In 1976, composer Philip Glass and director Robert Wilson collaborated to create the groundbreaking opera Einstein on the Beach, which may be the most significant product of either individual’s artistic output. Though rarely performed, Einstein on the Beach is considered one of the most influential and revolutionary contributions to the operatic genre. Deeply experimental, featuring minimal plot and nearly five hours of simplistic, repetitive music, Einstein on the Beach is now revered as a masterpiece.
Einstein on the Beach arose from Philip Glass’ minimalist composition style, and Robert Wilson’s sensitivity to conceptual theatricality. Prior to the opera, Philip Glass had already developed an individualistic style of composition, abandoning the movement of modernism that established composers were pressing students to continue. While Glass appreciated the serialist and chance music works he studied in Julliard, he suspected that
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Glass claims that the term “minimalism” understates the added richness and complexity to his more recent works, and gives a wholly negative impression of the genre. However, like minimalism, Glass’ music mostly derived from variations on additive and subtractive processes, in which a note is either added or removed from a motivic fragment, maintaining the character of the sound, but altering the rhythmic drive (Coventry). The music is also characterized by a heavy reliance on consonance, which enforces tonality and helps contribute to a pop-like sound quality, especially when combined with the repetitive structure of the work. The pop music sound is further enforced by the use of synthesizers in the orchestration. For these reasons, in addition to the rock-like grooves established by motivic ostinatos, Einstein on the Beach manages to blur the division between art and pop
A composer depends entirely upon the nature of the film for all the clues needed to write a suitable score for a film. Brought into the production after a certain amount of film has been shot, the films concept will dictate how the composer will write the music. Whether based on the story line, or providing information by setting an atmospheric state, film music will always have different purposes between different films. Penguin Ballet by Nigel Westlake was composed to focuses upon the graceful, almost ballet like movements of the penguins underwater. Whereas, Writings on the wall by Sam Smith conveys ideas and messages which will be expressed throughout the film, especially through the use of lyrics. Although positioned within the film to provide contrasting messages, both these songs use similar musical elements to support the piece, and its position with the film. The discussion of this essay is that there are similarities between the musical elements that support the lyrics in a song and the action in a documentary. Through this, we will discuss the musical element’s of pitch, and timbre and texture.
So we ask ourselves, how does poetry gain its power? To answer this question, we examine the work of poets Harwood and Plath. ‘The Glass Jar’, composed by Gwen Harwood portrays its message through the emotions of a young child, while the poem ‘Ariel’, written by Sylvia Plath, makes effective use of emotions to convey artistic creativity and inspiration.
Many Americans Have read Night by Elie Wiesel. The book tells his experience at the german concentration camps. Another story, through a less known is David Faber.
By Frank Beddor’s The Looking Glass Wars, he retells the story of Alice in Wonderland by putting it in the perspective of Alyss as the princess of Wonderland, when she is forced to flee Wonderland when her Aunt Redd (Queen Genevieve’s sister) comes to retake her throne. Alyss ends up in Victorian London and is separated from her keeper Hatter Madigan. Beddor changes the story to provide good significance and inspiring themes to give good imagery throughout the story. For example, in the story Queen Genevieve, Hatter, and Alyss forget their own survival to sacrifice themselves for the good of others.
struggles with self identity after moving from Iran to America for asylum. In addition to fleeing Iran due to the political climate and his family’s involvement with the Shah, Behrani is presented to the reader as the quintessential immigrant and refugee. He and his family move to San Francisco, California in order to start a new life. With very little money compared to what they were accustomed to, Behrani and his family reside in a relatively wealthy area.
