, and even different fabrics. After that, however, there is no more variety. If you decrease it in size, there is nothing. If you increase it in size, it morphs into a different garment. Don't even think of wearing it sideways on a hip. Add accessories and you no longer have minimalism. So, if you require variety and complexity, you might seek a fuller wardrobe elsewhere. Keep one or two Glass pieces for specific occasions. At other times, dress sensibly.

Having trashed recurring Glass minimalism in the paragraph above, I admit that I still favor the Piano Concerto, which I recommend. But after the concerto, I typically move to a different composer without finishing the Glass CD. For me, a little Glass goes a long way.

These performances are well recorded, digitally. Naxos engineers know their stuff. The ensemble performing these minimalist pieces is understandably small, but fills the soundstage with a full spectrum of sound. I am not sure whether they should be commended or punished for being able to perform multiple Glass pieces.

I gave this CD four stars, strictly for the Piano Concerto. This generous evaluation goes with the provision that listening is limited to that piece, and not too often. If you already own other Glass CDs, deduct one star for each.


In the Company of a Violin Conceto   March 27, 2002
  5 out of 14 found this review helpful

I would love to see a musical composition
in the style of Mr.Glass, by any of those
who who call themselves critics.To understand
the music of Mr.Glass or any of his contemporaries,
one must also understand that that was
the style of day, and that composers were
writing accordingly; before we can make any
harsh remark or comment. Within that particular
style that is not seen as "great" by some, the
works here recorded are among the very best
of Mr.Glass.The Violin Concerto of 1987,
is his first work written for a conventional
symphony orchestra. The Violin Concerto is
im my opinion, pure entertaining minimalism.
The suite called "Company", is an orchestration
of one of his string quartets of the same name.
The Prelude and dance from "Akanaten" are just
as wonderful.The performers(are as usual in
this collection of American Classics of
naxos) non-Americans, which helps a lot
in the internationalization of American
classical music, in this case is
the Uster Orchestra, with Australian
violinist Adele Anthony, and Japanesse
Takuo Yuasa. The performers are wonderful,
they all did a wonderful job.Thank you
Mr.Glass, Ulster Orchestra, and thank you
violinist, and conductor.


Low Price, Great Music, Inspiring   January 26, 2002
  2 out of 2 found this review helpful

I admit that I bought this CD because of the price, instead of more officially sanctioned Philip Glass releases. I am not sorry that I did. The selections are well recorded and performed. Akhnaten was the first CD set of Glass that I purchased, and to be honest, it was hard to get into. Difficult music has always been a draw for me, but the opera was just a bit too much. This CDs selections from that opera drew me back to the original recording, which I can now appreciate much better. This is not to say that they made me wish for a better performance, but to say that they inspired me to listen again to the score in it's entirety. That is what a CD like this is intended to do, and for that, I recommend it. Listen, and be inspired to hear more Glass work's in their entirety.