6 ms·

If you're a fan of Philip Glass but haven't explored the works of Steve Reich I highly recommend it

AndrewUnmuted 6y ago
Steve* Reich. IMO, an excellent first listen would be Tehillim. [0] [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiaTvR9sFX8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiaTvR9sFX8
- okareaman 6y ago
  Steve* thanks fixed it. My intro was Different Trains. I think his 9/11 piece is the best art to come out of that tragic event. Steve Reich - Different Trains (Part 1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E4Bjt_zVJc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E4Bjt_zVJc Proverb https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5lgAUHVFC4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5lgAUHVFC4 Steve Reich: WTC 9/11 I. 9/11 Kronos Quartet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWhTkOMue70 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWhTkOMue70
  - WorldMaker 6y ago
    Different Trains can be incredibly powerful live. A local to me collective of musicians put together somewhat recently (last year around this time, or perhaps the year before) a small show that involved both Different Trains and Terry Riley's In C with local compositions in between. It was a powerful evening for the small audience (myself included) that was there to appreciate it. (ETA: Must have been two years ago as other memories flit in. That was an interesting year too because it was a year I saw two very different live versions of In C, which seems unusual to have occur twice in the same year.)
- PaulDavisThe1st 6y ago
  IMO, there's really no good first listen for Reich's work. You might love or hate "Come Out" or "It's Gonna Rain", and hate or love "Different Trains". You might be entranced or utterly bored by "Six Marimbas" but be disinterested or engaged by "Music For Ensemble and Orchestra". etc. etc. Best to plan on diving in about once a decade and see if you like what he was doing then. My suggestions would be: 60s: Come out 70s: Music for 18 Musicians 80s: Tehillim 90s: Different Trains 00s: Double Sextet 10s: Reich/Richter Personally, I'm a huge fan of his phase-shifting work, so for me the keys works would be: Six Pianos / Six Marimbas Clapping Music Music For 18 Musicians Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices and Organ Drumming There are also some very "pretty" ensemble orchestral works: Sextet Desert Music and then ... so much more! For the adventurous, also check out the album "Shift" by Chris Hughes: renderings of various early Reich works (or ideas) using totally different timbres.
- Mediterraneo10 6y ago
  While a fine piece, Tehillim is by Reich’s own admission not very representative of his work.
  - AndrewUnmuted 6y ago
    That's kind of why I recommend it. One's first experience with a composer should be their most accessible work, IMO. Those who have not heard Reich have not heard a lot of western art music, most likely. I went with the piece that is closest in form and style to the popular music of our time. I apologize to other users here, for not having made that more clear in my post.
taliesinb 6y ago
Reich is brilliant! “Come out” is a very affecting piece, and the history behind it is also quite interesting. Also, judging from the name, OP is probably also a fan of Arvo Part. There is a moving “video etude” for the piece Healing of Arinushka that I would recommend if you’re feeling contemplative https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7exvD2nJG8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7exvD2nJG8
- TigeriusKirk 6y ago
  I was pleasantly surprised watching the tv show Devs when they made very effective use of "Come out"
- bch 6y ago
  Steve Reichs work is brilliant. I also enjoy the Reich Remixed album (c 1999) which was (as I think of it) a modern take on modern music - interestingly, I’d say the “modern take” part has aged the worst, but it’s still all good fun. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lYC12ZK5DudCAdFa3Bh1m9aJ0SFQwtWUg https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lYC12ZK5DudCAd...
  - taliesinb 6y ago
    Haha I was going to mention Reich Remixed! I spent a lot of time programming to that music when I was a teen. Definitely fun! My favorite track was probably Nobukazu Takemura’s remix of Proverb https://youtu.be/-ipSM8bwo4M https://youtu.be/-ipSM8bwo4M
  - PaulDavisThe1st 6y ago
    The big problem I had with Reich Remixed is that all but one of the pieces completely ignore the meter of the originals and force them into 4/4. Call me a pedant or something, but I just found that unforgivable.
    - bch 6y ago
      Huh - I didn’t notice that, but that’s something for me to now look for. “Pedantic” is not the word I’d use to describe your observation here re: Steve Reich, master of phasing and polyrhythms and rounds.
filoeleven 6y ago
Music for 18 Musicians is my favorite composition. Some crazy post-grad at Rutgers convinced enough colleagues to make it her performance piece a few years ago, and it was free to boot, so I drove a couple hours with a friend to see it. It’s great on recordings, and much cooler to be in the room with it live. I’ve also recently come to love (especially the first half/performance of) Terry Riley’s Persian Surgery Dervishes. With just an organ and a delay pedal, he builds such a trancelike, subdued and dark yet pleasant mood.

