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Heroes Symphony

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marin Alsop At the center of this five-movement work is a spare, tense and perfectly named section: “Sense of Doubt.” The alternation of heavy descending figures and light, shimmering sounds captures the uncertainty of Cold War-era Berlin that inspired the 1977 Brian Eno/David Bowie album and, in turn, Glass’s 1996… Read more »

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NewMusicBox Staff

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marin Alsop

At the center of this five-movement work is a spare, tense and perfectly named section: “Sense of Doubt.” The alternation of heavy descending figures and light, shimmering sounds captures the uncertainty of Cold War-era Berlin that inspired the 1977 Brian Eno/David Bowie album and, in turn, Glass’s 1996 symphony. The work opens with typically heroic sounds (soaring horns, ascending melodies), but by the third movement, Glass shows that even heroes sometimes don’t know where to turn.

—DA