David Bowie and Philip Glass at the Intersection of Minimalism and Rock
Research or Creativity Area
Conservatory of Music
Abstract
This project describes the unlikely musical crossover between David Bowie, the late English glam rocker known for his evolution of charismatic performance personas, and Philip Glass, the American classical composer known for his operas, minimalist piano pieces, and range of chamber and symphonic works. With the premiere of his twelfth symphony, “Lodger,” in 2019, Glass has completed his trilogy of symphonies based on – or in the case of his final work in this set, inspired by, – Bowie’s Berlin trilogy comprising of his Low, Heroes, and Lodger albums (1977, 1977, and 1979). Glass’s first and fourth symphonies (1992 and 1996) were based on the Low and Heroes albums, respectively. By delving into the context of these artists’ musical (and extramusical) decisions made during the creative processes of these works, this presentation will highlight the similarities between Bowie and Glass, especially their shared tendency to blur the lines between various musical styles, as well as the lines between performer, composer, and producer. Lastly, utilizing musical examples, this presentation will demonstrate how these albums and symphonies are at an intersection between many musical styles, beginning with minimalism and rock, but extending to ambient music, world music, and pop, to name a few.
Location
Don and Karen DeRosa University Center (DUC) Room 211
Start Date
27-4-2024 11:15 AM
End Date
27-4-2024 11:30 AM
David Bowie and Philip Glass at the Intersection of Minimalism and Rock
Don and Karen DeRosa University Center (DUC) Room 211
This project describes the unlikely musical crossover between David Bowie, the late English glam rocker known for his evolution of charismatic performance personas, and Philip Glass, the American classical composer known for his operas, minimalist piano pieces, and range of chamber and symphonic works. With the premiere of his twelfth symphony, “Lodger,” in 2019, Glass has completed his trilogy of symphonies based on – or in the case of his final work in this set, inspired by, – Bowie’s Berlin trilogy comprising of his Low, Heroes, and Lodger albums (1977, 1977, and 1979). Glass’s first and fourth symphonies (1992 and 1996) were based on the Low and Heroes albums, respectively. By delving into the context of these artists’ musical (and extramusical) decisions made during the creative processes of these works, this presentation will highlight the similarities between Bowie and Glass, especially their shared tendency to blur the lines between various musical styles, as well as the lines between performer, composer, and producer. Lastly, utilizing musical examples, this presentation will demonstrate how these albums and symphonies are at an intersection between many musical styles, beginning with minimalism and rock, but extending to ambient music, world music, and pop, to name a few.
