Art & Culture
by Gabriel Nascimento

The fewer, the better

  Some very smart people say that things always head for simplycity; that is perhaps the greater go of humanity: the search for the pure essency of things. In the world of art we see it clearly with the modern avant-gardes in the beginning of the 20th century. As a form of art, music has also searched for the essency, without wastes or futilities. This movement, called minimalism, has one of its founders and representants still contributing to contemporary music: Philip Glass.

  Glass was born in 1937, in Baltimore, USA. It was the age of modern art, and music expected a renovation, too; but the composers were still bounded to the same "Western structure". Minimalists like Glass searched for inspiration in Eastern music, from countries like India and Africa. Indian musicians like Nadia Boulanger and Ravi Shankar were great masters, even though never real "teachers". With those music techniques, Glass "discovered" rythm, the basic principle of Eastern music.

  "Minimalism is pure music, and pure music is melody". Minimalism opposes the erudite composers and compositions based only in harmony: it is like wandering without getting anywhere. Glass compositions are based on a few notes, many repetitions but a lot of intensity. The minimum is the maximum.

  Philip Glass composed soundtracks for movies like Koyaanisqatsi and Powaqqatsi. If you have some time, I recommend you to watch those movies - they are an example of how minimalist music is related to life and its essency. That is what minimalism is - essency.

For more information about Philip Glass, his life and work, visit the website at the internet: www.philipglass.com

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