The Concerto Project
Encyclopedia
Concerto
A concerto is a musical work usually composed in three parts or movements, in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra.The etymology is uncertain, but the word seems to have originated from the conjunction of the two Latin words...
written by Philip Glass
Philip Glass
Philip Glass is an American composer. He is considered to be one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century and is widely acknowledged as a composer who has brought art music to the public .His music is often described as minimalist, along with...
. The series was begun in 2000 and contains eight works, the most famous of which is probably the Concerto for Cello and Orchestra
Cello Concerto (Glass)
The Cello Concerto No. 1 was written by Philip Glass in 2001. It was one of the first concerti of the twenty-first century. The piece was commissioned by William and Rebecca Krueger, friends of the composer, for the 50th birthday of cellist Julian Lloyd Webber. A typical performance takes 20-25...
. Some of the concerti in the volumes were written before the commencement of the project and were categorized into the series.
Volumes
There are four volumes of the Project:- The Concerto Project Vol. I, containing the Cello ConcertoCello Concerto (Glass)The Cello Concerto No. 1 was written by Philip Glass in 2001. It was one of the first concerti of the twenty-first century. The piece was commissioned by William and Rebecca Krueger, friends of the composer, for the 50th birthday of cellist Julian Lloyd Webber. A typical performance takes 20-25...
and the Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists and OrchestraConcerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists and OrchestraThe Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists and Orchestra is a double timpani concerto written by Philip Glass in 2000. It is paired with the Cello Concerto on Vol. I of Glass' Concerto Project, a set of six concerti written by the composer...
.
- The Concerto Project Vol. II, containing the Piano Concerto No. 2: After Lewis and ClarkPiano Concerto No. 2 (Glass)The Piano Concerto No. 2 was written by Philip Glass in 2004. It is also called the Piano Concerto No. 2: After Lewis and Clark, due to its musical representation of the American pioneers...
, and the Concerto for Harpsichord and Orchestra.
- The Concerto Project Vol. III, containing the Concerto Grosso and the Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra.
- The Concerto Project Vol. IV, containing the Double Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra and the Tirol Concerto for Piano and OrchestraTirol Concerto for Piano and OrchestraThe Tirol Concerto for Piano and Orchestra is a piano concerto by Philip Glass. The composer wrote the work in 2000. On commission by the Festival Klangspuren in Stuttgart, it was written for the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra...
(also known simply as Piano Concerto No. 1).
These concerti were all produced by Orange Mountain Music.
Commission
Philip Glass wrote all of the concerti on commission from various ensembles or people; the Concerto Fantasy, for example, was requested by Jonathan Haas, a respected timpanist. Glass stated in 2000: "Jonathan Haas approached me almost ten years ago with an invitation to write a Timpani Concerto for him. It seemed we were in agreement to begin our project when a series of operas and symphonic commissions led to a series of postponements. Now, years later, the work is finally completed, a three movement concerto with cadenza. It has also grown into a "double" concerto requiring two timpanists playing a total of nine timpani between them."Similarly, the Cello Concerto
Cello Concerto (Glass)
The Cello Concerto No. 1 was written by Philip Glass in 2001. It was one of the first concerti of the twenty-first century. The piece was commissioned by William and Rebecca Krueger, friends of the composer, for the 50th birthday of cellist Julian Lloyd Webber. A typical performance takes 20-25...
was commissioned by friends of Glass, William and Rebecca Kreuger, for the fiftieth birthday of renowned cellist Julian Lloyd Webber
Julian Lloyd Webber
Julian Lloyd Webber is a British solo cellist who has been described as the "doyen of British cellists".-Early life:Julian Lloyd Webber is the second son of the composer William Lloyd Webber and his wife Jean Johnstone . He is the younger brother of the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber...
, who later premiered the piece in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
.
Composition and influence
Some of the concerti were written about the same time as Glass' later symphonies, and distinct similarities can be heard, especially in the Toltec SymphonySymphony No. 7 (Glass)
A Toltec Symphony is a 2005 symphony by Philip Glass. The National Symphony Orchestra commissioned Glass to write it to commemorate the 60th birthday of conductor Leonard Slatkin...
.
