The piece that Days and Nights in Rochinha resembles most closely, in structure if not in mood, is Boléro. It's not surprising that a piece by Philip Glass would be compared to the work whose repetitiveness has caused it to be frequently described as a precursor to minimalism, but the comparison is more apt here than with most of Glass' works. He takes a memorable, expansive melody with a Latin rhythmic vitality and flavor and spins it out over a long time span, in this case 23 minutes. Glass' piece rises to less of a ...
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The piece that Days and Nights in Rochinha resembles most closely, in structure if not in mood, is Boléro. It's not surprising that a piece by Philip Glass would be compared to the work whose repetitiveness has caused it to be frequently described as a precursor to minimalism, but the comparison is more apt here than with most of Glass' works. He takes a memorable, expansive melody with a Latin rhythmic vitality and flavor and spins it out over a long time span, in this case 23 minutes. Glass' piece rises to less of a frenzied climax than Boléro; the arc of its intensity is more gently contoured. Its steady (but metrically complex) rhythm at a relaxed tempo, combined with languid, lyrical melodic material and lush harmonies, make it a serene and lulling piece that feels not a moment too long. It should have strong appeal for the listener who savors sustained, meditative music and doesn't demand a high level of complexity or dramatic musical development. Glass veteran Dennis Russell Davies leads the...
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