The NBA playoffs can be a really stressful time. Fans are absolutely feverish in their support of favorite team and players. The drama is intense, the athleticism simply jaw dropping and the excitement contagious. That’s why I found this calm and quiet music for this NBA ad so unusual.
I thought, “Philip Glass? The NBA?” Has Glass crossed over to the mainstream to be part of a national TV ad?
I was wrong. The music is not Glass, but Italian composer Ludovico Einaudi. The piece is "Fly" from the album
Divenire
.
The composer may not be Glass, but he owes a great debt to him as it is clearly inspired by Glass's piece
Mad Rush
(from his album
Solo Piano
).
If you like this music, may I recommend music from the film The Hours also composed by Glass, in full score or for solo piano.
And, by the way, don’t forget to root for your favorite team!
You can read more about Philip Glass from Jim Lange in his previous post "Through the Looking Glass"