Along with Glass' recent symphonic work, the pieces mark a certain progression of Glass' musical approach; audibly, it can be seen that the composer has undergone major changes since his earlier, pro-minimalist
Minimalism
Minimalism describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is set out to expose the essence, essentials or identity of a subject through eliminating all non-essential forms, features or concepts...
period. Although Glass' music can still, in some sense, be categorized as "minimalist," the composer appears to have more classical
Classicism
Classicism, in the arts, refers generally to a high regard for classical antiquity, as setting standards for taste which the classicists seek to emulate. The art of classicism typically seeks to be formal and restrained: of the Discobolus Sir Kenneth Clark observed, "if we object to his restraint...
tendencies, and has himself described his music as "classicist." These concerti are therefore a high-point of Glass' classical direction: they demonstrate a distinct combination of Postmodernist
Postmodernism
Postmodernism is a philosophical movement evolved in reaction to modernism, the tendency in contemporary culture to accept only objective truth and to be inherently suspicious towards a global cultural narrative or meta-narrative. Postmodernist thought is an intentional departure from the...
methods and older, more conventional repertoire (incidentally, Glass' favorite composer is Schubert
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer.Although he died at an early age, Schubert was tremendously prolific. He wrote some 600 Lieder, nine symphonies , liturgical music, operas, some incidental music, and a large body of chamber and solo piano music...
, whose Classical
Classicism
Classicism, in the arts, refers generally to a high regard for classical antiquity, as setting standards for taste which the classicists seek to emulate. The art of classicism typically seeks to be formal and restrained: of the Discobolus Sir Kenneth Clark observed, "if we object to his restraint...
-Romantic
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
bridging can be heard as a considerable influence on the contemporary composer's stylistic moves).
Also discernible is a slight influence from the post-Mahlerian
Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler was a late-Romantic Austrian composer and one of the leading conductors of his generation. He was born in the village of Kalischt, Bohemia, in what was then Austria-Hungary, now Kaliště in the Czech Republic...
revolutionaries, mostly that of Stravinksy
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
—on whom Glass has written extensively—in that the tempi
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
are occasionally irregular: an uncommon choice for Glass, who usually stays strict to rhythmic pulse. This stray from uncompromising adherence to Glass' branch of minimalism can possibly be interpreted as an indication of a new level of musical progression, as well a statement supporting the continuation of an ongoing musical evolution. The concerti are hallmarks of twenty-first century classical composition, and have been performed many times.
For more information about the selected works, visit the Philip Glass
Philip Glass
Philip Glass is an American composer. He is considered to be one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century and is widely acknowledged as a composer who has brought art music to the public .His music is often described as minimalist, along with...
page.
Vol. I
- 2001: Julian Lloyd WebberJulian Lloyd WebberJulian Lloyd Webber is a British solo cellist who has been described as the "doyen of British cellists".-Early life:Julian Lloyd Webber is the second son of the composer William Lloyd Webber and his wife Jean Johnstone . He is the younger brother of the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber...
(cello) and Gerard SchwarzGerard SchwarzGerard Schwarz is an American conductor. He was music director of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra from 1985 to 2011.In 2007 Schwarz was named music director of the Eastern Music Festival in North Carolina, having served as principal conductor since 2005...
(with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic OrchestraRoyal Liverpool Philharmonic OrchestraThe Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society is a society based in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, that organises concerts and other events mainly in the field of classical music. The society is the second oldest of its type in the United Kingdom and its orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic...
), recorded 2004, released 2004 on The Concerto Project Vol. I (Orange Mountain Music) as "Concerto for Cello and Orchestra" (20:47).
- 2000: Evelyn GlennieEvelyn GlennieDame Evelyn Elizabeth Ann Glennie, DBE is a Scottish virtuoso percussionist. She was the first full-time solo percussionist in 20th-century western society.-Early life:Glennie was born and raised in Aberdeenshire...
, Jonathan Haas (timpani) and Gerard SchwarzGerard SchwarzGerard Schwarz is an American conductor. He was music director of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra from 1985 to 2011.In 2007 Schwarz was named music director of the Eastern Music Festival in North Carolina, having served as principal conductor since 2005...
(with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic OrchestraRoyal Liverpool Philharmonic OrchestraThe Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society is a society based in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, that organises concerts and other events mainly in the field of classical music. The society is the second oldest of its type in the United Kingdom and its orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic...
