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From the almost-juicy melodies resulting from the overlapping, out-of-phase violin passages of Violin Phase to the sparse Pendulum Music, for three microphones, amplifiers, and loudspeakers to the African-influenced Drumming, Reich’s process-based music (often termed “minimalism”) has worn very well over the years, remains relevant, and has influenced countless artists in many genres (and not just music).
Not just any senior has not one but two remixes of their music by people half their age (or less!).

Progression and relevance

These small ensemble and tape works demonstrate early and exciting successes that would find later flowering in larger pieces with more sophisticated writing.

Come Out (1966) takes its musical material from the unplanned rhythms produced by the Zeitgeit-conscious recording of a black youth’s testimony of being beaten by police; it begat both Different Trains (1988), with its melodic material being generated by the recorded speech patterns of train conductors and passengers, and later chamber ‘operas’ such as Three Tales (2002), City Life (1995), and the The Cave (1993).

The latter piece is also striking for its continued relevancy through Reich’s ability to relate contemporary tensions in the Middle East to perceptions of Biblical events by people of different faiths and nationalities, while making compelling, listenable music.

Phased, but not confused: the final note of “Violin Phase” performed by musicians of International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE)

A personal note

It was a trip to see Violin Phase played by four live violinists and to be able to hear (and see) the music multi-dimensionally. I bought my first Reich album with this piece on cassette in 1989 and proceeded to wear that thing out playing it in Walkmen, boomboxes, and the stereo of my 1984 Toyota Tercel hatchback.
To this day, I still can’t throw it away.

Reich on!

The blazing eight hands of So Percussion performing “Drumming”, Part One

Program

Clapping Music, for two musicians clapping (1972)
Music for Pieces of Wood, for five pair of tuned claves (1973)
Different Trains, for string quartet and tape (1988)
Pendulum Music, for 3 or 4 microphones, amplifiers and loudspeakers (1968)
Violin Phase, for four violins (1967)
Four Organs, for four electric organs and maracas (1970)
Come Out, tape (1965)
Vermont Counterpoint, for amplified flute and tape (1982)
New York Counterpoint, for amplified clarinet and tape (1985)
Electric Counterpoint, for electric guitar and tape (1987)
Drumming (1970/1971)

Performers

International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE)
So Percussion

Note: ICE is one of the featured ensembles at my homepage, NewMusicBox, along with another Chicago-based ensemble, eighth blackbird.
How ya like us now, “world-class” cities?

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Young composers II: Great performers, thirsty audiences
Music for one apartment and six drummers
Made in America
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