Terry Riley's In C with 124 musicians (Excerpt)

[lea34380]

cest bien une musique miniimaliste ? 

[ukdavepianoman]

i've only heard the original recording which seemed very calm and meditative. Quite amazing to hear how different it sounds and feels with 124 players...it sounds like Bruckner or Mahler tripping out. It's interesting to hear a piece that never sounds the same each time (ignoring interpretation). This piece is best heard lying on the floor:-)

[CptSpiffyPanda]

There is no original. Terry did not specify instruments. As such there is no original. Although he did recommend 35 players.

[mrcannabis94]

I feel this version is alot more darker and loses the sublime neutral feel of the original

[MuseDuCafe]

Sounds like Wagner, Brahms, Bruckner and Mahler all deep in a childhood dream of a major triad - a wind up clock is running nicely, thank you, on the mantel of the fireplace in the nursury. Awww. HUGE FUN. Makes the original recorded performance sound like a chamber recital:-) Thank you

[nickoo2nickoo2]

WHOEVER COUGHED AT 5:43 WASN"T IN C!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH­HHHHHHHHh.

[nickoo2nickoo2]

I heard birds in there also

[ktxed]

PURE WIN

[chickflickaddict91]

am i listening to the same thing everyone else is?????? dear God this made me want ta die!

[TheNEWfilmfanatic99]

I'm in awe

[MisterScratch186]

Is there a full recording that someone could purchase?

[nickoo2nickoo2]

@MisterScratch186 play it twice through and its the same thing kiddo

[petepeee]

Great piece.

Less is more... 

[sirmattbelios]

I've always liked this piece - in it's many forms - but it's never sounded so ethereal. Beautiful!

[topologyrob]

Love it - is the full version available anywhere?

[bassninjatroy]

whoa, this is really powerful. sweet.

[acanth9]

5.43 ?

[lunatik1968]

"J'ai perdu le DO de ma clarinette..."

[runupahill1]

Well, now we know what Wagner was striving for in the beginning of the four day marathon The Ring of the Nibelungen; if he had had the guts he could have just thrown away the rest of the stuff, right?

[snape10154]

riley says that it should be around thirty five musicians

[porkyafr]

Where could I find a full recording of this performance?

[Emeralsha]

YAY!! My Face the Music group did this!! it's sooo fun, but extremely tiring!!

[pumpkinhead1965]

Saw this live last Friday at Carnegie Hall NYC. AWESOME! Terry Riley himself, Philip Glass and many many musicians filled the stage, celebrating its 45 year anniversary. Many of the performers who originally played it were there too. Uplifting and joyful music!

[amistrymister]

you lucky sod!

[JeeRant]

Isn't this piece usually performed WITHOUT a conductor? I mean, it's not like there's a written score that everyone is following.

[tj2691]

there actually is a "score" type guideline that you follow, but you are correct in saying there is no conductor

[machinedrum]

this is what it sounds like in casinos. all the machines playing in one key its like magic!

[PrinceCaspian58]

Our school played this song for 5 hours :D

[CherieKitten]

That must of been so fun.

[x0legenddddx0]

i've done this in a group, and it really was. it's a strange score, almost like improvisation :o

[FlowersInHisHair]

@PrinceCaspian58 That's awesome! Would love to do that. Must have really zoned out in there a few times, eh?

[wintahdude]

holy shit this is beautiful

[ryry125]

woah, i actually like this piece now haha

[ghettobaybei]

Omg Must have been hard to play this !

124 musicians ! so complicated !!!

[ScriabinFanatic]

Nah, that is the whole point of the constant eighth note on the high C, to keep the time.

[amistrymister]

The High Cs are a bit overpowering arent they?

[GrantilliusMax117]

Oh but isn't it sweet?!!!!

[x0legenddddx0]

not really...i know from experience. but weirdly different (in a good way) from anything i've ever done

[pasfresh123]

and the percussionist got bursitis in his elbow and had to retire. :(

[joejoe4868]

Its actually done electronically

[AndiUpState]

Wait. Are they allowed to do that in classical music? Scandal!

[kly45]

'contempary' music.

and yes, I believe in modern music like this you can pretty much do anything you want. e.g Koyaanisqatsi by phillip glass uses synths I believe as well as some of his other works.

[vogelmandrie]

I've seen several live versions in the 7ties

and this one is simply ridiculous but aren't we in crisis these days even in music interpretation ?

[SonofMrPeanut]

There it is. The inspiration behind Baba O'Riley.

That's for the benefit of those of you who just stumbled across this.

I also think it's the craziest thing they decided to feature this on GTA IV. I know it's been a while now, but I still can't get over that.

