The Complete "Upper Room" Released For The First Time.
Louie Bourland | Garden Grove CA | 04/02/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Philip Glass's 1986 ballet "In The Upper Room" is arguably the composer's greatest dance work and one in long line of successful collaborations with renowned choreographer Twyla Tharp.
Five movements of this dynamic work were initially released on the 1986 Glass album "Dance Pieces" with the original orchestration enhanced by synthesized sounds to give the music a more 'commercial' vibe.
Now, 23 years after its debut, Philip Glass and his label Orange Mountain Music have released the full nine-movement original scoring of "In The Upper Room" for the first time ever. This new recording strips away the synthesized enhancements and presents the music as Glass originally intended.
Musically, the ballet is full of trademark Glass elements with its short repeated phrases, arpegiated rhythms and strong orchestrations. This is especially apparent in the fourth and ninth movements with their triumphant upbeat themes and variations. Indeed, this can also be said of the rest of the work as the full version is a revelation compared to the individual movements released on the "Glass Pieces" album.
Long time Glass fans will find this CD to be a real treat and a worthwhile addition to their collection. For those just discovering Philip Glass, this is one CD that can be recommended as a solid introduction to his theater work. The only minor complaint I have is the fact that this CD runs for under 40-minutes. The high quality of the music does more than make up for this CD's short length and shows Philip Glass at a high point in his creative powers.
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Rebirth of a spiritual Song in a secular Dance Piece
Martin Weyers | 03/24/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
""In the Upper Room" is a secular modern dance piece from 1986, it's title being inspired by a highly spiritual song: "In the Upper Room", sung by Mahalia Jackson.
It's one of the most beautiful dance scores I've ever listened to; While Twyla Tharp's original choreography is one of my all time favorites. It plays beautifully with traditional mythic symbols, and elements from classic and modern dance.
Some of the pieces have been released previously on another CD, but incomplete, and reinforced with synthesized tracks. While I love listening to those synthesized tracks too, it's amazing to listen to the original acoustic score, the way it was originally intended by the composer."
Finally, the complete score!
J. Cochran | Arlington, VA USA | 05/15/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I've been waiting for a complete "Upper Room" ever since seeing the American Ballet Theater version premiere in 1988. I can never forget the stunned reaction of the audience at the close of the work, followed immediately by an explosion of thunderous applause, cheering, and a standing ovation (standing ovations being somewhat rarer in 1988 than today). It's that kind of work.
I'm happy to say that for dances I-VIII this version improves on the synthesizer-enhanced tracks Tharp used for performances in those days (and which subsequently became available on "Dancepieces"). The result on dance IX, which had the heaviest and most obvious synthesizer track, is less happy for me. Something is missing from the overall feel that I've become so familiar with over the years....but that's perhaps just me.
Anyway, for the Glass enthusiast this will be a treasured addition; for the novice, you could pick many much worse starting points for a journey into Glass. Highly recommended."
Track Listings (9) - Disc #1
