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In the Penal Colony
Classical · 2011 · 19 tracks · 1h 18m

In the Penal Colony

Philip Glass

A stark chamber opera for string quintet and two voices. Mechanical, rhythmic, and deeply unsettling, it captures the cold precision of a Kafkaesque nightmare.

December 27, 2011 · Orange Mountain Music

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A cold, mechanical dread that feels both intellectually sharp and emotionally suffocating.

Tracklist · 19 Tracks · 1h 18m
01
In the Penal Colony: The Machine
0:32
02
In the Penal Colony: Prologue
6:04
03
In the Penal Colony: Scene 1
3:11
04
In the Penal Colony: Scene 2
3:33
05
In the Penal Colony: Scene 3
10:24
06
In the Penal Colony: Scene 4
2:27
07
In the Penal Colony: Scene 5
5:06
08
In the Penal Colony: Scene 6
3:18
09
In the Penal Colony: Scene 7
3:42
10
In the Penal Colony: Scene 8
8:14
11
In the Penal Colony: Scene 9
2:47
12
In the Penal Colony: Scene 10
1:52
13
In the Penal Colony: Scene 11
2:23
14
In the Penal Colony: Scene 12
4:19
15
In the Penal Colony: Scene 13
4:27
16
In the Penal Colony: Scene 14
3:24
17
In the Penal Colony: Scene 15
6:08
18
In the Penal Colony: Scene 16
4:53
19
In the Penal Colony: Epilogue
2:11
Moments Worth Listening For
The way the strings mimic the rhythmic clicking of a torture device in the opening machine sequence.
The ten minute stretch of Scene 3 where the vocal lines weave through increasingly frantic string cycles.
The sudden, haunting stillness of the Epilogue that leaves the listener in a state of unresolved tension.
Where This Album DepartsEach spoke is a trait. The orange shape shows where this album pulls away from — or holds to — the rest of the artist’s catalogue. Tap for more.

How does In the Penal Colony sound next to the rest of Philip Glass's catalogue?

Storytelling+3.9σ

The writing leans far further into storytelling than the rest of the catalogue.

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