PHILLIP GLASS: In The Upper Room – Michael Reisman, cond. – Orange Mountain

by | Sep 27, 2009 | Classical CD Reviews | 0 comments

PHILLIP GLASS: In The Upper Room – Michael Reisman, cond. – Orange Mountain Music 0056, 36:54 ****: [Distrib. by Harmonia mundi]

In The Upper Room is the full nine movements of Phillip Glass’ score for Twyla Tharp’s 1986 ballet, which had previously only been available in truncated form on his 1988 album Dance Pieces. While earlier incarnations of the score featured synthesized backing instruments, here Glass has chosen to augment his synthesizer with only acoustic instruments as was originally intended. Listening to the earlier recordings, it’s clear how much richer and vibrant the music becomes with the addition of real woodwinds and brass, especially on movements like Dance IV and Dance IX, where those instruments are supposed to sound stately and majestic, not synthesized and slightly canned.

In The Upper Room has all the Glass trademarks, from heavy syncopated chords and whimsical arpeggios to operatic glossolalia and triumphant horn and woodwind melodies. Never virtuosic, Glass’ music utilizes the hypnotic power of repetition, allowing the listener to forget themselves in his music. This is a large reason why Glass’ music is used so often in films, because it can recede to the background without losing any of its power.

Highlights of the album include Dance IV, which features regal-sounding trumpet and flute parts; Dance VII, which quotes the melody from Glass’ legendary Einstein On The Beach opera and features a chillingly beautiful violin melody; and Dance IX, the finale of the score, which uses woodwinds, horns, and operatic singing to reach a series of stunning dramatic peaks.

I highly recommend In The Upper Room, especially to listeners unfamiliar with Glass’ music. While he may have sprung from the New York avantgarde music scene in the 60s, there is nothing remotely "difficult" about his work. It’s both highly accessible and powerfully hypnotic.

TrackList: Dance I, Dance II, Dance III, Dance IV, Dance V, Dance VI, Dance VII, Dance VIII, Dance IX

– Daniel Krow

Related Reviews
Logo Pure Pleasure
Logo Crystal Records Sidebar 300 ms
Logo Jazz Detective Deep Digs Animated 01