Different Trains - Steve Reich

[MrPrincewalid]

Steve Reich on peut le prendre dnns l'option facultattive d'histoire des Arts pour l'ecole en "expression de soi" voila donc si vous avez d'autre questions contacter moi .... comment ?...... j'en sais rien

[AloysiaColas]

@MrPrincewalid On peut choisir cette oeuvre aussi pour la problématique : Comment la mémoire historique se reflète-elle à travers l'art ?

[burtv1610]

Steve Reich didn't intend on making this 'moving' in the way that it makes you feel like jumping about and going crazy, in a good way, (e.g. Queen - Don't Stop Me Now). Instead he wanted people to be moved and feel like cringing at the squeekiness; he wanted to change the atmosphere people felt.

[fendweller]

Listen to the last movement of this, where the two different threads - America and Europe - come together, and tell me it isn't moving. 'And when she stopped singing, they said more, more.' Beautiful and eloquent.

[Andrewsmate]

The full album is beautiful and very moving.

[ceilingkatt]

however, its much less effective live imao, listen to the original album

[ceilingkatt]

reich is actually quite brilliant. listen to the whole of the suite.

[chazegee]

yawn-inducing pretentious codswallop

[burtv1610]

I sort of agree - as i said to piano phasing I think a lot of people speak a load of bull when they say how "moving" this is and emotional and expressive. Fair enough fascinating or interesting. I think it's an insult how this is classifies as moving, but many people discard the classical and romantic era.

[OhRobot]

Perhaps we can all be moved by different things. I don't think a personal emotional reaction to art can be "a load of bull." I actually like the romantic and classical eras (as well as the baroque, renaissance, medieval, etc) but the music was written in the context of that time, and it shows. They aren't irrelevant today, but I like hearing new things instead of the same composers again and again.

[jsmurfy89]

I listen to a lot of music from the romantic period and some from the classical period but I can honestly say this is one of the most moving pieces of music I have ever heard.

[jazzflutist]

Well, this is the fifth listen. I now have contest going - which is more soothing:

1. the fan on my old pc

2. Reich

Well, 1. to me is soothing, and 2. sounds manic and disturbing, overly repetitive - like a CIA acid experiment, or Chinese water torture.

Must be subjective, since even Mozart sounds like torture to the hip-hop/etc. crowd.

[burtv1610]

Jazzflutist: lol - not sure if this gave me headache or that sledge hammer that just wacked me in the head.

[jazzflutist]

millerbrandon12 has a good point. I would still prefer a regular unamplified cello to an amplified one (current on top of current).cSome people like jangling metal strings at high volume. I go for warm natural sound, but that's just me. Even flutes have to be amplified to compete with decibels - which doesn't bother me.

Yes, Mozart is monotonous rhythmically, and his melodies. I prefer Chopin for melody, and Liszt. Reich makes sense to some people (some find it soothing).

[crazykeyman]

I agree I like that sound better myself but something tells me he wasn't going for soothing.

[ichalz]

Reich is wonderfully soothing to me personally. There's a whole lot of tension in his music, but for some reason the consistency of the tension is relaxing.

[davedagreat69]

Maybe some people find the music of Mozart to be monotonus because it concentrates on melody rather than rhythm. Not me, but possibly it's simplistic rhythms are not to everyone's tastes.

[BewareOfDoor]

music is for ethnics, preserve our sacred blood

[davedagreat69]

BewareOfDoor, what the hell does that mean? Music is for Ethnics? What a weird statement.

[xxxslayerxxx666]

i know dude, music is for all living things....animals can appreciate good music, especially if they hear a person throat sing... all the animals stop what their doing immediately and get sucked in

[WC3POchannel10A]

I find it often screechy and irritating.

[jazzflutist]

I think I prefer it to rock (whose main trait is volume, decibels - or getting excited over nothing), as much as I would prefer Chinese water torture to having a frontal lobotomy.

The new classical then, is ancient African and gamelin drum rhythms fancied up with the word "phasing"?

[Racehazard]

jazzflutist - you have a lot to learn. The world of contemporary classical music is vast - only a very small percentage of it draws upon African or Gamelan influences.

Your last sentence "The new classical then, is ancient African and gamelin drum rhythms fancied up with the word "phasing"?" shows a general misunderstanding of the artistic intentions of composers, and a basic lack of knowledge.

