| 13 August 2011
The Qatsi trilogy is a series of wordless films about the destruction of landscape by Godfrey Reggio. Here, the films are accompanied by their musical scores performed live by the Phillip Glass Ensemble, and conducted by Michael Reisman on keyboards throughout. I sat overwhelmed, the imagery and acoustic reverberating to create a palpable tingle.Shamefully, I’d never really listened to much of Glass’s work, or the Qatsi Trilogy, but now I know I’ve been missing out on something really special. The Playhouse was heaving and when the lights dimmed everyone went totally silent, breaking into excited applause as the orchestra assembled. Phillip Glass has a fanbase of true fanatics who seemed mesmerized, and I spent the show in a similar state.
The biography on Glass' website reads, “Through his operas, his symphonies, his compositions for his own ensemble, and his wide-ranging collaborations with artists ranging from Twyla Tharp to Allen Ginsberg, Woody Allen to David Bowie, Phillip Glass has had an extraordinary and unprecedented impact upon the musical and intellectual life of his times.” Well there’s a list of intellectuals I like the sound of.
Tipped as the must-see of the festival, this is a rare chance to experience something truly spectacular. It’s difficult not to talk in clichés when describing this sort of thing, but what’s clichéd when something is genuinely indescribable?
Phillip Glass Ensemble: The Qatsi Trilogy, Edinburgh Playhouse, 13-15 August, 8.30pm
| < Prev |
|---|
