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Chapter 55
Philip Glass
Einstein on the Beach
Chapter at a Glance
Listen to This First
Layered Timbres
Simple Harmony
Variation Form
Connect Your Playlist: Minimalism
Profile: Philip Glass (b. 1937)
Chapter Objectives
After reading this chapter and listening to the work, students should be able to:
Einstein on the Beach
as a theater piece.
55.2 Define and recognize minimalism in all the arts, including music.
Key Concepts
drama without a plot, variation form, ostinato
Chapter Highlight: Minimalism
Minimalism is a style based on multiple repetitions and subtle variations of a few brief
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Chapter Summary
Philip Glass is a prolific minimalist composer whose output includes 10 operas, one of
which is Einstein on the Beach. There is no story line in this opera. Rather, Glass built it
around a series of recurring images: a train, a trial, and a spaceship in a field. A
character resembling Einstein appears repeatedly, playing the violin. The composer
explained that the title is only a sort of reference point for meeting. Audiences bring
their own story lines.
without intermission. Electronic organ, mixed chorus, and female speakers form the
Listening Guide
There are 11 sections and each is stated twice. The first is for organ alone with an
ostinato in long, slow notes. Singers enter in two parts in section 2, and these remain
through section 6. At section 7, the two lines (S/A, T/B) become four parts. The Rhythm
column outlines the ostinatos.
MyMusicLab Resources
Automated Listening Guide Einstein on the Beach
Chapter Audio: Chapter 55
Discussion Topics and Critical Thinking Questions
1. Describe the layers of texture in this excerpt. How does Glass alter them for contrast?
2. Define minimalism as a composition style and explain how this example fits the
definition.
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Activities and Exercises
1. Explore other minimalist works by different composers. Have students explain how
Journaling Prompt
Of all the minimalists, Philip Glass is perhaps the most popular with the general public.