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Philip Glass report. Anna Trubnikova

Philip Glass’s “Music in twelve parts” and “Einstein on the beach” are two very prominent examples of minimal music. Philip Glass’s interpretation of minimalism in his art is however a little different from what I’d describe as minimalistic in music in the traditional meaning of the word. What society would normally perceive as minimalistic in music is, I guess, repetitive patterns and simplicity of the melody and sound in a piece. He’s got repetitive patterns to it as well but the way they develop in pieces is very unusual, they overlap and get new sound, becoming very different from what we hear in the beginning of the piece, in each preceding second and part. It’s fun to explore his music by listening to it many many times and discovering a new melody in the old one every time, a more sophisticated and complex one.

And it is hard to say whether it is due to the motive that repeats itself over and over again or due to the unrevealed complexity of the piece – the music has a hypnotising effect on the listener. It also adds up to creating a feeling of listening to a classical piece intertwined with a very modern sound of a rock or pop music band. It is something in between, slightly covering both sides of the sound – old and new.

Glass’s pieces keep you on the edge of your seat, although it sounds paradoxical, keeping in mind it’s minimal music. Every time I listen to “Einstein on the beach” for example, I feel like there’s still something I haven’t heard yet in the previous times, something that I am right about to hear now – and it happens, every time you listen, you feel like the melody and the orchestra would be happy to take you to their fairy-tale world, full of adventures and unexpected turns.

One name I’d use to describe his pieces – fairy-tale it is. It reminds me of Meredith Monk and of favourite childhood movies, tales and stories. There is something in it for everyone to hear, such universal pieces and at the same time such mysterious. There’s a special kind of tension that keeps you wondering where you find yourself at the end of the piece, are you still going to be listening to it or will it turn into reality.
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