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Stephen Michael Reich (born October 3, 1936) is an American composer. He is a pioneer of minimalism, although his music has increasingly deviated from a purely minimalist style. Reich’s innovations include using tape loops to create phasing patterns (examples are his early compositions, “It’s Gonna Rain” and “Come Out”), and the use of processes to create and explore musical concepts (for instance, “Pendulum music” and “”Four Organs”). These compositions, marked by their use of repetitive figures and phasing effects, have significantly influenced contemporary music, especially that of his country.
The Guardian has described Reich as one of the few composers to have “altered the direction of musical history.”
Reich often cites Pérotin, J.S. Bach, Debussy and Stravinsky as composers he admires, whose tradition he wished as a young composer to become part of. Jazz is a major part of the formation of Reich’s musical style, and two of the earliest influences on his work were vocalists Ella Fitzgerald and Alfred Deller, whose emphasis on the artistic capabilities of the voice alone with little vibrato or other alteration was an inspiration to his earliest works. John Coltrane’s style, which Reich has described as “playing a lot of notes to very few harmonies”, also had an impact; of particular interest was the album “Africa/Brass”, which “was basically a half-an-hour in F.” Reich’s influence from jazz includes its roots, also, from the West African music he studied in his readings and visit to ghana. Other important influences are Kenny Clarke and Miles Davis, and visual artist friends such as Sol Lewitt and Richard Serra.
It’s Gonna Rain” and “Come Out”), and the use of processes to create and explore musical concepts (for instance, “Pendulum music” and “”Four Organs”). These compositions, marked by their use of repetitive figures and phasing effects, have significantly influenced contemporary music, especially that of his country.
The Guardian has described Reich as one of the few composers to have “altered the direction of musical history.”
Reich often cites Pérotin, J.S. Bach, Debussy and Stravinsky as composers he admires, whose tradition he wished as a young composer to become part of. Jazz is a major part of the formation of Reich’s musical style, and two of the earliest influences on his work were vocalists Ella Fitzgerald and Alfred Deller, whose emphasis on the artistic capabilities of the voice alone with little vibrato or other alteration was an inspiration to his earliest works. John Coltrane’s style, which Reich has described as “playing a lot of notes to very few harmonies”, also had an impact; of particular interest was the album “Africa/Brass”, which “was basically a half-an-hour in F.” Reich’s influence from jazz includes its roots, also, from the West African music he studied in his readings and visit to ghana. Other important influences are Kenny Clarke and Miles Davis, and visual artist friends such as Sol Lewitt and Richard Serra.
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Music for 18 Musicians
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Different Trains
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City Life
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Phases
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Shoutbox
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poeq wrote:
violin phase is ridiculously touching. also i though m83 was shit dance pop type stuff? how could you go from that to this. weird man.
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superquintendo wrote:
M83 brought me here - christ, shoot me now
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Retinend wrote:
six marimbas is definitely a favourite.
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LuckyEraser wrote:
M83 brought me here - so sad
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Availen wrote:
six marimbas, so rite
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DelamanchaBand wrote:
M83 brought me here
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fergalmc wrote:
Yes Six Marimbas is beautiful.
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shamatha-x wrote:
so who else loves six marimbas as much as me? its just so warm and relaxing ^.^
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bschw wrote:
when WTC 9/11 had just come out it sounded rather unimpressive to me. but it's actually really good, innit?
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optimistic_tour wrote:
V listen to Desert Music
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cebulon6969 wrote:
I really dig Music for 18 Musicians, and I have Drumming (although I have only listened to it once). Shout on my page if you have a recommendation of where I should go from here. Maybe I should listen to Drumming again?
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hendog99 wrote:
Я згодны, вельмі шмат.
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lisceverasnia wrote:
крутой дзяцька!
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adelsmusic wrote:
http://www.last.fm/group/justinphysics
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InASafePlace wrote:
I am at 450 plays but I didnt try very hard, at least not as hard as mistrymister. Someone give mistrymister a medal! X2
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snowbleed wrote:
The Cave is a very nice piece, I'm enjoying it quite a bit.
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kaminekosan wrote:
Great composer~
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mydadsmayor wrote:
going to see him in Burlington Vermont on Wednesday! i cannot wait
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nemesdomon wrote:
I was on his concert in Budapest two weeks ago or so. It was unforgettable. check out his new compositions, or listen to them live. it worth.
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jacob_campbell wrote:
one of my favourite composers of all time.
Videos
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"Music for 18 Musicians"…
1 shout
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Eight Lines (Howie B Remix)
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"Music for 18 Musicians"…
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, Kronos Quartet, Pat Metheny -…
Events
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Mar
5
RED CHAIR CONCERT II
Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain
23 going
4 shouts
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Mar
5
Steve Reich Radio Rewrite - world premiere
Royal Festival Hall, London, United Kingdom
11 going
News
Steve Reich on Facebook
13 Aug 2010 | from blog.myspace.com/stevereichmusic
Hi there Reich fans,
You can now "like" Steve Reich on his new Facebook official
fan page,
brought to you by B&H:
http://www.facebook.com/stevereichmusic. Join for the latest news
…
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Steve Reich on Facebook
13 Aug 2010 | from blog.myspace.com/stevereichmusic -
13 Aug 2010 | from blog.myspace.com/stevereichmusic -
20 Apr 2010 | from blog.myspace.com/stevereichmusic
Listening Now
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Recent Activity
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The_Master24, lkathrynwr, mariohno and 4 other people added Steve Reich to their libraries. yesterday evening
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Clark_Cargo tagged Steve Reich with ambient, classical, avant-garde and 3 other tags. Wednesday afternoon
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Clark_Cargo, joanhoggan, YarnWallows and 10 other people added Steve Reich to their libraries. Wednesday afternoon
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Civvv tagged Steve Reich with ‘modern classical’. Monday evening
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dionnecharles, IVSC, MrCSchmidt1 and 5 other people added Steve Reich to their libraries. Monday evening
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ACDC-fan tagged Steve Reich with ‘minimalism’. Sunday morning
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orpheusnoises, maata-band, serenseed and 4 other people added Steve Reich to their libraries. Sunday morning
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khz_ tagged Steve Reich with post-minimalism and tape music. last week
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Oc1c1_Zoom and 4 other people added Steve Reich to their libraries. last week
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BUZZZA tagged Steve Reich with classical, experimental, avant-garde and one other tag. last week
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Steve Reich Warped My Fragile Little Mind
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