PHILIP GLASS (b.1937): Overture La Belle et la Bête, The Hours Suite, Mishima, The Secret Agent, Echorus, Company, Closing.

Catalogue Number: 11K113
Label: Analekta
Reference: AN 2 8727
Format: CD
Price: $18.98
Description: These string-ensemble (with piano, harp and celesta in The Hours and piano in Closing) versions of familiar works by Philip Glass - from film scores, his 'Company' quartet (itself derived from incidental music for Beckett's play), a movement of 'Glassworks' - present a pleasing portrait which may satisfy collectors who want a representative Glass CD on their shelves without investigating his entire canon in detail. This is the pulsating, arpeggiated Glass, presented in somewhat soft-focus as compared to the harder-edged Glass Ensemble sound (although several of the arrangements are by the Ensemble's keyboardist and conductor, Michael Riesman). This emphasizes the romantic melancholy aspect of these scores, even the tense Mishima soundtrack, and is best viewed as a populist adjunct to the composer's main output rather than an integral part of it. Sumptuous and very easy on the ear, though. La Pietà; Angèle Dubeau.