There’s no minimizing the fact that Steve Reich is 90 years old today.
Reich, of course, is best known as a pioneer of minimalism, his music marked by repetitive figures, slow harmonic rhythm, and canons. He’s also notable for his experiments with phase shifting, one or more repeated phrases playing slower or faster against others, gradually going “out of phase,” and creating new musical patterns.
His use of tape loops has also been influential. He’s made his mark especially on experimental music, contemporary electronic music, and rock. In fact, his experiments have been so widely respected and emulated that he’s been one of the most significant American composers of his generation.
I hope you’ll join me this week for “The Lost Chord,” as we celebrate Reich’s birthday by listening to two of his works.
First, we’ll hear his Pulitzer Prize winner from 2007, “Double Sextet,” commissioned by the ensemble eighth blackbird – despite its name (always in the lower case) consisting of six musicians, here playing against a slightly different prerecording of themselves. I defy you not to groove to the propulsive outer sections.
We’ll follow that with his settings of four Hebrew psalms, “Tehillim,” which sports a quite a distinctive palette: four treble voices, piccolo, flute, oboe, English horn, two clarinets, six percussionists (playing 4 small tuned tambourines without jingles, maracas, marimba, vibraphone and crotales, and clapping), two electronic organs, two violins, viola, cello, and bass. This is one work that proves you can be “minimal” but still engage the ear for half an hour.
Minimal music yields maximum rewards on “All About Steve,” celebrating Steve Reich at 90 on “The Lost Chord,” today on KWAX Classical Oregon!
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Clip and save the start times for all three of my recorded shows:
PICTURE PERFECT, the movie music show – Friday at 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT
SWEETNESS AND LIGHT, the light music program – Saturday at 11:00 AM EDT/8:00 AM PDT (***now with a repeat Sunday at 9:00 PM EDT/6:00 PM PDT***)
THE LOST CHORD, unusual and neglected rep – Saturday at 7:00 PM EDT/4:00 PM PDT
Stream them, wherever you are, at the link