Philip Glass

  “Two Pages” (1968) is basically conceived of a melody as a sequence of discrete events, and proceeded to repeat that sequence and applying small changes to its repetition, thus expanding or shrinking the melody, in a fashion not too dissimilar to the way the offspring is generated by mutation from the parents' genes (except, of course, that in this case there is only one parent). Initially the two keyboards are countering each other, but eventually one becomes a mere percussive device providing a steady beat, while the other delves ever more hypnotically into swirling Bach-ian fugues. The beats spread to the point that one keyboard seems to have stopped, while the other gets more and more frenzied, more and more colorful. Its solitary dance approaches the transcendence of the ragas while the irregular beat keeps eliciting more variations. After 14 minutes, when the beat is again missing, comes the most breathtaking passage, that leads the piece to its conclusion, as if having exhausted its potential.
“Contrary Motion” and “Two Pages” recorded by Philip Glass during February and March 1975 in New York City. Performed by Philip Glass (electric organ) and Michael Riesman (acoustic piano on “Two Pages”).
New York City, the 70s, the grid both vertical and horizontal… as focused as it can be.