American pianist Simone Dinnerstein, alongside her string ensemble Baroklyn, has released an album titled 'Hourglass' featuring two works by Philip Glass. The ensemble's name combines her home borough of Brooklyn with the baroque sensibilities of J.S. Bach, reflecting their interpretive approach.
The album presents a Suite from 'The Hours', arranged by Michael Riesman from Glass's score for Stephen Daldry's film. This three-movement work is arranged for piano, strings, harp, and celesta. Dinnerstein adopts slower tempi than the original soundtrack, heightening the emotional depth of the music.
The second piece is the Tirol Concerto from 2000, Glass's first piano concerto. The outer movements display crisp energy with Bach influences, while the central elegy is highlighted as the standout section. Dinnerstein's sleeve notes describe the organic approach, stating that 'every repetition is a reaction to the one before and an anticipation of one to come'.
Baroklyn's aim is to emulate the passage of time like sand through an hourglass, avoiding a mechanical interpretation of Glass's minimalist style. This refreshingly organic approach allows the music to breathe, revitalising the modern minimalist master's works ahead of his 90th birthday celebrations next year.
