Opera on the Beach: On His New World of Music

by Philip Glass, Robert T. Jones

This autobiographical study by Philip Glass tells how, inspired by Samuel Beckett's "Play", he began to write the iconoclastic ballet and opera music which has turned him into a cult figure, responsible for drawing a new audience into opera houses. His works span the worlds of classical and rock music. The book gives accounts of his works "Einstein on the Beach", "Satyagraha" and "Akhnaten".

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Biography Memoir

222 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Philip Glass is a three-time Academy Award-nominated American classical music composer. He is considered one of the most influential composers of the late-20th century and is widely acknowledged as a composer who has brought art music to the public (along with precursors such as Richard Strauss, Kurt Weill and Leonard Bernstein).

His music is described asminimalist, from which he distanced himself in being a composer of "music with repetitive structures". Although his early, mature music is minimalist, he has evolved stylistically. Currently, he describes himself as "Classicist", trained in harmony and counterpoint and studied Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Franz Schubert.

Glass is a prolific composer: he has written ensemble works, operas, 8 symphonies, 8 concertos, film scores, and solo works. Glass counts many visual artists, writers, musicians, and directors among his friends, including Richard Serra, Chuck Close, Doris Lessing, Allen Ginsberg, Errol Morris, Robert Wilson, JoAnne Akalaitis, John Moran, actors Bill Treacher and Peter Dean, Godfrey Reggio, Ravi Shankar, Linda Ronstadt, Paul Simon, David Bowie, Patti Smith, the conductor Dennis Russell Davies, and electronic musician Aphex Twin, who have all collaborated with him. Among recent collaborators are Glass' fellow New Yorkers Leonard Cohen, and Woody Allen. He has also composed an opera for the opening of the Expo '98.

He describes himself as "a Jewish-Taoist-Hindu-Toltec-Buddhist",[10] and a supporter of the Tibetan cause. In 1987 he co-founded the Tibet House with Columbia University professor Robert Thurman and the actor Richard Gere. He has four children: two, Zachary (b. 1971) and Juliet (b. 1968) with first wife, theater director JoAnne Akalaitis (m. 1965, div. 1980); and two, Marlowe and Cameron with his fourth and current wife, Holly Critchlow. [11] Glass lives in New York and in Nova Scotia. He is the first cousin once removed of Ira Glass, host of the nationally syndicated radio show This American Life. Philip Glass's father is Ira Glass's great uncle.

Reviews

[Barry Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glass' memoir Words Without Music left me somewhat disappointed. I think that's my fault however. I went into it expecting him to talk all about his music - his operas, his scores, his albums. Not shockingly, what I actually got was a memoir of Glass mostly just talking about this actual life and not much discussion of the music. Opera on the Beach however, is exactly the book I was hoping Words Without Music to be.

This book, which looks to be completely out of print and I only availed of it when I came across a rather battered old copy in my library, focuses mostly on Glass' trilogy of portrait operas, namely 'Einstein on the Beach', 'Satyagraha', and 'Akhnaten'. It begins with Glass retracing his musical education very briefly and in nowhere near the amount of detail we find in his memoir. The main bulk of the book is made up of Glass discussing, in fantastic detail, the processes of the creation of his three most famous operas.

He talks about everything, even down to the funding and the accounts. If you're a fan of Glass, and these operas in particular, you'll just absolutely adore this book, much like I did. A really wonderful extra is that the librettos of each opera are included in here as well. For those of us who really only know the music (I must admit that the only opera of the trilogy that I've watched is Einstein, because it is the most popular and therefore is available on YouTube, the others will involve a much deeper hunt) the librettos are a goldmine.

The book ends with a short chapter on some of Glass' other projects that he worked on over the period that he composed the operas, namely the Glassworks album, Songs from Liquid Days, and The Photographer. All of which are hugely popular within the Glass canon so it was fun to get little insights into their creation too.

Overall I really loved this book. I will admit however, if you're not already a fairly devoted fan of Einstein, Satyagraha, and Akhnaten then you're not going to get much out of this. It's something of a Glass book for Glass fanatics. But it does confuse me as to why this hasn't been reprinted in years, it seems like such an important primary source on some of the most important operas of the 20th century. Now I'll have to track down a personal copy, ugh, wish me luck.

[Lorenzo Sivilotti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Centered around the development of his Portrait Trilogy of operas (Einstein on the Beach, Satyagraha, and Akhnaten), this is a fascinating account of the first couple decades of Glass’ compositional career—arguably his most inventive and innovative years. An invaluable aid for approaching and appreciating three of the best and most imaginative operas of the twentieth century. 9/10

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Looking for insight into the compositional genius that is Philip Glass was my primary goal in reading his autobiography. What I found instead was nibbles of something much larger. Focusing primarily on theatre and opera production Mr. Glass touched casually on the compositions for his famous theatre music. Quickly he elaborated on his rhythmic cycles "wheels within wheels" song structure, which was facinating, and his modulation and cadence theories. His love for experimentation was also refreshing. But I believe his genius may still lie in his subtleties. Talking about your art is difficult. Talking about it's production and the response is much easier.

[Allan Cronin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am an unashamed long time fan of Philip Glass and his music. I bought and read this within months of its publication and it satisfied my hunger for all things Glass. But this is not just fan or groupie literature. Glass is an interesting writer and his accounts here do help give insight to the man and his work. If you already dislike Glass' music then, obviously you will not like this book but if you are interested on any level you will find this book useful and actually a fun read.

[Mike Banino · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sort of musical autobiography from a man who can, at times, come off as less than approachable. Fascinating and insightful. Lots of musical notation and analysis for those who read, understand, or otherwise appreciate the mechanics and theory of composition.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Philip Glass is a consummate networker as well as being extremely curious and inventive. Whether or not you like his music is a matter of taste and tolerance. Who he went all over the world to meet and greet is also a matter of curiosity and tolerance.

He was an incredible traveler. Some of his music, I greatly admire and enjoy. I wish he had shared more of the wisdom of the people he visited.

[Chris Meloche · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original Faber hardcover edition. Identical to the title Music by Philip Glass.

[Chris Meloche · Rating 5 out of 5]

Identical to the British edition called Opera on the Beach.

[Zoltán · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything what was left out from Words Without Music

[B]

I read the first few chapters and skimmed a bit of the rest before deciding now was not the time for me to read this book. I've had ambivalent feelings towards Philip Glass's music and for the past few years have been searching for something to set my opinion in stone, one way or the other. What I learned from this book was that I should see one of his operas and let it convince me, one way or the other. This book will probably be a treasure for Philip Glass fans who are familiar with the works discussed (mostly the operas), but I don't fit into that category at this time, so I decided it best to put it down. Maybe, years later when I'm more familiar with Glass's music, I'll pick up this book again and read it through. Who knows.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Philip Glass' autobiography is a surprisingly dry and sober, yet unfailingly interesting, look at this seminal and extraordinary modern American composer. I don't think it's possible to listen to Glass' music the same way after reading it. His output is spectacularly uneven - some of his music produces tears & sobs, while some of it is embarassingly awful - but he is devoted to a very particular worldview and this book will help you to understand it.

[Ryan]

I wrote a paper on it! Not as boring as you might think, but pretty boring nonetheless. You know how his music tends to repeat itself? Well...