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18 Musicians
How instrumental is Reich
 Steve was recently called “our greatest living
composer” according to New York Times
 The Village Voice says, the most original thinker of our
time
 Chris Morrison says, “A highly influential avant-garde
composer” and that Reich is responsible as one of the
key founders of the minimalist school of music
Bio
 Born (1936-) birth place New York City
 American Composer
 Early pioneer in tape music and American minimalism
 Reich received honorary doctorates and awards from Juilliard,
Budapest's Franz Liszt Academy and other schools;
 2007 Polar Music Prize; the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Music (for
Double Sextet); and, in 2012, an American Academy of Arts
and Letters Gold Medal for Music.
http://youtu.be/l4FqYoHFHZo
Early Signs of Experience
 Reich’s major musical revelations came at 14, when he
stumbled upon the music of Bach and Stravinsky
 He had his first exposure to bebop, and immediately
started learning drums and playing in a jazz band with
friends.
 played on weekends while studying at Cornell, which
he entered at age 16 and where he received a
DEGREE IN philosophy, specializing in the work of
Wittgenstein.
Early signs of exposure
 In 1970, Reich studied for several weeks at the
University of Ghana. His encounter with Ghanaian
music and dance inspired his ambitious work
Drumming (1970).
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_d
etailpage&v=IrQCYW6fv60
 He also studied traditional Jewish cantillation and
incorporated it into his psalm settings, Tehillim (1981).
SOME GREAT PIECES:
 Music for 18 Musicians.
 Different Trains.
 The Cave (an opera).
 Double Sextet.
SOME INTERESTING FACTS:
 Many people say he is the greatest living American
composer.
 Many people also say he has changed the course of musical
history.
 He more or less invented ‘minimalist’ music. He is certainly
the one of the main people to create the idea of minimalist
music (as is Philip Glass).
 His music is influenced by jazz, as well as classical music.
SOME INTERESTING FACTS:
 When he first started composing many people thought
his music was crazy. He had to work as a taxi
DRIVER and a social worker to earn a living.
 He formed his own music group, Steve Reich and
Musicians (also called the Steve Reich Ensemble), to
play his music.
 He went to Ghana in 1971 to learn more about African
drumming. When he came back he composed
‘Drumming’.
SOME INTERESTING FACTS:
 His music is now very popular. Many people who
listen to his music wouldn’t normally listen to classical
music.
 His music has influenced many musicians, including
rock bands.
 He has also worked with all sorts of musicians,
including rock bands.
Characterizing his music
 Strong steady pulse http://youtu.be/BY4bL_bO8sA
 Strictly diatonic and tonal harmonies
 Grouped with 1st generation minimalist composers
such as Phillip Glass, La MonteYoung, John Adams
 Deeply American in its roots
TYPE OF MUSIC:
 Modern classical music. However his music is better
described as minimalist. Minimalist music is made up
of short bits of music (phrases) that repeat over and
over again. (See also Philip Glass.)
In some good company
 In 1957, he entered Juilliard, studying with William
Bergsma and Vincent Persichetti (and meeting fellow
student Philip Glass).
 At about that time Reich met Terry Riley, who was in
the process of writing In C (1964). Reich played in its
premiere, and In C's tonal approach and use of
repeating patterns had a big influence on Reich's own
music.
18 Musicians
Chord structure cycle
http://youtu.be/rjQBFiVJso8
18 Musicians
http://youtu.be/zLckHHc25ww
Building Blocks
Yes this piece is long

Blackburn, John. Introduction to Music for 18 Musicians.
http://www.18musicians.com/genreunique.html

Steve Reich. http://kidsmusiccorner.co.uk/composers/classical/reich/

Morrison, (2014) Steve Reich.http://www.allmusic.com/artist/steve-reich-
mn0000037658/biography
 (2014) http://www.boosey.com/cr/music/Steve-Reich-Music-for-18Musicians/548
 (2014) Steve Reich. wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Reich