Glass, Philip (1937– )

US composer. While a student of French music teacher Nadia Boulanger he became strongly influenced by Indian music; his work is characterized by repeated rhythmic figures that are continually expanded and modified. His compositions include the operas Einstein on the Beach (1976), Akhnaten (1984), The Making of the Representative for Planet 8 (1988), and the ‘Low’ Symphony (1992) on themes from English pop singer David Bowie's Low album.

He studied at the Juilliard School, New York, and with Boulanger in Paris, France. Under the influence of Indian and North African music he has developed a technique (minimalism) whereby melodic ideas are not developed but are placed side by side in ‘timeless’ repetitions. He achieved early fame in New York with the 41/2-hour Einstein on the Beach, and had further success with the Gandhi opera Satyagraha (1980), and Akhnaten (1984). Later works seemed to lack fresh musical ideas, but he was back on form with an opera for Columbus Day, given at the New York Metropolitan Opera House in 1992, and the musical work Symphony No 5 (2000), which brings together writings from different religions as well as a range of music and voice.

He has written the music for several film scores, for example The Truman Show (1999), The Hours (2002), and The Illusionist (2006). Other recent works include the opera Waiting for the Barbarians, based on the novel by South African writer J M Coetzee, which premiered at the Erfurt Theater in Germany, Symphony No 8, which premiered at Bruckner Orchester Linz (both 2005), and Appomattox for the San Francisco Opera (2007).

Works Opera Einstein on the Beach (Avignon and New York Metropolitan Opera House, 1976), Satyagraha (Rotterdam, 1980), The Photographer (Amsterdam, 1982), Civil Wars (1982–84), Akhnaten (Stuttgart, 1984), The Juniper Tree (Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1985, with Robert Moran), The Fall of the House of Usher (Cambridge, 1988), The Making of the Representative for Planet 8 (Houston, 1988), 1,000 Airplanes on the Roof (Vienna Airport, 1988), Hydrogen Jukebox (Charleston, South Carolina, 1990), The Voyage (New York Metropolitan Opera, 1992), Symphony No 5 (2000).

Instrumental ensemble works including Music with Changing Parts (1970), Music in 12 Parts (1971–74), violin concerto (1987), string quartet (1993).