Book of Longing

Product Details

Artist : Philip Glass, Leonard Cohen
Binding : Audio CD
EAN : 0801837004328
Label : Orange Mountain
Number of Discs : 2
Product Group : Music
Release Date : 2007-11-26
Running Time : 88minutes
UPC : 801837004328

ASIN : B000XJM7XQ

Track Listings for

Disc-1
1. I Can't Make The Hills
2. I Came Down From The Mountain
3. Sip Of Wine
4. Want To Fly
5. Light Came Through The Window
6. Puppet Time
7. G-d Opened My Eyes
8. You Go Your Way
9. I Was Doing Something
10. Not A Jew
11. How Much I Love You
12. Babylon
13. I Enjoyed The Laughter

Disc-2
1. This Morning I Woke Up Again
2. I Want To Love You Now
3. Don't Have The Proof
4. Night Of Santiago
5. Mother Mother
6. You Came To Me This Morning
7. I Am Now Able
8. Roshi's Very Tired
9. Merely A Prayer

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Editorial Reviews

Album Description

An eagerly awaited new work by Philip Glass based on the deeply personal and sometimes provocative poetry of Leonard Cohen, 'Book of Longing' is a two-disc set of the complete song cycle written for ensemble, singers, spoken word and imagery. It is the culmination of years of mutual admiration between two of America's most celebrated and uncompromising artists: "Leonard and I first began talking about a poetry-and-music collaboration nine years ago," says Philip Glass. "We met in Los Angeles, and he had with him a manuscript that became the basis of the collection of poetry now published as the Book of Longing. I found it intensely beautiful, personal, and inspiring. On the spot, I proposed an evening-length work of poetry, music, and image based on it. For me, this is both a departure from past work and a fulfilment of an artistic dream."

Setting poetry that is "clear yet steamy, cosmic yet private" (New York Times), Glass composed the work for a unique ensemble of instruments, including himself on keyboard plus four singers; his long-time musical director Michael Riesman conducts ("stunning musical expertise" - The Independent). The piece was premiered at the Lincoln Center in New York, and toured Europe in October.

Personnel:
Leonard Cohen (spoken text), Dominique Plaisant, Tara Hugo, Will Erat & Daniel Keeling (singers), Philip Glass Ensemble (including Philip Glass keyboard), Michael Riesman (conductor)

Customer Reviews

Leonard's Songs Belong In The Gutter (2008-08-23)

I wholeheartedly disagree with some of the reviewers who claim that Glass has provided the perfect setting for Cohen's later poetry. For one, Cohen on paper is not as great a poet as he is in song. In fact, his later poetry harks back a good deal to the poetry of the beats (Kerouac, Ginsberg, Ferlinghetti, etc) and is comparable to a great degree to the late, great Charles Bukowski, but not as good, in my opinion. The difference being that Bukowski had no choice but to immerse himself in a squalid existence, and write, as it were, inside the belly of the whale. Cohen, on the other hand, has always exuded real class, and he has a much higher-minded side to his character, so that i.e. in 'The Energy Of Slaves' when he writes of Valentina, that "I loved to creep up behind her/when she was engrossed in Star Trek/and kiss her little ass-hole" it may be honest yet it somehow lacks the ring of truth. In other words, it sounds like a cheap shot - bitter, almost. That said, I abhor the current trend which aims to add a certain grandeur, or high-cultural quality, to popular song. Leonard has always been a cut above: we don't need jaded classicists to remind us of that. However, the music of Cohen belongs in the gutter, in the mouths and hearts of the poor and intoxicated. I bought this cd in haste, and I can't stand to listen to it. I will keep it for the artwork alone. For anyone else, give it a wide berth.

look away now (2008-05-21)

Yes, the lyrics are interesting and some of the settings are nicely done...but the singing? Good grief, it really is terrible stuff. The voices are those of sub-standard musical theatre, formal, careful and well-articulated, and with all the character and feel of cardboard. If you're a Cohen fan, I guess you'll find it simply cringe-making.

Glass back at his best (2008-03-31)

Glass's finest work for many years, this setting of Leonard Cohen's poetry is reminscent in style and scope to 'Hydrogen Jukebox' (Glass's setting of Allen Ginsberg's poetry), but is even better. Dark, haunting and deeply evocative this the perfect meeeting of two masters, and again underscores Glass's position as the greatest living composer.Minimalism at its finest.

Two masters bring out the best in each other.... (2007-12-21)

In some ways these are the settings that Cohen's later poems have been waiting for. Warm, rich but sparing music, excellent singers and Leonard's deep tones to set it all off...Leonard seemed to have lost the plot with the awkward and unconvincing Dear Heather, but his poetry collection from which most of the words here are drawn turned out to be one of the most rewarding works of his career.As if a candid admission of Dear Heather's failure, A Sip of Wine is a resetting of Boogie Street, and the setting here is a much more rewarding experience than the flatness that has marked LCs recent recorded work.So Cohen fans are served well here, how about Philip Glass fans?They are also served well. PG fans have, since the inception of Orange Mountain Music, been having a bit of an orgy of new and archive recordings, and this continues that. It doesn't quite sound quite like any other PG work, but that is something that is also true of much of PGs recent work.In conclusion, highly recommended to both Cohen and Glass fans. If, like myself, you're a fan of both, then this is essential. No two ways about it.

A Natural Collaboration (2007-11-24)

Ok I'm reviewing this before hearing the CD itself, but that's because I saw them perform this song cycle live at the barbican recently, so I know what I'm talking about! This is a very natural, easy collaboration, and follows on neatly from Glass' earlier settings of the work of beat poet Allen Ginsberg to music (Hydrogen Jukebox). The occasional appearance of Cohen himself reading some of the shorter pieces complements the four singers nicely, and there's a wonderful counterpoint between the lighter pieces and the darker works like Puppet Time.Highly recommended.

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