Minimalism - Steve Reich

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Electric Counterpoint III. Fast - Steve Reich

If you are ready to enter a new realm of uplifting transcendence, listen to Steve Reich's Electric Counterpoint III. Fast recorded by virtuoso guitarist Pat Metheny. Listen with headphones or a stereo sound system for the fullest experience: 



Minimalism: essentially, taking something small and making it go a long a way  - meditating on it until it is time to move on. In this movement of Electric Counterpoint, notice how Reich takes a melodic cell and repeats it over and over. Whilst this repetition provides a background, Reich gradually layers the texture and adds new elements - the listener eventually tunes out the repetition and focuses on the change. 'Counterpoint' is taken from the Latin, meaning 'point against point' i.e. different musical lines playing against each other. These lines are independent in rhythm and contour, but together form a cohesive-sounding whole. Listen with the score to see how this works.  

 Electric Counterpoint was composed in 1987 and was commissioned by the Brooklyn Academy of Music for the jazz guitarist Pat Metheny.


Pat Metheny (b. 1954)


Although the above links are recordings, it is possible to play this live using loop pedals. 


Steve Reich (b. 1936)

Listen with the score here. Notice the seemingly monumental tonal shift at bar 89 (e minor tonal centre to a flat minor).

Listen to the same piece, but in a live performance, using difference instrumentation here .



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