), recorded 2004, released 2004 on The Concerto Project Vol. I (Orange Mountain Music) as "Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists and Orchestra" (24:27).
Vol. II
- 2004: Paul BarnesPaul Barnes (pianist)Paul Barnes is an American pianist. He concentrates particularly on the work of Liszt; Barnes also has worked extensively with Philip Glass, whose Piano Concerto No. 2 he premiered in 2004 at the Lied Center for Performing Arts. Barnes teaches at University of Nebraska-Lincoln school of music. He...
(piano) and Ralf GothóniRalf GothoniRalf Georg Nils Gothóni is a Finnish pianist and conductor. He is also active as a chamber musician, professor, composer, and author. Born in Rauma, Finland he made his orchestra debut at age 15. Besides his worldwide concert career he has made some 100 recordings with major labels...
(with Northwest Chamber Orchestra), recorded 2006, released 2006 on The Concerto Project Vol. II (Orange Mountain Music) as "Piano Concerto No. 2: After Lewis and Clark" (35:26).
- 2002: David Schrader (harpsichord) and Ralf GothóniRalf GothoniRalf Georg Nils Gothóni is a Finnish pianist and conductor. He is also active as a chamber musician, professor, composer, and author. Born in Rauma, Finland he made his orchestra debut at age 15. Besides his worldwide concert career he has made some 100 recordings with major labels...
(with Northwest Chamber Orchestra), recorded 2006, released 2006 on The Concerto Project Vol. II (Orange Mountain Music) as "Concerto for Harpsichord and Orchestra" (19:32).
Vol. III
- 1992: Various soloists and Dennis Russell DaviesDennis Russell DaviesDennis Russell Davies is an American conductor and pianist. He studied piano and conducting at the Juilliard School where he received his doctorate...
(with Beethoven Orchester Bonn), recorded 2008, released 2008 on The Concerto Project Vol. III (Orange Mountain Music) as "Concerto Grosso" (22:43).
- 1995: Raschèr Saxophone QuartetRaschèr Saxophone QuartetThe Raschèr Saxophone Quartet is a professional ensemble of four saxophonists which performs classical and modern music.Like most saxophone quartets, the RSQ features one player on each of the four most common sizes of saxophone: soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone.The quartet was founded in the...
(saxophones) and Roy GoodmanRoy GoodmanRoy Goodman is a conductor and violinist, specialising in the performance and direction of early music...
(with Swedish Radio Orchestra Stockholm), recorded 2008, released 2008 on The Concerto Project Vol. III (Orange Mountain Music) as "Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra" (26:53).
Vol. IV
- 2010: Cecilia Bernardini (violin), Maarte-Maria den Herder (cello) and Jurjen Hempel (with the Hague Philharmonic, Residentie Orkest), recorded 2010, released 2011 on The Concerto Project Vol. IV (Orange Mountain Music) as "Double Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra" (31:32).
- 2000: Dennis Russel Davies at piano and conducting (with the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra), recorded 2002, released 2011 on The Concerto Project Vol. IV (Orange Mountain Music) as "Tirol Concerto for Piano and Orchestra" (28:47).
See also
- MinimalismMinimalismMinimalism describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is set out to expose the essence, essentials or identity of a subject through eliminating all non-essential forms, features or concepts...
- Julian Lloyd WebberJulian Lloyd WebberJulian Lloyd Webber is a British solo cellist who has been described as the "doyen of British cellists".-Early life:Julian Lloyd Webber is the second son of the composer William Lloyd Webber and his wife Jean Johnstone . He is the younger brother of the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber...
- Concerto for Cello and OrchestraCello Concerto (Glass)The Cello Concerto No. 1 was written by Philip Glass in 2001. It was one of the first concerti of the twenty-first century. The piece was commissioned by William and Rebecca Krueger, friends of the composer, for the 50th birthday of cellist Julian Lloyd Webber. A typical performance takes 20-25...
- Evelyn GlennieEvelyn GlennieDame Evelyn Elizabeth Ann Glennie, DBE is a Scottish virtuoso percussionist. She was the first full-time solo percussionist in 20th-century western society.-Early life:Glennie was born and raised in Aberdeenshire...
- List of compositions by Philip Glass