Symphony for Eight (1999)

Symphony for eight is the title of the third movement of the third symphony for strings in the version by the Cello Octet Conjunto Ibèrico. Glass and Arizcuren met each other in 1998 at the opera house in Amsterdam. Arizcuren spoke of his admiration for many of the composer’s works, including the third symphony. Glass encouraged him to make a version for cello-octet. In June 1999 the composer heard the result in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, where Glass was a guest at the Festival of American Adventures.