The Glasshouse

The Philip Glass Ensemble will mesmerise audiences at The Glasshouse on 26 September. Founded by Philip Glass, one of the greatest composers of the 20th century, the ensemble will perform the entirety of Glassworks.

Michael Riesman, the ensemble’s Musical Director, spoke with us from New York to share how the ensemble has evolved and why he’s looking forward to returning to the region.

Can you share a brief history of how the Philip Glass Ensemble came to be and how you joined?

Philip was writing new music in 1968. He wasn’t sure any traditional ensembles would want to perform it, so he decided to form his own by gathering musicians interested in his kind of music. He was writing the music in open score, meaning anyone could play any part. Whatever group of musicians he assembled could perform the piece. Over the years, people joined and didn’t leave.

I’d gone through academic training and was teaching, but decided I didn’t want to continue doing that at the time. I had no responsibilities, so there was no reason not to perform and travel. I left my university job, and I was lucky because, at that moment, Philip needed a keyboard player. I auditioned, got the part, and the first stop was Berlin. I was floating on air- I loved it. That was in 1974, and I’ve been with him ever since.

What does it feel like to be part of such a groundbreaking ensemble?

It’s exciting to know we’re a popular ensemble. At first, the audiences were tiny, and nobody liked the music too much. People used to ask, “What’s it like to play in a Philip Glass concert?” I’d tell them it’s kind of like rock’n’roll, except there are no drums or guitars. But it’s loud, exciting, and  easy to get into. You can bounce along with it feeling the rhythms and melodies.

What do you most admire about Philip as an artist?

Philip had a unique vision of what he wanted to do in music, and nobody directly influenced him. He stripped music to its bare essentials and reconstructed it. Each part he wrote for the musicians was independent but harmonised with the others.

Then, Philip incorporated beautiful melodies and colours in works like Beauty and the Beast. It has elements of his minimalist figurations, arpeggios, and pulsing rhythms, but it’s become mainstream.

As the Music Director of the Philip Glass Ensemble, what is the main goal you want to achieve?

Musicians need great rhythmic precision to play in the ensemble. That’s the focus of my expectations for the players. I expect them to be able to perform at a high level with intricate patterns.

One of my responsibilities as Music Director is to hire players for the ensemble. When I audition highly accomplished musicians, I’m sometimes surprised at how challenging they find the pieces.

I look for players who understand the rhythmic shifts, especially in Philip’s earlier music. It’s important that the ensemble stays tight, plays with precision, and we feel the rhythmic changes in the music together, which makes us soar.

You’re playing Philip Glass’ Glassworks at The Glasshouse! We think that’s pretty special. What part of Glassworks do you like playing the most and why?

I get to play the grand piano in the opening piece, which I love. It’s a hugely popular piece and one of the most-played songs from Glassworks on platforms like Apple Music. I played Opening on the original recording and have played it many times since. It’s very special, but all the pieces from Glassworks are.

The ensemble hadn’t performed Glassworks in its entirety until last year. We made new arrangements because Philip didn’t write the original for the ensemble. We play it with different instruments now, and I can tell you that we enjoy performing it very much.

You’re also performing Rescue from Satyagraha, Funeral from Akhnaten and Photographer, Act III. What are you most excited to play from those three pieces, and why?

I’m looking forward to playing Rescue and Funeral as they fell out of the repertoire a few years ago, and we’ve brought them back. We’ve performed Photographer consistently over the years – it’s a piece that we’ve performed the most, but I never get tired of it because it’s an exciting piece. It’s an honour to play them all.

It’s not often that the Philip Glass Ensemble performs in the North East. What are you looking forward to about coming to The Glasshouse?

It’s been a while. We’ve played in London loads in places like the Barbican, but haven’t been North much. We did a British Arts Council tour in the 70s, where we played in Newcastle. Some of the crowds were smaller than the ensemble! So, I’m looking forward to coming back and seeing how the audience has grown over the last 50 years or so.

For those who are new to the Philip Grass Ensemble or curious about minimalist music, why should they come along to The Glasshouse to see you?

Come to The Glasshouse – you’re going to have a great time. It’s not a question of being interested in a particular kind of music. Anybody who loves music can come to this show and get something out of it. It’s enjoyable and easy to get into. It’s harmonious, rhythmically exciting, and loud enough that, if you’re used to rock concerts, it won’t feel too soft. Come and see for yourself what this is all about.