Words Without Music cover art

Words Without Music

A Memoir

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About this listen

The long-awaited memoir by "the most prolific and popular of all contemporary composers." (New York Times)

A world-renowned composer of symphonies, operas, and film scores, Philip Glass has, almost single-handedly, crafted the dominant sound of late twentieth-century classical music. Rapturous in its ability to depict the creative process, Words without Music allows listeners to experience that sublime moment of creative fusion when life merges with art. Biography lovers will be inspired by the story of a precocious Baltimore boy who entered college at age fifteen before traveling to Paris to study under the legendary Nadia Boulanger; Glass devotees will be fascinated by the stories behind Einstein on the Beach and Satyagraha, among so many other works. Whether recalling his experiences working at Bethlehem Steel, traveling in India, driving a cab in 1970s New York, or his professional collaborations with the likes of Allen Ginsberg, Ravi Shankar, Robert Wilson, Doris Lessing, and Martin Scorsese, Words without Music affirms the power of music to change the world.

BONUS FEATURE: Includes “Etude No. 2,” written and performed by Philip Glass.

©2015 Philip Glass. “Etude No. 2” by Philip Glass © 1999 by Dunvagen Music Publishers, courtesy of Orange Mountain Music (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Entertainment & Celebrities Music Memoir Celebrity
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A fantastic memoir by Philip Glass, the minimalist composer showing the struggles of a young composer to his great successes. Really good.

A great memoir of a great composer

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This was a truly compelling listen. Not just an autobiography of the composer but a real sense of time, place and mood. It presents a really vivid account of a social and cultural melting pot at a time of great change in the arts in general. The narration by Lloyd James is superb.

Fascinating. An entertaining and insightful autobiography.

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Well written and fascinating autobiography, it also offers great context of the world Glass was in during his still active musical career.

fantastic

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The story is engaging and beautifully told. A delight. Thank you Audible. I very much enjoyed this book.

a gorgeous book

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