What form is Philip Glass's "Einstein on the Beach" Knee Play 1?

a. through-composed
b. variation form

I believe it is variation form since through-composed is supposed to be non-repetitive and this piece is quite repetitive. Is this right?

Yes, you are correct. "Einstein on the Beach" Knee Play 1 by Philip Glass is in variation form. Variation form involves the repetition and gradual variation of a musical theme or ideas, which is evident in this piece. Through-composed music, on the other hand, is non-repetitive and does not follow a specific form or structure.

Yes, you are correct. "Einstein on the Beach" Knee Play 1 by Philip Glass is an example of the variation form. In variation form, a musical theme is presented and then altered or varied in some way throughout the piece. The repetitive nature of this particular piece is a characteristic of the variation form, as the musical material is repeated and transformed in various ways.

To determine the form of a musical composition, it is important to analyze its structure and characteristics. In the case of "Einstein on the Beach" Knee Play 1, you can listen to the piece and observe its repetitive nature and how the musical material evolves and changes over time. By doing so, you can identify it as a variation form.