Philip Glass

Philip Glass (b. January 31st, 1937)

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MY FAVORITE THINGS
Philip Glass
Philip Glass is one of the best-known composers of our time. His operas (such as the path-breaking EINSTEIN ON THE BEACH), film scores (music for "The Truman Show" and "Kundun"), symphonic works (his Bowie-based "Low" Symphony), and pop songs (SONGS FROM LIQUID DAYS) have attracted an unusually large and diverse audience. Glass recently took time out from his work on a new score for the classic film "Dracula" (starring Bela Lugosi) to chat about recordings with barnesandnoble.com's Andrew Farach-Colton.

barnesandnoble.com: What recordings changed your life?

Philip Glass: My father owned a record store, so I had the world's music at my fingertips. My father's favorite music was Schubert's chamber music, like the "Trout" Quintet or the E-flat Major Piano Trio, but he also had a taste for Shostakovich and Bartók. That was the music I heard in our house. Of course it changed my life. In fact, it determined my life in a way. Those early classical and modern pieces were imprinted on my DNA from such an early age, I can't remember a world in which that music didn't exist. It more or less directed me toward a life in music.

Beyond that there have been wonderful recordings that gave me particular pleasure. Both of Glenn Gould's recordings of Bach's "Goldberg" Variations, for example -- though I've never been able to make up my mind which one I like best.

Other recordings that made a big impression on me were the Bartók Quartets played by the Juilliard Quartet. THE ANTHOLOGY OF AMERICAN MUSIC on Folkways was a wonderful collection of ballads, songs, and dance music. Also, the records of classic bebop jazz, from Charlie Parker to John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, and Ornette Coleman. I heard these guys live in the late '50s and early '60s, but I really got to know their music through their records. Finally, there was a series of records by Moondog on the Prestige label. He put out two or three records of experimental, weirdo stuff, and I loved it.

So you see, records have always been important for me because they've opened up doorways into new worlds of music.

bn: What would you take in your car to while away the hours on a long trip?

PG: I took Berlioz's DAMNATION OF FAUST with me once. I think it got me from New York City to Maine, which is pretty good! I was driving fast, though. [laughs] I often take a big, epic piece like that where you can hear the whole thing without interruption. We don't get to do that often enough.

bn: What would you play to turn a diehard rock fan on to classical music?

PG: I might pick a piece of mine, actually. (I'm not going to hide behind any false modesty.) Something like "Serra Pelada" from POWAQQATSI is stirring and has drive to it -- it will get their blood going. Also parts of KOYAANISQATSI, like "The Grid," would do it.

bn: And how would you get a classical aficionado hooked on popular music?

PG: I might start with World music. It could be music from Africa -- perhaps something by my friend Foday Musa Suso. Music from Bali would work, too. World music has the feeling of tradition similar to classical music, but you have to listen in a different way.

bn: Which of your own works is your favorite?

PG: I would have to pick SATYAGRAHA because I have such a personal connection to the material and because it meant so much to me at that time in my life. With it, I turned from my own idiosyncratic ensemble music to the larger world of opera. And it reflects my long connection with India, which has been so rich and rewarding. Also, it was the work that liberated me from my day job!

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