Composer

:

Philip Glass

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Choral

Compose Date

:

1988

Average_duration

:

37:48

Movement_count

:

4

Movement ....

Itaipu is a symphonic work composed by Philip Glass in 1989. The piece was commissioned by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and was premiered on May 16, 1989, in Atlanta, Georgia. The work is named after the Itaipu Dam, which is located on the border between Brazil and Paraguay and is one of the largest hydroelectric power plants in the world. Itaipu is divided into four movements, each of which is named after a different aspect of the dam. The first movement, "Mato Grosso," is named after the Brazilian state where the dam is located. It features a driving rhythm and repetitive melodic patterns that are characteristic of Glass's minimalist style. The second movement, "The Lake," is a slower, more contemplative piece that evokes the calm waters of the reservoir created by the dam. The third movement, "The Dam," is the most dramatic and intense of the four. It features a powerful, driving rhythm that builds to a climax before subsiding into a quieter, more reflective section. The final movement, "To the Sea," is a triumphant and celebratory piece that evokes the power and majesty of the ocean. Overall, Itaipu is a powerful and evocative work that showcases Glass's unique style and ability to create complex, layered compositions using simple melodic and rhythmic patterns. The piece is notable for its use of repetitive motifs and its ability to create a sense of momentum and forward motion, even in slower, more contemplative sections. Itaipu is a testament to the power of human ingenuity and the beauty of the natural world, and it remains one of Glass's most popular and enduring works.

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