Philip Glass: Dracula
It's no surprise that some of Philip Glass's most inspiring projects have been multimedia. The composer's minimalist tendencies lend themselves to the accompaniment of vast landscapes, silent films, and--now--Tod Browning's 1931 horror classic,Dracula. With longstanding collaborators the Kronos Quartet performing the score, Glass has created a soundtrack that moves with rapid-fire momentum and a timeless chamber-music feel.Draculanever sounds sinister or ironic, just ominous--the perfect companion to a film with plenty of dialogue but no pre-existing score. So what if we've already heard Glass's stylistic trademarks--striking arpeggios, repeated motifs, and the like--on any number of albums (for example,the Kronos/Glass soundtrack toMishimaor Uakti's 1999 release,Aguas de Amazonia)? Unlike the epic three and a half hours ofMusic in Twelve Parts, this enjoyable disc takes just over an hour and it's well worth hearing. In thenew video release ofDracula, accompanied by Glass's score, you'll never see Bela Lugosi's mug the same way again.--Jason Verlinde