Yes, that's it! Good research, merudanda. I find the music mesmerizing, even in a YouTube clip where there is no context for it. There are not many contemporary operas where one can be confident about saying, "This will still be performed in 50 years' time," but I think one can say this of Satyagraha. There is something timeless about it, and the way, in the Met production, the figure of Gandhi, in his obscure South African campaign, was linked to that of Martin Luther King was absolutely brilliant. Really brought the theme home to an American audience, and then of course at the end there is Gandhi singing the words of Krishna, which lifts the opera to an even higher plane. My deepest passion is for Wagner, and in this opera Philip Glass, in his high-mindedness, daring originality, and cosmic scope invites comparison to the old master, although I have not seen anyone make it. However one looks at it, Satyagraha is a masterpiece, a small miracle, I have no doubt about it.
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, merudanda <no_reply@...> wrote: > > > What a fest(ival) > > > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cma7XC6AlAI > <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cma7XC6AlAI> > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "feste37" <feste37@> wrote: > > > > authfriend is right, as usual. I like Glass's work a lot. In fact, I > think that Satyagraha, the opera Emily alluded to, is one of the finest > operas written in the 20th century. It stretches the genre beyond what > one might have thought possible -- an opera with basically no plot and > sung entirely in Sanskrit. Who could have imagined such a thing? And yet > he pulls it off, and much of it is extremely moving. I'm thinking > particularly of the last scene in which Gandhi, alone on stage, sings > the words of Krishna about how he manifests himself whenever unrighteous > rules, and comes to restore balance. (It's the Gita, chapter 4 verses > 5-8.) Saw the opera in the live telecast from the Met late last year. > Fabulous experience that reminded me of why I am alive -- to experience > something through literature or music that is quite beyond the common > run of day-to-day feelings and helps me to remember the depths of > things. I'm noticing that it's not as easy to discover such things as it > was when I was younger, so when something like this turns up, I treasure > it. > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" jstein@ wrote: > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Emily Reyn <emilymae.reyn@> > wrote: > > > > > > > > I love the cello...almost posted a Philip Glass cello piece > > > > last night, but it was long...and depressing :)�This fellow > > > > is wonderful and thank you for posting. > > > > > > > > So, did I get the joke...was it the repetitive nature of the > > > > song that prompted Feste? Am I living in another too literal > > > > world altogether? > > > > > > Feste's quip was actually very witty. Glass is known for > > > pieces that repeat and repeat, but then introduce a little > > > bit of variation, then repeat and repeat that, then > > > go back to the original repetition, then introduce another > > > little bit of variation and repeat that, and so on, just > > > like Feste's first response. It's a style that's usually > > > called "minimalism." This was in his earlier days, though; > > > he's writing different kinds of music now. > > > > > > > Are not chants repetitious? Are not bhajans repetitious? I > > > > love repetition when done to certain musical themes; it is > > > > mesmerizing and transports. > > > > > > Sure. That's what Glass intends, to provoke a sort of > > > hypnotic state that then gets shaped by the little > > > variations. Nothing wrong with it at all, but for some it > > > may be an acquired taste (one I haven't acquired). I don't > > > think Feste meant it as a criticism. He was just mimicking > > > that style in words. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > > From: merudanda no_re...@yahoogroups.com > > > > To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > > > > Sent: Monday, January 30, 2012 6:39 PM > > > > Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: Philip Glass - The Poet Acts > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > knock -knock- sneak- sneak-------- > > > > > > > > Schubert one of the least "intellectual-smart" of composers may > help > > > > > > > > leaving behind lucid dreamy night > > > > > > > > kiss the sunshine in the morning bright > > > > knowing the game > > > > so let us play play again > > > > > > > > and again and again > > > > > > > > together > > > > leaving the lucid night > > > > this posting Trio taking each the instrument of > > > > choice > > > > saha vÄ«ryaá¹karavÄvahai(May this light strengthen > our friendship ) > > > > tejasvinÄvadhÄ«tamastu mÄ vidviá¹£Ävahai (May > our life be brilliant, may we never > > > > misunderstand) > > > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFcGgmWStnM > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Emily Reyn <emilymae.reyn@> > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > Yes, I'm not one of the smarter meditators here, but I'm humble > on that point. I actually liked it and haven't been privy to him - this > joke goes over my head as well, unless you are pointing out that > repetition is his gig in a lot of the music he composes. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > > > From: feste37 feste37@ > > > > > To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > > > > > Sent: Monday, January 30, 2012 12:22 PM > > > > > Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: Philip Glass - The Poet Acts > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > It may not have been apparent, but I was in fact making a very > feeble Philip Glass joke. Here's another one: > > > > > > > > > > Knock, knock. > > > > > Who's there? > > > > > Knock, knock. > > > > > Who's there? > > > > > Knock, knock. > > > > > Who's there? > > > > > Knock, knock. > > > > > Who's there? > > > > > Knock, knock. > > > > > Who's there? > > > > > Knock, knock. > > > > > Who's there? > > > > > Philip Glass. > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Emily Reyn emilymae.reyn@ > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > You are welcome. à I got the reference to Philip Glass > from the video telling the story of the Bhagavad Gita that Buck sent. > à He was on of the speakers and is also a composer. à He did > the score for the movie The Hours, which I never saw, but may now. > à You may already know this :). > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > > > > From: feste37 feste37@ > > > > > > To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > > > > > > Sent: Monday, January 30, 2012 5:39 AM > > > > > > Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: Philip Glass - The Poet Acts > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > à > > > > > > I like it. I like it. I like it. I like it very much, very > much. I like it. I like it. I like it a lot . A lot. A lot. I like it. I > like it. Very much. Very much. I like it. I like it. > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Emily Reyn > <emilymae.reyn@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fca2oXLe9g4&feature=related > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