Steve* Reich. IMO, an excellent first listen would be Tehillim. [0] [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiaTvR9sFX8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiaTvR9sFX8

okareaman 6y ago
Steve* thanks fixed it. My intro was Different Trains. I think his 9/11 piece is the best art to come out of that tragic event. Steve Reich - Different Trains (Part 1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E4Bjt_zVJc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E4Bjt_zVJc Proverb https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5lgAUHVFC4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5lgAUHVFC4 Steve Reich: WTC 9/11 I. 9/11 Kronos Quartet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWhTkOMue70 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWhTkOMue70
- WorldMaker 6y ago
  Different Trains can be incredibly powerful live. A local to me collective of musicians put together somewhat recently (last year around this time, or perhaps the year before) a small show that involved both Different Trains and Terry Riley's In C with local compositions in between. It was a powerful evening for the small audience (myself included) that was there to appreciate it. (ETA: Must have been two years ago as other memories flit in. That was an interesting year too because it was a year I saw two very different live versions of In C, which seems unusual to have occur twice in the same year.)
PaulDavisThe1st 6y ago
IMO, there's really no good first listen for Reich's work. You might love or hate "Come Out" or "It's Gonna Rain", and hate or love "Different Trains". You might be entranced or utterly bored by "Six Marimbas" but be disinterested or engaged by "Music For Ensemble and Orchestra". etc. etc. Best to plan on diving in about once a decade and see if you like what he was doing then. My suggestions would be: 60s: Come out 70s: Music for 18 Musicians 80s: Tehillim 90s: Different Trains 00s: Double Sextet 10s: Reich/Richter Personally, I'm a huge fan of his phase-shifting work, so for me the keys works would be: Six Pianos / Six Marimbas Clapping Music Music For 18 Musicians Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices and Organ Drumming There are also some very "pretty" ensemble orchestral works: Sextet Desert Music and then ... so much more! For the adventurous, also check out the album "Shift" by Chris Hughes: renderings of various early Reich works (or ideas) using totally different timbres.
Mediterraneo10 6y ago
While a fine piece, Tehillim is by Reich’s own admission not very representative of his work.
- AndrewUnmuted 6y ago
  That's kind of why I recommend it. One's first experience with a composer should be their most accessible work, IMO. Those who have not heard Reich have not heard a lot of western art music, most likely. I went with the piece that is closest in form and style to the popular music of our time. I apologize to other users here, for not having made that more clear in my post.

taliesinb 6y ago

Reich is brilliant! “Come out” is a very affecting piece, and the history behind it is also quite interesting. Also, judging from the name, OP is probably also a fan of Arvo Part. There is a moving “video etude” for the piece Healing of Arinushka that I would recommend if you’re feeling contemplative https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7exvD2nJG8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7exvD2nJG8

TigeriusKirk 6y ago
I was pleasantly surprised watching the tv show Devs when they made very effective use of "Come out"
bch 6y ago
Steve Reichs work is brilliant. I also enjoy the Reich Remixed album (c 1999) which was (as I think of it) a modern take on modern music - interestingly, I’d say the “modern take” part has aged the worst, but it’s still all good fun. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lYC12ZK5DudCAdFa3Bh1m9aJ0SFQwtWUg https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lYC12ZK5DudCAd...
- taliesinb 6y ago
  Haha I was going to mention Reich Remixed! I spent a lot of time programming to that music when I was a teen. Definitely fun! My favorite track was probably Nobukazu Takemura’s remix of Proverb https://youtu.be/-ipSM8bwo4M https://youtu.be/-ipSM8bwo4M
- PaulDavisThe1st 6y ago
  The big problem I had with Reich Remixed is that all but one of the pieces completely ignore the meter of the originals and force them into 4/4. Call me a pedant or something, but I just found that unforgivable.
  - bch 6y ago
    Huh - I didn’t notice that, but that’s something for me to now look for. “Pedantic” is not the word I’d use to describe your observation here re: Steve Reich, master of phasing and polyrhythms and rounds.

filoeleven 6y ago

Music for 18 Musicians is my favorite composition. Some crazy post-grad at Rutgers convinced enough colleagues to make it her performance piece a few years ago, and it was free to boot, so I drove a couple hours with a friend to see it. It’s great on recordings, and much cooler to be in the room with it live. I’ve also recently come to love (especially the first half/performance of) Terry Riley’s Persian Surgery Dervishes. With just an organ and a delay pedal, he builds such a trancelike, subdued and dark yet pleasant mood.