Philip Glass & Godfrey Reggio

In the spring of 1983, composer Philip Glass was entering a period of greater visibility and recognition. In the years prior, he had premiered two of his most enduring works: “Einstein on the Beach” with Robert Wilson, and “Satyagraha,” an opera loosely based on the early life of Mahatma Gandhi.

In 1983, his profile expanded yet again with the release of “Koyaanisqatsi,” a cinematic collaboration with director Godfrey Reggio which is now considered a milestone of documentary film. Glass and Reggio sat down separately with Deirdre on May 31, 1983, one month after the film’s theatrical release. On this unedited raw tape of their sessions, they discuss creating “Koyaanisqatsi,” the music Glass was currently digging, and the usefulness of creative rules.