[jazzflutist]

Glorified repetition. Like an old LP stuck in the groove.

Should be worth a Pullitzer Prize in music, and a gaggle of musical apostles to push it even further.

Well, it could always be used as "movie music".

[Racehazard]

Phasing is NOT glorified repetition. Is it NOT like an old LP stuck in the groove.

Now, to some extent, I agree with what you're saying (or what I think you're trying to say.) I am not the biggest fan of minimalism. (I find it does little to surprise or engage my ear.)

I took exception to you confusing "minimalism" with ALL new classical.

And, I find some of your criticisms of minimalism somewhat hypocritical - given that you like jazz (which I also like.)

[jazzflutist]

You're right Racehazard: minimalism should not be confused with ALL new classical.

I'm really at the learning stage on minimalism. I'm more into "improvised music" than jazz per se. Sometimes I criticize to bait - to see what comments come back, to learn. Minimalism does seem repetition-like, monotonous, and seems to concentrate on rhythm, not melody. Wondering why Reich got a Pullitzer Prize for his stuff. Curious.

[Racehazard]

I shall send you a longer message. (Different trains didn't win the Pulitzer but it DID win a Grammy.)

It won for two reasons: -

1. It is one of the first classical pieces (and probably the most important) to associate speech rhythms with musical rhythms. (Building on Reich's previous experimentation with tape loops.)

2. It has been described as the ONLY apt musical response to the holocaust.

[jazzlover06]

Actually in an interview with Reich on youtube, he says his LP got stuck in the groove which was what inspired him. Then his track player accidentally played the same piece at slightly different speeds and hence the music of Reich was born. Where would we be without random chance? :)

[davedagreat69]

Jazzflutist, you really don't have a very good grasp of either rock or minimalism but I commend your desire to learn. If you understand little of what you slate then surely you'd do well to listen to the genre more deeply or avoid it all together. Listening to other's opinions will never help you to truly understand. Only in depth listening will do that. If it isn't to your taste then that's no problem. Tastes are different.

[jazzflutist]

You're right dave. I sometimes cringe reading my own comments later on! Some people actually find it "restful". But rock ... oh boy ... I find it disturbing. I don't like electrified strings. Right now I'm listening to one of God's compositions - the pitter patter of rain. Not much melody, and no detectable rhythm, but each raindrop is a single instrument, and it actually sounds OK. Some people don't like it. All subjective.

[millerbrandon12]

"If electrons are moving through just about everything, every instrument is run on some sort of current, so to criticize instrumentals because they are playing through an amplified sound is like saying you want to change the way our fundamental particles are set up."

[ezzano1]

The metre shifts in this piece are quite amazing. I wonder if the patterns have any particular meaning?

[DEKhan]

this is what we consider classical music today? no wonder the genre is dying.

[NomisGSR]

What's wrong with this piece?

[ezzano1]

you should look at the score and read about the concepts of this piece, it is actually quite smart

[ofatheroartificer]

i hope the term "classical" dies soon.

[repotodd]

" shows great performance ability for players but sounds stupid" ......Hey Pinkpoop (talk about sounding stupid) why don't you tell that to Schoenberg and the late avante garde composers!!

[YIUEOR]

My favorite Reich piece. well actually I don't know, it's between piano phase and this piece. Oh but then there's electric counterpoint, ya he's just amazing all around!

[pinkpoop24]

do you wannt to shut the fuck up, do u want do u want

[pinkpoop24]

it shows great performance ability for the players but sounds fucking STUPID

[AaronBenJoseph]

it is brilliant and such a sensitive piece! Just listen a bit closer

[Danman917]

criticism isn't welcome here!

[AuntyKaren]

Different Trains was the first Steve Reich piece I ever heard. It's an astounding "track."

[enigmism4life]

i wonder how they synched the speech with the players. like if they had a metronome in their ears or not.

[AaronBenJoseph]

maybe the players have a pedal to press when the sample begin or something similar?

[LuxClassical]

Me parece magnífica esta pieza.

[Paddiieee]

I have an inexplicable love for steve reich's minimalistic pieces

[SmallRubberFeet]

Really? Is it that inexplicable?

[Paddiieee]

Uh yeh, because i dnt know why

[SmallRubberFeet]

Because they are awesome. Now you know why.

[vitovito1234]

Great piece....Out of this world and deep inside the human mind....it surely needs the visual and choreography.....

