The music of Philip Glass accompanied the 2019 film “Samurai Marathon” brilliantly. Watching the movie last evening reminds me of his Glass Works for solo piano, beautiful yet haunting. Inspired by his music, I decided to write my own minimal music for the ukulele. As today is the annual Boston Marathon, play to make it glisten like Glass’s music — and listen for it, thus “Glistening Glass.”
Philip Glass – Glass Works
Years ago, I filmed the Texas-based pianist Brendan Kinsella playing Glass Works from memory against the photo exhibit of Liz Miller’s images of water in Utrecht, Netherlands. Years later, I suggested that our guitar orchestra play this piece. Unfortunately, I wasn’t around to participate in the guitar version.
How wonderful to discover that someone has arranged it for ukulele duet!
Minimal music – characteristics and features
At first glance, Philip Glass’s music and that of other minimalist composers look and sound repetitive. There is no pause in the music. Yet it does evolve.
The change is gradual.
Shifts in harmony.
Introduction of new notes.
I chose 6/8 and 3/4 time to emphasize the different accents. In 6/8 time the accents are on the 1st and 4th eighth notes. In 3/4 time, the accents are on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th eighth notes.
Opening of Glistening Glass
The piece opens in 6/8 time. It’s very tempting to accent the 1st, 3rd and 5th eighth notes but that will be in 3/4 time. I deliberately chose to “go against instinct” by writing it in 6/8 time.
It does eventually change to 3/4 time.
Terraced dynamics
The piece starts very softly pianissimo and repeats. At the 5th bar, the volume moves up a notch to piano and repeats. Next, it moves to mezzo piano and repeats.
After the time signature changes to 3/4 time, it becomes loud and there is a crescendo marked.
The piece returns to 6/8 time as in the beginning and ends with gradual decreasing volume and tempo.
My pentatonic piece “Doggy Bag” is also minimalist. I want to write more like this.
Pick! Pluck! Play!
I will include “Glistening Glass” in the second or third level of the book “Pick! Pluck! Play!”
The last page “Ukulele Chords” of the new book contains a table of ukulele chord diagrams ordered alphabetically for the chords used in the book.
I’m thrilled about releasing these two books as a precursors (prerequisite) to the 12 Chinese Zodiac Suite, which contains three skill levels.
I am recording all my new compositions in the 100 Days of Ukulele 2025 project. To me, this challenge means uploading a new video recording of a new piece each consecutive day from 1st March to 8th June 2025.
For other recent compositions and arrangements by Anne Ku, please visit the Daily Music Writing Project or scroll through the consecutive blog posts.
