Electric Counterpoint - I

High Quality MP3 Version Here: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1935590/ElectricCounterpoint.zip

Viktor Lundberg performs Electric Counterpoint by Steve Reich for 12 Guitars and 2 Basses.

Recorded using an Ibanez PGM401& Yamaha RBX Bass into the Fractal Audio Axe-FX.

Liner Notes by the composer:

Electric Counterpoint is in three movements; fast, slow, fast, played one after the other without pause. The first movement, after an introductory pulsing section where the harmonies of the movement are stated, uses a theme derived from Central African horn music that I became aware of through the ethnomusicologist Simha Arom. That theme is built up in eight voice canon and while the remaining two guitars and bass play pulsing harmonies the soloist plays melodic patterns that result from the contrapuntal interlocking of those eight pre-recorded guitars.

The second movement cuts the tempo in half, changes key and introduces a new theme, which is then slowly built up in nine guitars in canon. Once again two other guitars and bass supply harmony while the soloist brings out melodic patterns that result from the overall contrapuntal web.

The third movement returns to the original tempo and key and introduces a new pattern in triple meter. After building up a four guitar canon two bass guitars enter suddenly to further stress the triple meter. The soloist then introduces a new series of strummed chords that are then built up in three guitar canon. When these are complete the soloist returns to melodic patterns that result from the overall counterpoint when suddenly the basses begin to change both key and meter back and forth between E minor and C minor and between 3/2 and 12/8 so that one hears first 3 groups of 4 eighth notes and then 4 groups of 3 eighth notes. These rhythmic and tonal changes speed up more and more rapidly until at the end the basses slowly fade out and the ambiguities are finally resolved in 12/8 and E minor.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Steve
• Reich
• Electric
• Counterpoint
• Minimalism
• Phillip
• Glass
• Classical
• Music
• Guitar
• Fractal
• Audio
• Axe-FX
• Viktor
• Lundberg

[squrrilboy]

This is amazing, AND you provided us with free mp3s, thank you, i wish i knew more people like you.

[efx1138]

@squrrilboy I'm very glad you liked it :) Thank you very much for giving it a listen! Hope do more Reich pieces at some point in time.

[RJdrumguy]

'High quality mp3 version here'...heaven forbid that anyone would give Steve Reich a quid or two to listen to it, anyone would think you didn't like it and wouldn't want him to write anything else...

[efx1138]

@RJdrumguy I'm not sure I understand what you're going for here? The link provided by me in the description is to the performance I made myself, not any type of copyrighted recording. I wanted people who wanted to have the piece on it's own rather than on youtube and this falls into fair use I believe.

I have paid a lot of money to Steve over the last 25 years or so for cd's, concerts, scores, lessons etc and I'm well within my rights if I want to provide a free recording of something I made.

[DarkZekeX]

Is this recording available on CD?

[efx1138]

@DarkZekeX Not on CD but you download high quality MP3 versions of the recording from the description above :)

[Alexjr1543]

There's something theraputic about this piece.

[TheCreepsAreAlright]

I wish more of Reich's works were on CD. If it weren't for that box set (Works 1965 - 1995) it would be almost hopeless to find more of his better compositions.

[100millionbucks]

Can someone explain how this piece works in terms a non-music major can understand. I want to know how the dissident harmonics are formed as the note swells. Does it have to do with the rhythm or the harmonies or the increase of instruments or a comination of all three? Someone who knows please explain.

[nyo267n]

@efx1138 Neither this upload, nor your own recording would fall under the fair use doctrine, I'm afraid. I don't think anything will happen to you, but if you want to be on the safe side you should contact Steve Reich and ask for permission.

[SexyBac0n]

@Sh4d0wQu33n To this day I still come back to listen to this!

@efx1138 Do you have any more recordings anywhere?

[ntbbkid]

@efx1138 This is absolutely amazing work... Takes you to such a peaceful state of mind.

[MsSerafinism]

this is soo gooodd !