Words Without Music: A Memoir

Glass, Philip

ISBN 10: 1481529161 ISBN 13: 9781481529167

Publisher: Blackstone Audiobooks, 2015

Synopsis

[Read by Lloyd James]

A world-renowned composer of symphonies, operas, and film scores, Philip Glass has, almost single-handedly, crafted the dominant sound of late twentieth-century classical music. Rapturous in its ability to depict the creative process, Words without Music allows readers to experience that sublime moment of creative fusion when life merges with art. Biography lovers will be inspired by the story of a precocious Baltimore boy who entered college at age fifteen before traveling to Paris to study under the legendary Nadia Boulanger; Glass devotees will be fascinated by the stories behind Einstein on the Beach and Satyagraha, among so many other works. Words without Music affirms the power of music to change the world.

About this title

About the Author

Philip Glass was born in Baltimore in 1937 and studied at the University of Chicago and the Juilliard School. The composer of operas, film scores, and symphonies, he performs regularly with the Philip Glass Ensemble and lives in New York.

Review

“Illuminating...[Glass] is always vigorous in defending his artistic choices and aesthetics. Glass's music may sound simple, but it revels in subtle complexity.”
- Sudip Bose, Washington Post

“Glass, a key figure of musical minimalism, was one of the first composers to reject a distinction between 'ethnic' music and Western classical music, and in this memoir he explains how he came to view a composition not as a linear narrative but as progressive rhythmic sequences.”
- The New Yorker

“Essential reading for anyone remotely interested in the evolution of the avant-garde during the past half-century...Words Without Music [is] an important contribution to cultural history.”
- Steven G. Kellman, Dallas Morning News

“Lively and colorful.... Glass is one of the most articulate composers around. Insight and practical common sense pervade his new book.... With a composer’s sense of form, Glass returns, in the final pages, to his youth, the subject that elicits his most evocative writing.”
- Kyle Gann, New York Times Book Review

“Well-supplied with droll observations and plainspoken assessments regarding the details of a career that has been as remarkable and noteworthy as any in American music―indeed, in American culture.... Honest and candid.”
- Steve Smith, Boston Globe

“Readers don’t have to like Glass’s music to find pleasure in this warm, unaffected, and deeply human book, but they may come away with an improved understanding of and a greater appreciation for both the music and its composer.... If a listener’s view of a composer is one of the things that shapes his or her perception of the music, an autobiography that alters the composer’s image should have the potential to change the way the music comes across. Words Without Music has done precisely that for me.”
- David Hajdu, The Nation

“Philip Glass has written a fascinating account of his life with recollections of family, teachers, and friends. From his childhood in Baltimore to his studies with Ravi Shankar and Nadia Boulanger and the collaborations with Robert Wilson, Allen Ginsburg, Godfrey Reggio, and Martin Scorsese, among others, Glass offers insights to his music and personal life. Words Without Music will be a pleasure to read, not only for musicians (although they will particularly enjoy it) but for anyone interested in the world of art.”
- Paul Simon

“I came to Philip Glass’s music very simply, without any critical prodding or guidance. I listened and was transfixed. I was excited to work with Philip on Kundun, and he exceeded my wildest expectations giving us a score that was genuinely transcendent. He’s exceeded my expectations again with this rich and beautifully written memoir. Who knew that he was as good a writer as he is a composer?”
- Martin Scorsese

About this edition

• Publisher: Blackstone Audiobooks
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1481529161
• ISBN 13: 9781481529167
• Binding: Audio CD