Steve Reich "Music for 18 Musicians" -Section V

[blkjock81]

V and VI are my fave sections. I wonder why it is not V and Va. F# - E -F# -E C# motive seems to be a resultant motive heard in pianos @1:07. He just brings it out to the forefront later in the section and in section VI in the mallet percusion.

[cwlithium]

I just found out about steve reich a couple of days ago and i was an instant fan, this guy's composition's are amazing.

[Antonin4447]

Steve, you are a real artist, and your music is the best, your music has a real meaning !!

Love U !!

[ARDORMUSICANDSOUND]

inspiring, waves of sensation; breathtaking <3

[tommyk77]

3:04 is wonderful

[vandrissen1]

@danielinsporto It's worth mentioning that those swells are also largely vocal. Vocals and clarinets.

[tuktuktok]

Reich isn't a minimalist. Listen to this, this is maximalism.

[danielinsporto]

question: do the musicians use any kind of electronic aid to create those amazing swells going on after the 3rd minute, or is it pure mastery?

[PhasedMind]

@danielinsporto It's written into the score. It should be pure player.

[PhasedMind]

Are you crazy? @martingowar If you actually took the time to look over the score (available through Bosey & Hawkes) You will see the obvious minimalism. All of Reich's works show that minimalism doesn't always have to be in the same format that Cage did with 4:33. Now Say you look at another minimalist composers you will see the BLATANT minimalism that Reich uses throughout the piece. Look at Philip Glass or John Adams if you want semi-transcendent minimalist composing.

[ajre82]

those poor guys in the pink and burgundy

[ngleason]

Is this from a DVD or video that is available commercially?

[stephencraigen]

like in the pulses sections, where he instructs the ensemble to move to the next chord...in the score it just says 'raise the instrument'. Sections V and X are actually cued with a big gesture by the bass clarinet and not the vibes...interesting ensemble dynamics.

[stephencraigen]

@menschmaschine5 @cyanastropyre Actually the 1st clarinet is the secondary source of cues for the ensemble. The vibraphone (no fans) usually cues major section transfers and other musical cues like through a lot of IIIA (the appearance of his cue is marked in the score as last repeat of that one device). Her, he plays octaves at 4:26, and Section VI actually begins after that cue at 4:32. The clarinet player gives smaller non-audible cues in other places through an instrument wave (cont)

[cyberpants]

This work takes so long to perfect... I wonder if any of the performers ever have strange dreams about it...

[cyanastropyre]

@BassClabuse "Moving with the music in a way typical of many musicians" is just like the unwritten rule that professional orchestra conductors must have unkempt hair, haha!

[cyanastropyre]

@menschmachine5 Thanks for clarifying the instrument.

[Entropy56]

I like this anti-establishment non-music. Stick it to the man!

[batterycock]

wow! steven spielberg on piano!

[llamatube]

@batterycock Steve Reich actually, but maybe you knew that. :P

[ctfamily40]

@batterycock You're close, but that's actually Steve Reich, the man himself (unless you aren't talking about the baseball-cap wearing one).

[cyanastropyre]

Am I correct in assuming that it is the male bassoonist is the "conductor", instructing the others when to change from one set of notes to the next?

This music is amazing, by the way!

[menschmaschine5]

@cyanastropyre I wouldn't think so. There's no director in this ensemble.

Also, that's a bass clarinet, not a bassoon.

[BassClabuse]

@cyanastropyre It is a legitimate thought, seeing how he often moves and "waves" his clarinet, as though he was giving instructions while playing. But actually, that is not the case. If you listen carefully, you will see that the music doesn't change every time he moves. So I would label it "Moving with the music in a way typical of many musicians".

[martingowar]

This is (probably) Reich's most well known large scale work, and here in Section 5, with the build up of notes gradually over the four grand pianos he achieves an almost hypnotic aura over which the different groups of instruments play their accompaniment. It is a masterpiece of orchestration, but certainly not a minimalist one !

[pckg21c]

It is so. Reich is not a minimalist. I think that it is a composer who produced most modern trance music.

[thrull1]

@pckg21c That is a thought that has been spinning through my head since I first heard this piece. It is truly the most wondrous trance music made using traditional instruments.

[thrull1]

@pckg21c That is a thought that has been spinning through my head since I first heard this piece. It is truly the most wondrous trance music made using traditional instruments.

Do you know where I can find the whole piece?

[outerpol]

@pckg21c Minimal Techno is the genre you're looking for.

[tommyk77]

@pckg21c "Minimalist" shouldn't be considered a bad word. Reich is a minimalist

[RiflemanIzzie]

@martingowar Minimalism in music is not small, but slowly building.

[jakjonsun]

gotta love the eyebrow raise at 3:06

[jmarquar]

dear god, worst cinematography ever. but yeah, best part!

[000ytube]

just noise...

[quyenthenghiem]

guy with the maracas is the best.

[gregsamek1]

best section of the piece

[pepakake27]

i agree

[kapdrums]

it's my favorite for sure...!:)

[chrisfactoryboi]

Isn't IIIa the best?

[amistrymister]

typical additive melodies, phasing, looping - he is the greatest minimalism composer.

[sucking345]

great stuff !!

[xxjokeryy1]

Reich is a great composer period. very forceful work!

[beholder9000]

this section begins like Violin Phase.

[llehmorfzzaj]

same pattern, yes

[werner99]

reich is a german word and means rich. i interpert it, that he is so "rich" in terms of ideas. that is why he can create such beautiful music.

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[Captainjjb]

brilliant!

[hungonyou]

Thanks! My favourite!