PHILIP GLASS — Powaqqatsi (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In 2002, Philip Glass toured in support of the four-disc set Glass on Film, culled from his movie scores. It was good to see that the Philip Glass Ensemble performed the long-underrated Powaqqatsi among his other collaborations with filmmaker Godfrey Reggio, because those electric keyboard works have outlasted the symphonic stuff. Back in the '80s, Glass didn't seem to think so. He aimed to become the thinking filmmaker's response to John Williams by turning his minimalist background to astringent, stately symphonic movie scores for Mishima, Hamburger Hill, and The Thin Blue Line. It's understandable how Powaqqatsi's music was overlooked: The synthesizers and the orchestra and booming percussion were uncomfortably cluttered and showbizzy. Even today, Powaqqatsi's Anthem sounds like a naked attempt at an instrumental hit like Vangelis' theme for Chariots of Fire. On the other hand, the melodic and textural similarities of the symphonic scores, plus the snatches cribbed from them for other movies, have deadened their appeal. Powaqqatsi is straight-up loud. Instead of Koyanisqqatsi's somber organ prelude (as in a Baptist service), Serra Pelada provides the mightiest track in Glass' career: a gamelan ensemble marching with a drum-and-bugle corp behind the voices of the Latin American Children's Ensemble (set off with a coach's whistle). Almost everywhere, the synthesizers and orchestra work and play together, while the tunes are actually memorable on their own. The three-part New Cities in Ancient Lands, set in China, Africa, and India, features woodwinds and keyboards from the Philip Glass Ensemble, with kalimbas and balafons strewn among the orchestra. Video Dream is simple lyricism, like the English horn that unrolls the Arabic melody of That Place. The ponderous Caught and two of the three Anthem reprises are mere clutter, but somehow Glass makes room for everything, even Foday Musa Suso's kora and vocals on Mr. Suso #1 and Mr. Suso #2 With Reflection. It adds up for a bright world music symphony. John Young  
Tracklist :
1 Serra Pelada 5:02
2 The Title 0:23
3 Anthem (Part 1) 6:22
4 That Place 4:41
5 Anthem (Part 2) 3:48
6 Mosque And Temple 4:42
7 Anthem (Part 3) 8:11
8 Train To São Paulo 3:04
9 Video Dream 2:14
10 New Cities In Ancient Lands, China 2:47
11 New Cities In Ancient Lands, Africa 2:56
12 New Cities In Ancient Lands, India 4:42
13 The Unutterable 7:02
14 CAUGHT! 7:20
15 Mr. Suso #1 1:08
16 From Egypt 3:23
17 Mr. Suso #2 With Reflection 1:18
18 Powaqqatsi 4:35
Credits :
Bass Vocals [Bass Voice] – Al DeRuiter
Bassoon – Ethan Bauch, Lauren Goldstein, Mike Finn
Cello – Seymour Barab
Choir – Hispanic Young People's Chorus
Clarinet – John Moses, Laura Flax, Steve Hartman
Conductor – Michael Riesman
Directed By [Choir Musical Director] – Angélica Rosa Sepúlveda
Double Bass – Barbara Wilson
Effects [Ambient Sound Effects], Recorded By [Additional Recording] – Bob Bielecki, Connie Kieltyka
Flute, Piccolo Flute – Diva Goodfriend-Koven, Michael Parloff
Flute, Piccolo Flute, Saxophone – Jack Kripl
French Horn – Ann Yarbrough, Joe Anderer, Alan Spanger, Sharon Moe, Tony Miranda
Keyboards – Lee Curreri, Martin Goldray, Michael Riesman, Paul Rice
Keyboards, Programmed By [Synthesizer Programming], Sounds [Sound Design] – Jeffrey Rona
Kora, Balafon, Harp [Dousongoni], Violin [Nyanyer] – Foday Musa Suso
Lyrics By [For Children's Choir] – Bernardo Palumbo
Other [Children's Choir Executive Director] – Hector Carrasquillo
Other [Digital Tape Machines Supplied By] – Sid Zimet
Other [Technical Adviser And Consultant For African Music] – Foday Musa Suso
Other [Technical Adviser And Consultant For South American Music] – Bernardo Palumbo
Percussion, Ensemble – Joe Passaro, Roger Squitero, Sue Evans, Valerie Naranjo
Quena, Ensemble – Jefe Ronda, Jorge Joven, Miguel Grande
Saxophone – Steve Elson
Saxophone, Didgeridoo – Jon Gibson
Soloist, Vocals – Shaikh Fathy Mady
Sounds [Sound Effects Design] – Gary Summers
Tambura [Tanpura] – Frank Menusan
Trombone – James Pugh, Keith Oquinn
Trombone, Tuba – Alan Raph
Trumpet – Bill Rhodin, Lorraine Cohen, Neil Balm, Wilmer Wise
Viola – Jack Rosenberg, Jill Jaffe, Karl Bargen, Lois Martin
Violin – Carol Pool, Elliot Rosoff, Karen Karlsrud, Linda Quan, Richard Sortomme, Sanford Allen, Sergiu Schwartz