Philip Glass: minimalist, creator of ground-breaking operas such as 'Einstein On The Beach' and 'Akhnaten', name behind movie scores for 'The Truman Show' and 'Kundun,' composer of powerfully expressive and beguiling romantic, and musician of unparalleled influence on contemporary sounds from classical to club.
These are the familiar aspects of one of America's most successful composers, who has almost accidentally built a substantial body of concert music alongside core theatre works. As performances and CD releases build up, they are giving more and more listeners a taste of what Glass is about. But what direction will he take next?
With the help of wide-ranging interview and unprecedented access to the Glass archives, including private recordings of recent pieces, English critic and writer Robert Maycock has put himself in a unique position to appraise Glass life and work to date, and to report on new directions. He comes to some surprising conclusions.
