Search - Reich, Fabbriciani, Grassi :: Music of Steve Reich

Great into to Reich's minimalism

George Tsouris | Tokyo, Japan | 10/27/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Having heard only a few different minimalist composers, this cd is refreshing (not to say that the other minimalists are bad, i feel that i hear glass' music everywhere). i did not buy this cd, but rather got it as part of the package with gerhard richter's book of overpainted photographs, FLORENCE (one of the overpainted photos is the cover of this cd; as with this review, i was also the first to write a review for that book).



as stated somewhere else, CLAPPING MUSIC is fun. following ligeti, who tried to write music without melody or rythm and only harmony, it seems that reich has tried to write music without melody or harmony, and only rythm. it is interesting in that matter. i find it very interesting in that matter. the rythms found therein are interesting enough.



CITY LIFE is a nice peice along with VERMONT COUNTERPOINT. both lend the listener to understand and grasp reich's distinctive style. if anything, i would describe this style as open and hollow. that is, the harmonies that are used are not basic triads, or dissonant, but rather sounds as if there are a lot of suspended 2 or 4 chords. CITY LIFE also seems to have electronic elements, such as samples, or something like that. i also like the melody, that seems like notes dancing and jumping around.



my favorite peice on this cd is SEXTET. the dominating piano here is the closest disonant sound on the cd; perhaps it is because of the . i also appreciate the repetitive nature that seems to build on this peice (the repitition and laying more and more layers on top of it; this is also apparent in CITYLIFE).



this is the only album of steve reich's music that i have heard, but i must say that it has interested me in getting more, includinghis famous 18 MUSICIANS."