Philip Glass premieres his ninth symphony … where?

Philip Glass premieres his ninth symphony … where?

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norman lebrecht

January 02, 2012

It’s coming to Carnegie Hall on his 75th birthday at the end of the month, but the world premiere of Glass’s Ninth took place on New Year’s Day in Linz.

Neujahrskonzert 2012 im Brucknerhaus

Why Linz?

Well Bruckner was born nearby and buried there. Two marks to anyone who got that right.

Anyone else born in Linz? Any other famous names spring to mind? Was this, perhaps, a well-meaning plan to lay local ghosts to rest with a ninth symphony by a nice Jewish boy?

Tell us, Phil. Quick, before they ask you tougher questions in New York. Funny that nobody mentioned Linz in the Carnegie Hall press release.

Comments

  • Alexandros Rigas says:

    …and this concert will be broadcast by Austrian Radio 1 on 29 Jan 12:

    http://oe1.orf.at/programm/294285

    Bruckner Orchester Linz, Dirigent: Dennis Russell Davies.

    Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphonie Nr. 8 F-Dur, op. 93
    Philip Glass: Symphonie Nr. 9 (Uraufführung; Kompositionsauftrag von Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Carnegie Hall New York und Bruckner Orchester Linz – zum 75. Geburtstag von Philip Glass) (aufgenommen am 1. Jänner im Brucknerhaus Linz).

    Präsentation: Alice Ertlbauer-Camerer
    (Übertragung in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound)

    Best wishes

    Alex
    Athens

  • Will says:

    It’s definitely something sinister and not that Dennis Russell Davies, Glass’s biggest symphonic advocate, conducts an orchestra in that town. An orchestra which has recorded many of Glass’s symphonies and toured them around the world. Tell us, Phil.

    • Adriano says:

      Russell Davies is the ONLY Glass’ symphonic advocate. That’s it. Hitler has nothing to do with it, just really bad music which no one really cares.

  • Fran says:

    @Audriano@Mathieu
    Poor deluded souls. You won’t allow yourselves to enjoy this beautiful music no matter what.
    My condolences.

    • Mathieu says:

      Don’t get me wrong, I love some pieces of the early Philip Glass, like, for instance, Music in Twelve Parts and Einstein on the Bech (I know, those are the more famous ones!). But from the violin concerto on, I do not see any originality in this music anymore. You may be right, and I may be wrong. I never uphold radical judgments about works of art that I would not be able to revise later (except about Carl Orff, whose music no argument will ever make me like). So forgive me for being deluded for the moment, maybe one day I will find beaty in this music. I hope so, anyway.

  • Karl Schweichhart says:

    Why not Linz? What is your argument? I couldn’t read any!

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