The Jewish Museum, Fifth Avenue, New York
November 15, 2018

At first glance, there doesn’t seem to be that much in common between minimalist icon Philip Glass and the under-acknowledged Russian composer Galina Ustvolskaya (1919-2006). With his emphasis on form and his populist appeal, the 81-year-old American seems poles apart from the sparse textures and frequently aggressive sound world of Shostakovich’s only female pupil. Dig deeper, though, and there are connections. Both came to artistic maturity at times of ferment – Glass in the turbulent late 60s, Ustvolskaya following the death of Stalin and the brief period of cultural thaw under Khrushchev – and both met with stiff opposition. Listening to their music, especially that written for piano, both clearly have an abiding interest in sonority. But most importantly for this concert, both are musical heroes of Jenny Lin, whose program for Bang on a Can at the Jewish Museum placed their work side by side.

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