The way the human mind operates is a mystery to all. Through thinking that the mind is something that can be comprehended humans have created the art of psychology and psychiatry, where the inner machinations of one’s mind are turned into nothing more than phrases and terms. Between every person there lies a sense of morality, no matter who. The sense of morality is not the same though, as children we learn to feel pain and suffering as others do, and to put the shoes of others on. In the end, it seems, that almost all people brought up well as children, turn out to be the people considered to have a strong sense of morality and can feel what pains some must endure. Though the way being brought up does not define a
In Frank Beddor’s The Looking Glass Wars the story of Alice in Wonderland has been altered from it’s more child-friendly version. In this story, the civil war between Queen Genevieve and her sister Redd has torn the queendom of Wonderland apart. While in it’s recovery, Wonderland is attacked once again by Redd and Alice escapes with Genevieve’s most trusted soldier, Hatter Maddigan, through the Pool of Tears while the murders of Wonderland’s citizens stack, including the deaths of Alice’s parents. Through the Pool of Tears however, Alice and Hatter are separated and find themselves countries apart, yet 13 years later reunite and take back wonderland.
We live in the age of constant technological innovation and endless information; in which we are so connected and dependent on the technology we use that we sometimes don’t even realize how much we’re relying on it. In The Glass Cage by Nicholas Carr, Carr defines automation as, “the use of computers and software to do things we used to do ourselves,” and argues that there are daunting consequences to our reliance on technology (Carr 1). In his book, Nicholas Carr sets up three arguments related to automation, tacit knowledge, and the idea of work. His main arguments throughout the novel are that humans are overestimating the benefits of automation, losing tacit knowledge through our reliance on technology, and
In the short story "The Guest" by Albert Camus, Daru's predicament goes hand in hand with France's difficulties and Camus' self-appreciation. In the short story “The Guest” we are introduced to see Daru’s concern to attend the political situation in the French North
Philip Glass' composed an opera named Knee Play 1 from Einstein on the Beach. This opera was composed in the U.S. in 1976. This is a plotless opera built around a series of recurring images. Also given its name, a character
City of Glass is a novel written by Paul Auster in 1985, and its one of the stories included in the series of novels The New York Trilogy (1987). One of the essential themes that recur in many of Austers works is the search for identity and personal meaning, and this is exactly one of the main elements of City of Glass. It deals with this detective writer, who descends into madness when he becomes a private investigator himself by mistake. In the following essay, I will focus on the characters and the very twisted point of view, which is a big part of the whole novel. Besides that, I will concentrate on the themes that are dealt with in the story.
There are some travelers who see a “paradise” as their final destination; however, it may end up to be exactly opposite of what a paradise should be. This can be seen in Alex Garland’s The Beach. The novel is about several backpackers, Richard, Francoise, and Etienne, who come together and travel to an island community, their paradise, within Thailand. Ultimately, the story portrays the idea of a utopia-like society taking a turn for the worst and becoming a dystopia, something that the backpackers would not have expected. Throughout the story, the theme of a utopia turning into a dystopia could be seen through symbolism such as the “cancer” of traveling and the destruction that it brings.
Virtual High school is becoming more and more popular. But is it really the best option for your child? My parents are planning on sending me to a virtual high school. But I totally disagree with that Idea. Here's why. There's no doubt that online schooling can’t get you the proper education that you need, But if your alwaysways on the computer, surrounded by no one but yourself and maybe a parent. Then how is it possible that you will be able to learn any social skills. When you first think of this it may not seem like a bad thing, but when really, it’s a huge issue that will shape your lifestyle.
Often music is consisted not only by sounds made from musical instruments, but also by voice and verbal messages. The structure of the voice, or as Roland Barthes describes it ‘the grain of voice’ is the element in a certain piece of music which is responsible for creating the emotions when listening. The grain and the lyrics make the signified and carry out the message. The vocal part of music is formed of words, text, which communicate and make the representation and expression of what it is sung - talked about. According to Barthes the emotive modes of the voice and the changes of the tones from low to high is what delivers the final message and makes us feel the music. (Barthes, R. 1977 [1972]).
Descriptive summer essay A visit to the beach is one of life 's greatest pleasures. .... I hear the crash of waves braking over the soft pearly sand of the beach. ....