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Philip Glass

Overview

Philip Glass is an American classical music composer and performer whose work has been credited with pushing the boundaries of Western music through its use of repetition. Although he's sometimes called a "minimalist," Glass famously abhors the term, preferring instead to call himself a “composer of repetitive structures.” 

As a student, Glass studied philosophy and mathematics before pursuing music under the tutelage of the famed musicians Nadia Boulanger and Ravi Shankar. Glass' breakthrough was the 1976 opera "Einstein on the Beach," a 5-hour impressionistic exploration of the German scientist's identity.

In the years since, Glass had collaborated with pop artists like Paul Simon and David Byrne and provided music for major Hollywood productions, including "The Thin Blue Line" and "The Hours," while continuing to experiment through avant-garde films, operas, symphonies, concertos, and other forms.

1440 Findings

Hours of research by our editors, distilled into minutes of clarity.

  • Posted by

    Watch an interview with Philip Glass about his career and theory of creativity, which he believes needs to be consistently deconstructed and reinvented.

    Composing Myself: Philip Glass
    Wise Music Grouphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fbp8-5sE9U

  • Posted by

    'Einstein on the Beach,' often considered a groundbreaking experimental work, is structured like a classical opera.

    The Structure of Einstein on the Beach Explained by Director Robert Wilson
    Artifactshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxla1XHkeQk

  • Posted by

    Watch Philip Glass perform several pieces from 'Einstein on the Beach.'

    Philip Glass 1983 "Einstein On The Beach" Train/Spaceship
    siresoundshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91NyQkeZO_M

  • Posted by

    Watch a 2014 performance of Philip Glass' and Robert Wilson's opera 'Einstein on the Beach.'

    Philip Glass - Einstein on the Beach
    Classical musichttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK0tzdCRjzc

  • Posted by

    Philip Glass wrote the score for the 1992 horror movie 'Candyman,' though he disliked the film and felt he'd been manipulated into providing music for it.

    Philip Glass ‎– Candyman (Original 1992 Motion Picture Soundtrack)
    Neodiastaseis | Neoclassical Collectivehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4_NI5x_gcE

  • Posted by

    Philip Glass composed music for the 1998 film 'The Truman Show,' and even briefly appeared in it.

    The Truman Show (1998) - 'Truman Sleeps' scene [1080]
    Screen Themeshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7X0Yae2hLk

  • Posted by

    Philip Glass' collaboration with electronic producer Aphex Twin found the two music icons bonding over their desire to push the limits of modern music.

    Philip Glass on His Collaboration With Aphex Twin | Red Bull Music Academy
    Red Bull Music Academyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubwsMJdj6Tw

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