Listening with a Glass Eye

If you ask someone on the street to name favorite contemporary film composers, you will probably get the names of John Williams, Hans Zimmer, Howard Shore; maybe Alan Silvestri, Michael Giacchino, or Thomas Newman.  Along with all these,  my favorites also include Rachel Portman, Jerry Goldsmith, Bruce Broughton, and the brilliant Ennio Morricone. But today’s blog is written from inspiration from watching last weekend an enjoyable film in our collection, “The Illusionist.” Its composer, another of my favorite film score composers – Philip Glass.  

Ed Norton stars in "The Illusionist"

Philip Glass is an American-born (1937), classical composer, nick-named “The Last Romantic,” and rightly so.  As a classical music lover, myself, I delight when I hear not only true classics integrated into film and used to their fullest potential, but when a composer crosses the symphonic border into actually composing for film.  Glass is the driving force behind the “Koyaanisqatsi,” (1982), “Powaqqatsi” (1988) “Naqoyqatsi” (2002) series of films.  Once you’ve heard the scores for these films, you can begin to identify Glass’s ‘signature,’ as I call it, within a score.  With his unique style, Glass’s signature comes through strong in other more well-known ventures, the likes of “Hamburger Hill” (1987) “Notes on a Scandal,”(2006), “The Illusionist,”(2006), and “No Reservations,”(2007).  

For a large percentage of film-goers, Glass’s use of his “Anthem – Part I” from the “Powaqqatsi” score will be most familiar, as it is the orchestral heartbeat of “The Truman Show” (1998) (Winner - Golden Globe) soundtrack.  His lustful use of bass clef strings, and haunting melody lines with or without vocals adds soulfulness that cries over the percussive undertones and cadences.  Mr. Glass has also written scores for “Kundun”(1997)(Academy Award nominee) and “Secret Window” (2004), as well as  “The Hours,” (2002)(Winner –BAFTA), and “Notes on a Scandal.”  His work also has been included in the soundtrack of “Watchmen” (2009) and television work such as “Six Feet Under,” “Scrubs,” and “House, M.D.”

His symphonic discography is prolific.  My favorite (to date) of his non-film symphonic work is “The Light” (1987).  It, too, owns the driving rhythms that his more well-known film score compositions contain.

For more on the genius of Philip Glass, visit:  http://www.philipglass.com/