Orchestra of the Swan performs Philip Glass

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The Orchestra of the Swan presents its fourth single to be released from its upcoming album Echoes. Artistic director David Le Page has arranged the final movement ‘Closing’ from String Quartet no.3 ’Mishima’, by Philip Glass.

The string quartet was composed by Glass as part of the soundtrack to A Life in Four Chapters, the 1985 film based on the life and work of Japanese novelist Yukio Mishima. The liner notes to the track state, ’The surface simplicity of Philip Glass’ score belies an almost indefinable sense of longing, euphoria and apotheosis.

’Glass uses different orchestrations to correspond to the three visual styles of the film. Black and white biographical flashbacks are underscored by an almost claustrophobic sounding string quartet whereas the music to accompany stylised scenes from Mishima’s novels, are scored for large symphony orchestra.’

Echoes will be released on 12 May on Signum Classics.

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