1. Postmodern approaches to the performing arts since 1960
Philip Glass – Heroes Symphony
Postmodern approaches to the performing arts since 1960

2. Philip Glass Born 1937 American composer
Exposed to less popular and unconventional music as a child
Classical repertoire in late teens
Post university he wanted to be a composer – studied classical music, introduced to Indian Sitar playing – rhythm and texture influenced his interest in additive rhythm
Worked with other ‘minimalists’ – prominent style in early work
Uses a mixture of techniques and demonstrates a range of influences, cultures (Western and Eastern, classical forms, repetitive structures, and arpeggios
Later work is more dramatic, variety of collaborations – blurring boundaries between high and low art

3. Heroes Symphony – Glass
Glass remains best known for his works for ensemble, stage and opera (Einstein on the Beach).
However orchestral music has been at the forefront of activities for Philip Glass for much of the last two decades.
He has written eight symphonies and a number of independent orchestral works.
The symphonies demonstrate a wide range of approaches to the genre;
from full-length abstract,
a compact work for string orchestra,
a setting of Allan Ginsberg's Plutonium Ode,
large-scale choral works,
to multi-movement orchestral works like no 4 (Heroes) which is distinguished by having drawn its inspiration from non-Classical sources.

4. Heroes Symphony – Glass
In 1993, Glass completed his Low Symphony, which took inspiration from the Low album released by David Bowie in
Bowie had established an international reputation with such albums as The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972), Aladdin Sane (1973) and Station to Station (1976), enhancing the individuality of his music with often elaborate stage-shows where he appeared as the character central to each album.
After an exhausting 1976 world tour, Bowie decided on a radical change of approach to making music.
Relocating to West Berlin, in the then divided city, he began a collaboration with Brian Eno that changed rock music as decisively as any other development in what was a radical and innovative era for the medium.

5. Heroes Symphony – Glass
A former member of rock band Roxy Music, Eno had gone to make a series of solo albums, but was then about to devote himself to the possibilities of synthesizer technology in what became known as 'ambient composition': abstract and often understated electronic music intended to create an environment for listening rather than being the focus of attention as such.
Beginning with Low, an album of powerful songs and evocative instrumental pieces, he and Bowie went on to create two further albums in Heroes (1977) and Lodger (1979), each drawing inspiration from the segregated city, with its tangible resonance of the 'cold war' era, that was then Berlin.

6. Heroes Symphony – Glass
Having selected several tracks from Low to create his Low Symphony, Glass did the same for Heroes in his Heroes Symphony of 1996.
The immediate incentive came from American choreographer Twyla Tharp, keen for a work for her new dance company.
Glass took six of the ten tracks from Heroes, reworking them so that they become independent pieces that between them build into a self-sufficient musical work.

7. Glass and Bowie
Philip Glass and David Bowie, both influential musicians, in turn influenced each other
In the 1960’s the composer Philip Glass was more likely to be hanging out with pop, rock and punk stars like Patti Smith, Roxy Music’s Brian Eno and David Byrne from Talking Heads than anyone from the city’s fraternity of classical musicians. 
There were many reasons for this. The style of composition Glass was pioneering – which would subsequently be termed ‘minimalism’ – with its repetitive grooves and repeating cycles of tonal harmony, resonated in sympathy with rock musicians more than with contemporary ‘classical’ composers.

8. Listen Glass – Heroes Symphony
2) Abdulmajid
3) Sense of Doubt
4) Sons of the Silent Age
5) Neukoln
6) V2 Schneider
Glass’ Heroes Symphony was performed at Glastonbury in tribute to Bowie. Watch the full symphony here:
Bowie original –

9. Heroes Symphony – comments
Philip Glass' 4th symphony is a beautiful example of transgressing the boundary between high and low art, classical and pop music. It's light tone, different styles and dance-like character serves as a great starting point for Glass' music, although it is neither as experimental as the Bowie/Eno original or most of Glass' other works. 

10. Review – online
Like Low before it, Heroes was one of David Bowie's most experimental and avant-garde records, so it made sense that Philip Glass would follow the Low Symphony with the "Heroes" Symphony, adapting Bowie and Brian Eno's original, minimalistic synthesized sketches for full orchestra. Surprisingly, Glass' arrangements and orchestrations -- including charting the title track for a big band -- are less adventurous than the original recordings, which actually robs the music of its impact. However, the new arrangements emphasize the icy allure of the original compositions, and the shimmering, glassy textures sound coldly beautiful. Nevertheless, the "Heroes" Symphony doesn't quite hold together as an actual symphony, but it remains an intriguing listen, even if it is a disarmingly unchallenging one.

11. Recap – features of postmodernism
Playfulness and self reference
Playfulness inherent by the nature of the collaboration?
Generic blurring
Classical music – but in Glass’s way
Intertextuality
Glass referencing Bowie – but also remember that Bowie was influenced by Glass
Eclecticism
Classical vs Rock
Glass influenced by Shankar....Bowie also responds to influences
Remember that Eno worked with Bowie

12. Recap – features of postmodernism
Popular and commercial meets high culture
Classical music in response to popular culture
Bowie fans meet Glass and vice versa
Fragmentation and the death of representation
Unpredictable – not a traditional symphonic structure, however symphonic in style
Takes Bowie’s work out of order for own purpose
Uncertainty and the loss of content
Difficult to categorise – Glass does not like the term minimalist...but does he fit into the mainstream classical genre?
Repetition
Arpeggios
Additive music
Cyclic
Ostinato
Where are the tunes?
Can be difficult to listen to
Parody, pastiche and irony
Rule breaking composition

13. Write a paragraph that compares Glass' Heroes with Bowie & Eno's album
Homework
Write a paragraph that compares Glass' Heroes with Bowie & Eno's album
Refer to at least two tracks and use your music terminology from AS. 
Due Tuesday 18 October

14. Preparation for next lesson
Glass practical workshop
Philip Glass – Einstein on the Beach
Ensure you have read pages in your pink books
Furthermore....
If you Google Philip Glass you will also find a wealth of information on him
There are a lot of resources on Moodle about Philip Glass, and your other practitioners – make use of them!

15. Ongoing process....
Aphex Twin have created a mix of Bowie and Glass’ Heroes
Beck has responded to Glass by creating Rework

16. Ongoing process.... Beck re-imagines Bowie’s “Sound and Vision”
The Hello, Again performance started with an idea – Beck would reimagine David Bowie's classic, "Sound and Vision." But it became more than another cover. It became an experience that presented a fresh take on the possibilities of the once familiar, for both the audience and the performers