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THE HOURS was nominated for the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Soundtrack Album For A Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media.
One of America's best-known composers, Philip Glass may be widely regarded as a minimalist, but he demonstrates his strength as a storyteller with his soundtracks, and THE HOURS is no exception. Onscreen, it doesn't seem possible to find a more perfect accompaniment to Michael Cunningham's lovely story with searing tragic elements and bottomless yearning. On its own, however, the album feels lighter and more promising, a reminder again of Glass's resourcefulness and penchant for melody.
Pianist Michael Riesman and the Lyric Quartet enhance the classical tone of some of these pieces. "Morning Passages" and "Unwelcome Friend" have lovely piano solos that move grandly enough alone, but then are suddenly and delightedly joined by Glass's signature, blissfully sparse, but warm strings. "I'm Going to Bake a Cake," and "The Kiss" are reminiscent of Glass's more contemporary compositional style, three repeated arpeggios and only slightly shifting block chords. As ever, what saves these pieces from feeling repetitive is Glass's feel for romance and the dramatic arc.
The superb orchestral music for this powerfully affecting film is by Philip Glass, whose spellbinding 1999 score for Martin Scorcese's Kundun (also on Nonesuch) added an aura of portent and sweep that contributed significantly to the film's impact. The film stars Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, Nicole Kidman & Ed Harris. Slipcase. 2002
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, England. Includes liner notes by Michael Cunningham.
Composer: Philip Glass.
Personnel: Rolf Wilson (violin); Nick Barr (viola); David Daniels (cello); Dave Arch, Michael Riesman (piano); Chris Laurence (double bass).
Liner Note Authors: Michael Cunningham; Michael Riesman.
Recording information: Air Studios, London, England (10/07/2003-10/09/2003); Baldwin, New York, NY (10/07/2003-10/09/2003); EMI Abbey Road Studios, London, England (10/07/2003-10/09/2003).
Editor: Ichiho Nishiki.
Arrangers: Michael Riesman; Nico Muhly.Entertainment Weekly (1/24/03, p.100) - "...His music for the adaptation of Michael Cunningham's novel achieves a balance of melancholy and serenity that's wholly appropriate..." - Rating: B Uncut (5/03, p.100) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Philip Glass at his most minimal, repetitive, and inexplicably, magically, affecting..." Mojo (Publisher) (4/03, p.100) - 3 stars out of 5 - "....There's always something refreshing about a Glass score...It still punches its weight with finesse..."
Philip Glass / Original Soundtrack - Hours Soundtrack Songs
Philip Glass / Original Soundtrack - Hours Soundtrack Album Track Listing
Trk
Song
Time
Price
1
Poet Acts Philip Glass
3:43
$0.99
2
Morning Passages Philip Glass
5:34
$0.99
3
Something She Has To Do Philip Glass
3:13
$0.99
4
"For Your Own Benefit" Philip Glass
2:03
$0.99
5
Vanessa and the Changelings Philip Glass
1:48
$0.99
6
"I'm Going To Make a Cake" Philip Glass
4:05
$0.99
7
Unwelcome Friend Philip Glass
4:12
$0.99
8
Dead Things Philip Glass
4:25
$0.99
9
Kiss Philip Glass
3:57
$0.99
10
"Why Does Someone Have To Die?" Philip Glass
3:57
$0.99
11
Tearing Herself Away Philip Glass
5:04
$0.99
12
Escape! Philip Glass
3:51
$0.99
13
Choosing Life Philip Glass
4:02
$0.99
14
Hours Philip Glass
7:48
$0.99
Hours Soundtrack Music Review
Customer Hours Soundtrack Reviews
Average Rating: (5 out of 5 stars)
The joy versus the hours To great extremes flows my admiration for this magnificient piece of work by the music mogul Philip Glass.Fours years it has been,four years, and I cannot ,I find,grow awry of this music,which is astonishingly solemn yet enigmatic for somewhere it has been overlooked ,its beauty,its impressionistic prowess has been rendered only to the comparitively aloof ambience of the movie it was used in,"The Hours",though a marvel reputed for its paucity of sweeping kiss,has largely suffered at the hands of the new fangled movie melpomenes,termed,further so,as one of the most abasing,depressing masterpieces of all history.The music,I dare to say,has no contribution to this conjecture.I hear it at every occasion and never has it been disturbing to my restless moodswing.It is the music for all times,prime with the love of art and epitomised creativity,only makes,propels one to see every moment in depth,throw a genteel levity at a serious matter,enjoy the rhythm of magic of being swept off into a new world,an eternal world,to me the world of Virginia Woolfs last,the world of Philips excellence,the world and the hours.
I feel,on Philip's not being rewarded with an oscar,like since nothing in this world that is worth knowing can be taught(Oscar Wilde),nothing should in this hedonism exist ,which is worth a reward ,that can be rewarded.Philip is an exception here. Submitted by Dharam Kalia (India) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Cathartic Pleasure I never knew anything about Philip Glass before I went to see the movie. Glass has achieved what I personally perceive as excellence in film music, simply because I have been haunted by The Hour’s notes for days and days after watching the film. I finally bought the CD and listened to it for days and days. The movie itself did not have a great impact on me, save for the soundtrack, and Nicole Kidman’s performance; both purely outstanding. It is actually painful to listen to some of the tracks on this CD, which gives a new meaning to cathartic delight! With the 2003 Oscars two days away, I sincerely hope that Philip Glass and Nicole Kidman get the recognition they deserve. Submitted by a reviewer (Bloomington, IL USA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
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