An audience-pleaser
DJ Rix | NJ USA | 01/16/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"A CD intended as an audience-pleaser. Both pieces are Steve Reich saying "Thank you" to his fans & trying to win over a few more, while also advancing his ideas. Four Sections was composed for Michael Tilson Thomas, so this performace will always be the root definitive. That the London Symphony Orchestra performed it so beautifully, as part of a Reich retrospective in 1988 was also a statement.
Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices & Organ (1973), composed for Reich's own popular ensemble, casts an exotic spell; African drumming through the sort of gamelan some imaginary Pythagoreans might have played if they had those kinds of bands. Wonderful, delicate music.
In both works the changes happen fast enough & the music is over almost before you can say "minimalism.""
EXTREMELY MOVING
DJ Rix | 04/04/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"It is state of the art avante-garde classical music. The first four tracks, (The Four Sections) were written for orchestra. They are not in the traditional Steven Reich instrumentation, i,e, mallets and percussion, but they are super modern, highly emotionally charged pieces that are my favorites by this composer."