Glass: 1000 Airplanes on the Roof

Incredibly ‘moody’ in that uniquely Glass-ian way.

Performing has kept me so busy and I haven’t been able to set aside time for dedicated listening sessions. However, I’m currently enjoying a brief respite from concerts (hallelujah) and can slow down the next few weeks and get reacquainted with my vinyl library. This record came from 4000 Holes in Spokane during my initial record-shopping foray in the Lilac City.

I’m a fan of Philip Glass and his flavor of minimalism. I love the unsettled, mysterious musical webs he spins. Rooted in rhythm, Glass’s music feels uniquely American and, along with John Adams, he finds compelling ways to speak a musical language that is often seen as cerebral, avant-garde, and not intended for the casual listener.

1000 Airplanes is incredibly groovy. A foreboding fog hangs over pulsating music dripping with melodrama. I don’t know much about the sci-fi narrative, aside from the fact that it involves extraterrestrial life and I’d venture to guess that the average listener could surmise that after a few minutes. Intoxicating hemiolas pulsate throughout (inducing body gyrations) while an angelic soprano soars above, adding just a dash of humanity to what is a heavily electronic score. Some of the synth sounds, while delightfully spooky and charming, haven’t aged well and may come off too much like Star Trek or The Jetsons (Glass composed the work in 1988).

The performance features the legendary Philip Glass ensemble joined by Linda Ronstadt. It’s a fantastic group of musicians who totally capture the essence of the sore.  

There are three other recordings (in addition to this one) that I’d recommend for discovering Phillip Glass and his music:

·       Kronos Quartet Performs Philip Glass / Kronos Quartet / Nonesuch 1995

·       Glass: Einstein on the Beach – The Sony Opera House / Phillip Glass Ensemble / Sony 1979

·       Philip Glass: Piano Works / Vikingur Ólaffson / Deutsche Grammophon 2017