[raffaellaheath]

the opening is amazing

[zenmachinefilms]

Very unique, and a good attempt at something you wouldn't expect - a performance of this Reich piece live like this. Too bad the recording isn't in stereo. :-(

[gamer929]

This isnt right at all.. his music is supposed to be played as a recording not as a live show.

[insuranceplan]

You make an excellent point. Compositions like Violin Phase require human performers to do the work of machines. Though impressive, there's something disingenuous about an ensemble of musicians playing a Reich piece.

[ex0pos]

Reich would disagree with you. I've heard him in interviews talking about how much he likes having his works performed by ensembles throughout the world.

[CMPerry]

Some years ago, I attended a performance of Different Trains by Kronos and talked with the musicians and their soundman - the piece is definitely written for live performance with the prerecorded track.

[Huizachtepetl]

Jewishes plus Jewishes. Shalom...

[tado0le031]

it is kinda a scary song it gives me the chills

[reeldeelpeel]

Reich is a genius when it comes to expressing the fear he felt at the time of all this.

There are actually three parts to the song, and I think the 2nd part "During the War" is the scariest and most disturbing. I can't imagine what he felt at the time. Such sad and scary times.

[spiralsky1]

I couldn't quite put my finger on the feeling until I read your comment. It is a deep fear/uncertainty. What an amazing peice.

[NiallMS]

Very poignant! !

[subgenius2012]

nothing's hotter than women playing violins and cellos.

hey michael7521! - steve is still alive!!!

[ckvwdz]

hoi

[aLfR3dd]

amazing

[IxKindaxHatexYoux]

i love how he does this my band director told me about him and i had to check him out so cool

[pete5668]

I think i'd rather take a plane

[samkimmins]

Amazing piece, but not an great performance - are they pros? Much more intense performance by the Kronos quartet at the NEC - also on you tube (although admittedly it's Pt II, which is considerably more intense in itself)

[Michael7521]

Steve Reich was an amazing man.

When I first heard of him, I knew it was the Minimalism music,

But this is a really adventorous song. :)

[Leveretis]

Why do people have to compare knew to old?

It's all fucking amazing.

[RSuelzer]

i think this is better than most of his early works.

[iblahblah123]

this doesn't hold a candle to his early work.

[BlueCougar]

This IS an early work!

[Xynok111]

I like the Kronos Quartet interpretation

[davezappa23]

the cd different trains is so beautiful, I love this song! gaaah!! so good!

[DaveLidster]

This left me wanting more! Have seen it a few times 'live'. Smith Quartet probably did it as intended.

[caed79]

it reminds me of : Star Guitar - Chemical Brothers !!

[cris8passos]

That's perfect. The voices have changed the meaning of the piece. The images make me fell inside a train. It's so deep. I'm tired of modern art. I love post modern proposes.

the cenary like a train journey It's become so deep. I'm tired of modern art. I love post modern pieces.

[BlueCougar]

The voices haven't changed the piece, they are PART of the piece. It doesn't make any sense without the voices.

[reeldeelpeel]

I disagree somewhat. I do agree that the voices are part of the piece, thats a fact. But I could honestly appreciate the piece just as much without them. Maybe it helps that I've heard the piece hundreds of times as it is, or maybe I am just curious to hear what it would sound like without the voices.

What they say is so vague, it's not like there is a definite story actually being told. The concept was to "mimic" the tones of their voices to recreate the emotions through music.

[5stringofFernandoSor]

I heard this piece yesterday for the first time and wanted to kill myself because it sounded so annoying and blasphemous..like an insult on fine classical music. But, I didn't turn off my radio, I kept listening because this piece GRABS you and demands that you listen. Today here I am trying to record it-'Nuff said. That is very touching that he used holocaust survivors.

[zoenachos]

This piece is incredible.

'After the War' is beautiful.

[donaldb1]

rachelmiser is correct. This piece is (partly) about the trains that carried Jews to the Nazi death camps and it features the voices of Holocaust survivors. It is a beautiful, haunting piece.

[tylervanbach]

i'm sorry, your comment is completely illegible.

[KleemosBeder]

"u know, itz from the time people went on the trains to be taken to camp and all that horrible stuff....'~'"

trains? camps?

you mean concentration camps in the third reich? wwII ??

[davidtraveller]

Different Trains is one of the greatest compositions of the second half of 20th century. Very interesting seating arrangement!