But yes, minimalism at some of its best.

[Yukonho72]

OH THE IRONY! Minimalist music was desgned to use a little as possible. And this guy used 124 musicians XD

[littlemousecli]

awesome observation lol

[stevtomato]

That's the thing is with Minimalist music. The smaller the material is, the more ways you have to manipulate it. Minimalist can then end up being Maximalist.

[Yukonho72]

Truetrue

[littlemousecli]

I wrote on the essay topic "Minimalism" in my music history exam like 2 weeks ago. I'm just happy that I wrote similar stuff in it!:)

[proxxxy]

uhm. no.

[Yukonho72]

um....yes

[LuxAurumque]

Riley wrote this at a time when the word "Minimalism" was not a designated genre. Many believe he started the genre.

And as for the number of musicians, here is a quote:

"...a group of about 35 is desired if possible but smaller or larger groups will work..."

[reinux]

Usually anything that deliberately has very little of an identifiable musical element that's usually more prominent in other works is deemed minimalist, even if it's huge in some other way.

In this case most tonal pieces have at least some sort of chord progression, whereas this doesn't -- hence "minimalist".

[willitsw]

minimalism doesnt refer to the size of the ensemble at all. It is the rythmic and melodic repetition and the slow harmonic progression that makes something "minimalist". Riley is, though maybe unintentionally, a founder of minimalism.

[Rarre4]

It's fantastic!

Is it possible to get the whole recording somehow?

[arousal11]

was the matrix soundtrack inspired in this?

[Jacob139139]

can anybody that is good with music help me anaylse the song in C by terry riley for my music assignment at skool?

it would be very good if somebody could do so..

Picth, duration, tone colour etc

[Abraxas80]

is this version of In C available on CD anywhere?

[crossessolonely]

there is some software one of my friends has downloaded for free which allows you to add soundtracks for videos onto your ipod, or jsut download it. so if you have an mp3 player it might be worth looking for this software, sorry i dont know the name of it.

[Abraxas80]

thanks for your reply I think I find way to help myself.

[PauloNideck]

that's what I call trippy

[Member108]

Wow...I have never really listened any other minimalist composer other the Philip Glass, but I do have to say this is not bad. This piece kinda reminds me of the vorspiel to Das Rheingold by Richard Wagner.

[BlueCougar]

The only difference is that the Rheingold Prelude is in E flat, where as this is... "in C"! ;-)

[stickgandhi]

I think if you're going to be that pedantic you could probably find some more differences BlueCougar

[SeanPerrin]

Way too fast for my taste and the pulse seems far too loud... great colors with this ensemble though, I imagine it was incredible to be there.

[HinZ3]

Wow, I never knew there was such an amazing power to be gotten in a traditional symphonic setting with this piece. This recording absolutely blows me away! Is it for sale on CD?

[MatthewBearne]

Bea-u-ti-ful!

[bumpfiend]

minimilism - be bop for new york whirte middle classes - so? That's all misuc has ever been, a reworking of the past lovely.

More a reich man myself. Has anyone got 'in C' by the chinese traditional orchestra?

[vogelmandrie]

Yes I do, I think this version is TOO modern, don't like it, I would like to know Terry's opinion, the Chinese and 7ties versions are far better

[jertzy]

Minimalism is the most profound journey.

[bizguide]

Thank you God!

[londonpenda]

This was amazing.

I like the constant notes with other notes dancing in and out in the background.

My cup of tea.

Well done.

10x10x10.

[jmedia1]

Unbelievable!

[Estevarium]

I'd've never thought it was in C

[JeeRant]

Incredible performance! Is there a full recording available??

[hfxmagdude]

cool...have been listening to thatpiece since the 70's but this version is sublime!!

[hfxmagdude]

incredible..is this the LA Phil???

[philipglassfan]

This performance was at the Disney Hall, but the 124 players were students at CalArts.

[BlueCougar]

How long was that performance? Usually, the length increases with the number of players. (Performances I have seen: 15 players: 45 min, 25 players: 70 min...)

[spiritooalized]

@philipglassfan Increíble! would you please tell us the name of the recording you uploaded?

[sheepslinky]

@hfxmagdude I played contrabass in this performance, and would like to add that the faculty was also there, as well as few alums. Oh, and Mr. Dempster (on trombone) himself, who I believe was involved in the very early performances, if not the first.

[moclark]

massive. simple. representative. as though its musical form had internalized everything, the totality if you will; rather, as it were particularly sensitive to this occurence.

[InventeurFou]

Magnifique !

[virgildisgrace]

Absolutely incredible performance. Where can we buy this whole recording!?

[SmallPorgies]

oh dear god this is amazing