Two of the most influential artists of the late 20th and early 21st century Leonard Cohen & Philip Glass have joined to bring us ‘Book of Longing’ a cycle of 22 songs. The work premiered in Toronto in June and then went on to played Lincoln Center in July.
“For me, this work is both a departure from past work and a fulfillment of an artistic dream.” says Glass who first started thinking about the project six years ago when he and Cohen ran into each other in Los Angeles and Cohen read him the manuscript for ‘Book of Longing.’
In his brief review in the New York Times Allan Kozinn called it Glass’s “hot work this summer — before “Appomattox,” his hot work of the fall”
Glass “provides graceful, constrained melodies that cling tightly to the texts and sometimes mirror Mr. Cohen’s own style: a consequence, perhaps, of the natural cadence that weaves through Mr. Cohen’s work.”
and of Cohen he says “Cohen’s poetry, like his song lyrics, explores his fascination with both spirituality and carnality, his failures as likely an inspiration as his successes…Mr. Cohen’s baritonal readings, interspersed through the set, are a highlight”
The CD has recently been released on Glass’s label Orange Mountain Music
Sounds like a must listen to me.