The out-of-print Point Release of the Music from the Screens
The previously scheduled to be released "PHILIP GLASS – LIVE FROM SOHO" on iTunes has had its release delayed. I can only assume it is because iTunes fears that their servers will be overrun with traffic with people virtually scrambling to download this concert that Apple just needed a little more time to get its act together. For the humorless, I'm just kidding, the release has been delayed, new release date TBD, but it's a thrilling concert from January of this year and I'll post when it's finally available.
In the meantime, the pick of the week is from Glass and Suso's score to the Screens. About 10-ish years ago, the touring "Music from the Screens" show had a very successful run. After meeting Suso during the preparation and recording of Powaqqatsi, the two artists decided to collaborate together on music for the Jean Genet play The Screens directed by JoAnne Akalaitis, Glass' first wife, and someone with whom he continues to work with including last summer's The Bacchae.
There is something totally magical about the music from the Screens. As with other collaborations that Glass has done, you can usually very clearly hear who composed which piece in the Screens (of course all the music is credited as "co-composed") in the music from the Screens though I can't imagine Glass "composing" any part of "Said and His Shadow Dance" just as I can't hear any Suso in pieces such as "Land of the Dead." However, on the rare occasion such as this, with two artists with very distinct personal voices, a sort of mélange occurs taking both artists toward places they've never been before. This is otherwise known as a true collaboration. The entirety of the original album is gorgeous but certain pieces, which I have to guess are of the more collaborative DNA are compositions such as The French Lieutenant Dreams which to me sounds thoroughly like Philip Glass tonally, harmonically and even something about the melodic shape, however, it just can't be 100% Glass. A waltz in 2/4 (a.k.a a Tango)? I can't recall Glass ever writing another Tango(!). The old Point Music release of "The Music from the Screens" is now out of print. In late 2010, OMM will re-issue that release with two live bonus tracks of duets between Glass and Suso recorded in 2009.