I've long liked Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band, but only recently learned that a line he sings in "Moonlight on Vermont" was from Reich's "Come Out," and so I tracked down the song and it was FANTASTIC! And now here you are with this! Lovely how life can work out that way some times. I played it again this afternoon and this time my son was home -- he knocked on the door with a concerned look on his face. "What _is_ this?" I had already told him that some dub thing I was listening to was a top 10 worldwide hit in 1973 (it wasn't) so I couldn't re-use that line ...
Excellent talk as always. I saw the Alarm Will Sound Ensemble play Music for 18 Musicians last year and consider it one of the most profound musical experiences of my life. Minimalism is often derided as background music, but I was absolutely overwhelmed with emotion-and I’ve heard the recorded version a hundred times before!
Profound doesn't quite cover the sheer enormity of the depth of Steve Reich's music. What appears to be simple sound elements repeated to build a pattern becomes a huge shimmeringsonic landscape. I attended a live performance of Music for 18 musicians and at the end, was exhausted, elated, amazed all at once. Exhausted because my attention was focused in an acute way across a long strecth of time. Elated because the sound enveloped me and carried me off. Amaazed that so much time had passed without me noticing. From the classical side, the bword symphonic certainly applies.
I've admired Reich's music since the Early 80s and enjoyed many live performances including the London premiere of his Opera "The Cave" created in collaboration with his videographer wife, in the presence of the composer. Also, a performance of "In C" given by members of the Britpop band, Pulp and their friends. It was Reich and his rhythmically challenging works that helped me into the cyclic works of Phillip Glass but also Lamont Young and which I believe brought John Adams into a bigger audience.
I'm really digging this whole series. I'm thinking more deeply about what is and isn't melody. I remember reading a study about the different ways non-musicians' and musicians' brans process music. For non-musicians, it's mostly in the right brain. But for musicians, chords and background are processed in the right brain, while melody is processed in the language centers. Just look at George Benson taking a solo -- he scats along with his phrasing. I love Reich, but it has this effect on me. After a while, I stop processing it as melody and start processing it as pattern. It's very trance-inducing. So there's something about shifting between focused attention (melody) and a more holistic pattern-taking-in kind of listening. Does that mean melody is in the perception, not necessarily in the notes?
All the music is about perception. That's why the same piece of music fells different from a non-musician to a musician; the level of perception changed, so the music changed. Sometimes perceiving some instrument in a track that you have never perceived before, changes everything, or knowing how the actual song is performed, the story behind, the album cover, etc. All this things changes your perception, somethings less then other, somethings more... But at the end, for you, it's other music. ❤🙏🏻
I do this all the time accidentally in my DAW. lol. There must be some nudge function that’s very similar to a key command I do often. But sometimes it sounds cool and I go either way it. 😅
Great explanation of a couple of cool techniques. I love your enthusiasm for what you do. Thanks Chris!
Beautiful, clear demonstration of these beautiful concepts. Thank you for doing these wonderful videos, you are the best!
I've long liked Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band, but only recently learned that a line he sings in "Moonlight on Vermont" was from Reich's "Come Out," and so I tracked down the song and it was FANTASTIC! And now here you are with this! Lovely how life can work out that way some times.
I played it again this afternoon and this time my son was home -- he knocked on the door with a concerned look on his face. "What _is_ this?" I had already told him that some dub thing I was listening to was a top 10 worldwide hit in 1973 (it wasn't) so I couldn't re-use that line ...
Excellent talk as always. I saw the Alarm Will Sound Ensemble play Music for 18 Musicians last year and consider it one of the most profound musical experiences of my life. Minimalism is often derided as background music, but I was absolutely overwhelmed with emotion-and I’ve heard the recorded version a hundred times before!
I just listened to Music for 18 Musicians for the first time after watching this video. I had no idea what was happening but I loved it
i would pay a lot to be able to listen to it for the first time.
This is great, super inspiring Chris! Your fascination with and admiration for Steve Reich is infectious! Thank you for showing how it’s done! :)
Profound doesn't quite cover the sheer enormity of the depth of Steve Reich's music. What appears to be simple sound elements repeated to build a pattern becomes a huge shimmeringsonic landscape. I attended a live performance of Music for 18 musicians and at the end, was exhausted, elated, amazed all at once. Exhausted because my attention was focused in an acute way across a long strecth of time. Elated because the sound enveloped me and carried me off. Amaazed that so much time had passed without me noticing. From the classical side, the bword symphonic certainly applies.
Perfect lesson, something clicked as you talked us through it. I applied it instantly to what I’m working on. Thank you Chris.
I've admired Reich's music since the Early 80s and enjoyed many live performances including the London premiere of his Opera "The Cave" created in collaboration with his videographer wife, in the presence of the composer. Also, a performance of "In C" given by members of the Britpop band, Pulp and their friends. It was Reich and his rhythmically challenging works that helped me into the cyclic works of Phillip Glass but also Lamont Young and which I believe brought John Adams into a bigger audience.
I'm really digging this whole series. I'm thinking more deeply about what is and isn't melody. I remember reading a study about the different ways non-musicians' and musicians' brans process music. For non-musicians, it's mostly in the right brain. But for musicians, chords and background are processed in the right brain, while melody is processed in the language centers. Just look at George Benson taking a solo -- he scats along with his phrasing.
I love Reich, but it has this effect on me. After a while, I stop processing it as melody and start processing it as pattern. It's very trance-inducing.
So there's something about shifting between focused attention (melody) and a more holistic pattern-taking-in kind of listening. Does that mean melody is in the perception, not necessarily in the notes?
All the music is about perception. That's why the same piece of music fells different from a non-musician to a musician; the level of perception changed, so the music changed.
Sometimes perceiving some instrument in a track that you have never perceived before, changes everything, or knowing how the actual song is performed, the story behind, the album cover, etc. All this things changes your perception, somethings less then other, somethings more...
But at the end, for you, it's other music.
❤🙏🏻
Incridible. I loved the video, congratulations for your work ❤🙏🏻
Thanks
thank you!
By phasing or play the same phrase there emerges other music . Thx Chris.
I do this all the time accidentally in my DAW. lol. There must be some nudge function that’s very similar to a key command I do often. But sometimes it sounds cool and I go either way it. 😅