BBC Radio 4, 8 November 2013
This play dramatized an interesting
encounter during the 1960s between Philip Glass (Justin Salinger) and Steve Reich (Bryan Dick). While studying at the
Julliard School of Music in New York, they ran a removal firm to make ends meet. Gaynor Macfarlane's production looked
at the ways in which they combined their artistic interests with the day-to-day need to survive; in truth, they were not very
good at physical work, chiefly because they spent much of their time reflecting on their professional development as composers.
In terms of subject-matter,
the play was vaguely reminiscent of Peter Shaffer's Amadeus, involving the conflict of interest between two highly
ambitious composers. The only difference here was that there were no material rewards available for either of them;
they just wanted to pursue their dreams of broadening the limits of musical form, as well as have their work performed in
any kind of venue that might be available. If one composer achieved something, then the other automatically felt jealous.
Sometimes the American accents
wobbled a bit, but nonetheless the production offered an insight into the day-to-day lives of contemporary composers.
In spite of their fame (or should we say notoriety), they still had to eke out a living somehow.
