Steve Reich

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Stephen Michael Reich (born October 3, 1936) is an American composer. He is a pioneer of , although his music has increasingly deviated from a purely 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 . Other important influences are Kenny Clarke and Miles Davis, and visual artist friends such as Sol Lewitt and Richard Serra.
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Popular tags: minimalism, contemporary classical, experimental, avant-garde, classical  See more

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  • poeq

    lol don't compare gybe to steve reich - not similiar

    Wednesday morning

  • jack_rae

    Do you think he might have been a prelude to post rock bands, like GY!BE?

    Monday afternoon

  • I0000days

    So bad.

    Saturday evening

  • mistrymister

    favorite section of desert music?

    last week

  • vambad11

    long live Steve Reich!

    last week

  • vladekas23

    To Drumming and Music for Mallet instruments, Voices and Organ.

    13 days ago

  • Colton56

    Where to go after Music for 18 Musicians?

    13 days ago

  • Colton56

    So good

    13 days ago

  • poeq

    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.

    16 days ago

  • superquintendo

    M83 brought me here - christ, shoot me now

    17 days ago

  • Retinend

    six marimbas is definitely a favourite.

    21 days ago

  • LuckyEraser

    M83 brought me here - so sad

    22 days ago

  • Availen

    six marimbas, so rite

    last month

  • DelamanchaBand

    M83 brought me here

    last month

  • fergalmc

    Yes Six Marimbas is beautiful.

    last month

  • shamatha-x

    so who else loves six marimbas as much as me? its just so warm and relaxing ^.^

    last month

  • bschw

    when WTC 9/11 had just come out it sounded rather unimpressive to me. but it's actually really good, innit?

    last month

  • optimistic_tour

    V listen to Desert Music

    December 2011

  • cebulon6969

    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?

    December 2011

  • hendog99

    Я згодны, вельмі шмат.

    December 2011
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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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