He immediately shared Twyla'sĮnthusiasm and I found myself writing a symphonic score shortly to become Straight away she wanted "Heroes" for her new dance company,Īnd soon after, we met with David. Mentioned the "Heroes" Symphony to the American choreographer Twyla New works, the work of Bowie and Eno became an inspiration and point ofĭeparture for a series of symphonies of my own.Īs I have been involved with the world of dance for many years I naturally Just as composers of the past have turned to music of their time to fashion In a series of innovative recordings made inĮxperimental avant-garde, and rock'n'rollĪs part of the new "classics" of our time. "Heroes," like the "Low" Symphony of several years ago, is based on the work The re-work has a darkness creating a soothing effect, and Glass, like theīowie/Eno original evokes pure sadness, which the Greeks believed was the Version opens up the work and lets you walk inside. Where the original "Heroes" has more variety of feeling, the Glass Glass has a way of making a long narrative, a long repetitive It is as if Glass captured the mood of 'Moss Garden' and repeated it over and Thought he only did hard rock." Obviously, an old radio fan. Shocked to know that it was something recycled from David Bowie. A listenerĬommented while it was being played in my office how nice it was, she was Reproduction and discovery of "Heroes" as a symphony was a relief. When Glass doesn't break it makes us sit back and stare into ourselves. They're still recognizable) to fit his own means.īy doing so, Glass hasn't merely orchestrated "Heroes" he has Liberally changing the original's melodies and harmonics (though Icy synth soundscapes with warmer orchestral sounds and Neo-classical composer Glass adapts six songs from thisĪvant-garde classic for the symphony, replacing Bowie and Eno's Remains one of rock's most chilling and bleak recordings. To this day, David Bowie and Brian Eno's 1977 album "Heroes" ".a masterpiece in its own right" San Francisco Chronicle "a dazzler.few works boast this much splendor and speed." Chicago Tribune "It's a dramatically sweeping, pull-out-the-stops piece." Los Angeles Times Performed by The American Composers Orchestraĭennis Russell Davies, Principal Conductor Album DescriptionFrom the music of David Bowie and Brian Eno See more Your browser does not support the audio element. It refers to a famous scientific experiment having to do with light, but it would be surprising if any listener uncoached by notes succeeded in identifying which one. The opening orchestral piece called The Light is a less distinctive Glass work, although rendered equally well. The Bournemouth Symphony achieves the hypnotic smoothness necessary for Glass throughout. One can also see why the canny Marin Alsop might have wanted to record the work she has been associated with several unusual crossover projects (including the Too Hot to Handel Messiah), and this one is unlike any other classical composition modeled on pop material. One can see why Bowie liked this music, which remains close to the harmonies of his original songs without seeming at all like an arrangement in the conventional sense. Glass fills out the songs with repeated musical figures, mostly assigned to the strings, replacing and expanding the guitar and keyboard riffs of the original songs. The Bowie album was recorded in the late '70s in Berlin with pop synthesizer experimenter Brian Eno. Glass has always had a strong following among pop listeners, and part of the interest of these compositions lies in the unique crossover terrain they explore - ironically, with Glass (whose versions are all instrumental) coming out as slightly more conventional than his pop counterparts. This recording by Marin Alsop, one of Britain's (and now America's) most talked-about conductors, suggests that the idea has been successful enough to move beyond the usual Glass orbit and into conventional symphonic repertory. The Heroes Symphony of Philip Glass is one of two symphonies he wrote based on albums by David Bowie (the other is the Low Symphony). Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
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