Octet ; Music for a Large Ensemble ; Violin Phase (ECM, 1980)
The album “Octet ; Music for a Large Ensemble ; Violin Phase” is the one of representative releases of Steve Reich.
“Music for a Large Ensemble” is over fifteen minutes composition and the tempo is around 95 to 100. The ensemble is consist of 4 Pianos, 2 marimbas, vibraphone, xylophone, 2 xylophones, 2 violins, 2 cellos, 2 clarinets, 2 soprano saxophones and 4 trumpets.
Pianos, marimbas, vibraphone, xylophones and flutes plays fine basic phrase repetitions like arpeggio. Trumpet and saxophone ensemble long tone chorus accompaniment. Some piano, a flute, a clarinet and a xylophone and a violin play different phrase repetitions over them. Then another instruments plays another phrase receptions… like that the song progresses.
There are the iconic and original style and mood, way of composition and phrases of Steve Reich.
“Violin Phase” is a famous work of Reich, adopted unique method of composition. Two tapes recorded 2 bars same phrases played by a violin, and they play sightly different speed, and it appears various and changing patterns of sound.
“Octet” (later renamed “Eight Lines”) is around 110 to 115 high tempo and over seventeen minutes composition is consist of string ensemble, 2 pianos, 2 wind instruments (flute, piccolo, clarinet and bass clarinet). It begins with a theme phrase repetition by entire ensemble. Pianos plays backing arpeggios. String ensemble plays fine arpeggios or phrases, long tones, sometime play lead phrases. Wind instruments players play lead phrases and long tones with changing instruments. In the end, ensemble gradually shifts to the theme phrases and suddenly cut out.
This album is an excellent work of Minimal Music and Reich and straightforward method and taste of Reich. So I recommend this to all people who interested in Reich and Minimal Music.
Drumming (Elektra, 1988)
“Drumming” by Steve Reich is the 4 parts Minimal Music suit features percussion instruments.
“Part 1” is a song for bongo beats repetitions. Eight bongos played by four players in different phrases, and basically beats are sync, and sometime change phrases, beats and sync points, so it appears various patterns.
“Part 2” features marimba. Three players play Reich’s iconic minimal phrases and they sync, then each player changes the phrases and shift beats of sync points and the song progresses. From around 7:00 plays become more dynamic and female humming chorus follow.
“Part 3” features glockenspiel. Various phrases consist of 3 glockenspiels change, shift and, appear and disappear so sound pattern you hear, changes. And piccolo and chorus follow.
“Part 4” is the mixture and ensemble of Part 1 to 3. It begins with bongos, marimbas and glockenspiels play slow the phrases appeared in each part. Then they gradually speed up and become harder.
A unique, interesting and nice Minimal Music. I can recommend this album for beggars to Minimal Music.
Resources and Links
Music Review
Brian Eno Ambient Works
