In this new recording, Philip Glass' 2001 Cello Concerto No.1 gets a vivid and exciting new interpretation by cellist Wendy Sutter, with conductor Dante Anzolini, and the Orchestra of the Americas. Glass' concerto was previously recorded by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic with Julian Lloyd Webber under Gerard Schwarz. The piece was composed in 2001 and premiered in Beijing with Lloyd Webber, however Glass couldn't attend because of travel fears immediately following the terror attacks in New York. Eventually, seven years later, Glass finally heard his concerto performed live at its United States premiere in La Jolla with Wendy Sutter and the La Jolla Symphony under Steven Schick. The concerto has since found a second life with Sutter performing the piece in Belgium, Holland, at the Cabrillo Festival of Music under Marin Alsop, and on tour in South America with the Orchestra of the Americas. It was on this tour, in Quito Ecuador that this Michael Riesman produced recording was made.

A new work by this instrumental group from Minas Gerais. All 10 pieces were composed by American minimalist composer Philip Glass. Inspired by the rivers of the Amazon.

Errol Morris’ adroitly assembled documentary film "The Fog of War" examines the career of Robert S. McNamara-- United States Secretary of Defense during the Kennedy and Johnson Administrations and whose tenure includes the Vietnam War and the Cuban Missile Crises. Combining excerpts from 26 hours of interviews with McNamara, archival footage, filmed recreations, as well as newly declassified White House recordings Morris’ filmmaking illuminates a national past that ominously parallels the contemporary political present. Morris reveals what previous biographies failed to investigate—the relationship between McNamara and the infamous United States General Curtis LeMay and their involvement in the firebombing of Tokyo—along with 67 other Japanese cities—in 1945. Errol Morris states "The easy thing to say would be McNamara is a bad guy, he did all these bad things...the story is more complex and far more interesting than I imagined. The disturbing thing is that this was a man with real ethical dimension who did something terrible."

As with music previously contributed to Morris’ films, Philip Glass’ score to "The Fog of War" effortlessly supports and enhances the film. The music, at times lyrical and at other times intense, deepens the horrifying images of war, highlighting the ambiguities of McNamara’s character—and the consequences of his actions. Glass’ music reinforces Morris’ effort to understand the difficult ethical questions about governing and power raised by "The Fog of War".

This is the music that gives minimalism its name. These early experiments by Philip Glass show the composer in the embryonic stages of the 20th century American shift away from the music of Europe. Newcomers to the minimalism genre may find these pieces too boring for a good listen. But many will find these works relaxing and trancelike. With the exception of the One + One pieces, all works are scored for solo organ and are performed thus -- often with parallel arpeggios for both left and right hands. Both One + One pieces are performed by tapping out written rhythms on a tabletop. This is an important document of the development of a new style, and it is a credit to the performer and producers of this album that they had the vision to make new recordings of these works.