Credits:

Reich, Steve (1936-)

Description:

Steve Reich was one of the most important figures in American music in the second half of the 20th century. His music, not only minimal music, but also various other types of music that emerged from his inquisitive mind and his expansion of expressive methods, has had a profound influence on artists in a wide range of fields, including jazz and electronic music. This album contains five works composed between the 1960s and 1990s: 1964's "Music for Two or More Pianos," a work with nine chords that allows the players a great deal of freedom in terms of rhythm and number of repetitions; 1979's Octet, typical minimalist music; and 1983's "Piano Music for Two or More Pianos," a piece with a piano soloist and a piano soloist, which is a work for two or more pianos. The Octet from 1979 is typical minimalist music, which was later recomposed into "Eight Lines" in 1983. Vermont Counterpoint and New York Counterpoint are euphoric works with multi-layered sounds created by the same kind of instruments. City Life" (1994) is an even larger-scale composition and story that captures the chaotic landscape of New York City. The sampled horns and sounds of daily life are sublimated into a magnificent music.The Freiburg-based chamber ensemble Horst-Sinfonietta performs with great precision. Naxos Japan

Tracklisting:

1.Music for Two or More Pianos
2.Eight Lines for ensemble
3.Vermont Counterpoint for flutes and tape
4.New York Counterpoint for clarinets and tape~Quarter Note = ca. 184
5.New York Counterpoint for clarinets and tape~Quarter Note = ca. 92
6.New York Counterpoint for clarinets and tape~Quarter Note = ca. 184
7.City Life for Ensemble~Check It Out
8.City Life for Ensemble~Pile Driver/Alarms
9.City Life for Ensemble~It's Been a Honeymoon - Can't Take No Mo'
10.City Life for Ensemble~Heartbeats/Boats and Buoys
11.City Life for Ensemble~Heavy Smoke