PHILIP GLASS / FILHARMONIE BRNO & DENNIS RUSSELL DAVIES – Symphony No. 12 »Lodger« – CD – OMM0159

The continuing late-life creativity of Philip Glass is something to celebrate. The Symphony No. 12 (“Lodger”), which premiered in 2019 when Glass was 82, grew from earlier projects, both on the part of Glass and for versatile West African vocalist Angélique Kidjo; she had recently participated in a tribute to Talking Heads producer Brian Eno, the producer of David Bowie’s Low and Heroes albums, both of which had furnished raw material for Glass’ Symphony No. 1 (“Low”) and Symphony No. 4 (“Heroes”), respectively. Yet the Lodger symphony, based on the third album in Bowie’s Eno-produced trilogy, is a different animal. (…) Glass is recognizable enough as the composer, but there is a new rhythmic energy perhaps attributable to the work’s connection to rock music. Kidjo cultivates a kind of flat vocal effect; she is not simply performing parts in an instrumental structure. (…) Well worth hearing as testimony that Glass has not yet reached the bottom of his bag of tricks.

James Manheim / AllMusic