Steve Reich - Proverb

Proverb is a musical composition by Steve Reich for three sopranos, two tenors, two vibraphones, and two electric organs. It is set to a text by Ludwig Wittgenstein.[1] It was written in 1995 and was originally intended for The Proms and the Utrecht Early Music Festival. It was premiered at Alice Tully Hall in New York City on February 10, 1996 by Theatre of Voices with Paul Hillier, to whom the piece is dedicated.[2]
Proverb was written during a period when Reich was experimenting with "speech melody", and is influenced by the period Reich spent working on The Cave with Paul Hillier and singers with a strong background in medieval polyphony. This is especially apparent in the two tenor parts, which pay homage to Pérotin and organum in their use of rhythmic modes and pedal points. The text is: "How small a thought it takes to fill a whole life!" This text is an excellent explanation of the piece itself, as well as perhaps Reich's career, much of it spent exploring minimalism. (Wikipedia)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Proverb
• steve
• reich
• minimalism
• wittgenstein

[Kuhrvenal]

I´ve been waiting a lifetime to listen something like this.Universe bless Steve Reich.Thanks for uploading this,friend.

[amerattila]

@Kuhrvenal you're welcome :))

[amerattila]

@YUZO2kxx yes, it is Enceladus, one of Saturn's moons. /wiki/Enceladus

[youfilin]

endless beautyful agony

[jamant1000]

never say something until you have to say something

[ImTheCaio]

moon

[arcanedixsept]

In fact, the composition of Proverb is quite close to that of the magnificent Tehillim by Reich.

[NitramZiarreh]

@FinaleGoofups Oh my... I thought I'd heard it all, but "postmodernism is to blame" is new to me. If you don't mind me asking, where are you from and how old are you?

[FinaleGoofups]

@NitramZiarreh Postmodernists are the most to blame. But, television didn't help as the people who were taught utter nihilism by postmodernists went on to be the people creating TV shows.

[NitramZiarreh]

@FinaleGoofups All I can say is you're overrating "people like Steve Reich" - they're not as powerful as you like to think they are. An equally or more likely reason for orchestras going bankrupt is that nobody gives a shit about music (or any art for that matter) anymore, unless it's got an electronic beat and a hot chick with a high-pitched voice, and no one will fund anything that doesn't generate a massive amount of money overnight. Welcome to the 21st century.

[FinaleGoofups]

@NitramZiarreh Sorry, I hadn't actually listened to this piece since I first commented a month ago, this isn't four organs which is utter shit. Yeah, it's got a little of those.

[NitramZiarreh]

@FinaleGoofups There is a structure - as I said before, the fact that YOU cannot perceive is only indicative of your own limitations. There is also melody and harmony, but even if there wasn't, those two factors have ceased being univocal "sine qua non" conditions for defining music at least 100 years ago. That only shows that Reich is a relatively "traditional" composer, but nothing besides that. So sorry, but your "reasons" are only "reasonable" according to your own parameters.

[FinaleGoofups]

@NitramZiarreh I already gave reasons: no structure, no melody, little dynamics, little harmony.  It's not music, it's a bunch of repetitive noises.