The Hallé Chamber Series - Philip Glass's Glassworks

In collaboration with the RNCM, the Hallé brings you a festival celebrating the best-loved works of American composer and pianist Philip Glass.

Following the success of his larger-scale orchestral and stage creations, Philip Glass wanted to write something that would be more accessible to a wider audience.

He composed Glassworks, a work in six movements, in 1981.

Intending it to be – aptly, for the decade – ‘Walkman-suitable’, he released both an LP and a tape cassette of the piece.

Each had its own separate mix: the LP was intended for home listening and the cassette – with a headphone-specific mix – was intended for personal tape players.
Glass’s efforts paid off, and the work was an instant success.

Chamber piece it may be, but it is no less rich and varied in its rhythms and textures, using members of all instrument families to create a shimmering, anthemic sound.