Steve Reich
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, and the use of simple, audible processes to explore musical concepts. These compositions, marked by their use of repetitive figures, slow harmonic rhythm and canons, have significantly influenced contemporary music, especially in America.
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, and the use of simple, audible processes to explore musical concepts. These compositions, marked by their use of repetitive figures, slow harmonic rhythm and canons, have significantly influenced contemporary music, especially in America.
Four Organs / Phase Patterns (LP)
1974 re-press of the 1970 LP on Shandar with two seminal compositions for 4 organs (one plus maracas) from the same year, performed by Philip Glass and Jon Gibson among others, along with the composer. Essential minimalism.
Drumming / Music For Mallet Instruments Voices And Organ / Six Pianos (3LP box)
Mid/late 1970's re-press of essential 3LP box set on DGG with three seminal phasing minimalist compositions from the early 1970's of evocative beauty, with Cornelius Cardew, Joan La Barbara, Jay Clayton, Glen Velez and the composer himself among the performers. With booklet
Music For 18 Musicians (LP)
Rare original 1978 edition on ECM of one of the most beautiful and evocative Minimalist pieces ever, composed in 1976. Essential Minimalism.
Music For 18 Musicians (LP)
Rare mid-1980's re-issue on ECM New Series of one of the most beautiful and evocative Minimalist pieces ever, composed in 1976. Essential Minimalism.
Octet / Music For A Large Ensemble / Violin Phase (LP)
Mid-1980's re-issue on ECM New Series of the 1980 LP with two late 1970's beautiful classic Minimalist compositions for large and small ensamble, plus one for solo violin from 1967. Essential Minimalism.
Tehillim (LP)
Mid-1980's re-issue on ECM New Series of the 1982 LP with the 1981 composition developing from Minimalist origins into a new personal style. With insert.
The Desert Music (LP)
Original German edition of the 1985 LP on Nonesuch of the 1983 pulsing cantata for voices and orchestra.
Sextet / Six Marimbas (LP)
Original German edition of the 1987 LP on Nonesuch with two excellent phasing compositions for percussion (plus piano and synthesizer on one) from the mid 1980's.
Drumming (LP)
Original European edition of the 1987 LP on Elektra Nonesuch with a new recording of the classic Minimalist composition from 1971 inspired by Ghana's drumming and Indonesia's gamelan.
Different Trains / Electric Counterpoint (LP)
Rare original US edition of the 1989 LP on Elektra Nonesuch with the collaborations with the Kronos Quartet and guitarist Pat Metheny for two compositions for instruments and tape. With insert.
Den Danske Slagtøjsgruppe (LP)
Cage's 1941 piece for unusual percussion plus three other minimalist works for percussion from the 1970's and 80's, performed by The Danish Percussion Group and released by Point in 1985.
Eight Lectures on Experimental Music (Book)
In this brilliant collection, path-breaking figures of American experimental music discuss the meaning of their work at the turn of the twenty-first century. Presented between 1989 and 2002 at Wesleyan University, these captivating lectures provide rare insights by composers whose work has shaped our understanding of what it means to be experimental: Maryanne Amacher, Robert Ashley, Philip Glass, Meredith Monk, Steve Reich, James Tenney, Christian Wolff, and La Monte Young. Collected here for th…
180 (LP)
Great 1983 LP by Szemző's ensemble with highly-acclaimed (especially by Steve Reich) performances of two American classic minimalist compositions as well as two by Hungarian minimalists, released by Hungaroton.
Group 180 II (LP)
Excellent second LP by Szemző's ensemble with highly-acclaimed (especially by Steve Reich) performances of one American classic minimalist composition as well as two by Hungarian minimalists, released by Hungaroton in 1986.
Reich/Richter
On Reich/Richter, Steve Reich joins Ensemble Intercontemporain and conductor George Jackson for a single 37‑minute arc of pulsed colour, a chamber‑orchestral score conceived in dialogue with Gerhard Richter’s moving stripes, where pattern, blur, and return become musical form.
Runner - Music For Ensemble And Orchestra
On Runner / Music for Ensemble and Orchestra, Steve Reich joins the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and Susanna Mälkki for two late-period works that stretch his pulsed minimalism onto a large orchestral canvas, maintaining propulsive clarity while opening into shimmering, almost symphonic depth.
Xenakis-Reich (Live)
Trio Xenakis – comprising percussionists Adélaïde Ferrière, Emmanuel Jacquet, and Rodolphe Théry – presents Xenakis-Reich (Live) on B Records, a rigorous examination of two foundational approaches to contemporary percussion composition. This vinyl edition documents live performances that illuminate both the technical demands and philosophical substrates of works by Iannis Xenakis (1922-2001) and Steve Reich (b. 1936). The program opens with Xenakis's Okho (12:47), a seminal work for three djembe…
Utopia Americana
1992 release ** "A wonderful view of what is "American" in contemporary American music from an Italian producer's perspective, with a nice cover photo of Joey's Navajo Cafe and Dining Room framed by several pickup trucks parked outside. Including rhythmic-based music and sound-text rhythms from ordinary speech (Allen Ginsberg's works), some dreamy electronic music by Pauline Oliveros, and solo jazz by Steve Lacy, this is an interesting collection of new recordings and reissues of tracks from out…
Cabaza Percussion Quartet
1990 release ** 20th Century percussion music by Hans-Günter Brodmann, Bertold Hummel, Maurice Ohana, Werner Heider, Steve Reich.
Chroma
1991 release ** This disc features a colourful array of contemporary works by international and Canadian composers. From the reflective and lyrical Little Venice to the dazzling, virtuosic percussion piece She Who Sleeps with a Small Blanket, Toronto’s premier contemporary chamber ensemble, Arraymusic, provides the listener with a five course meal for the ears. Linda C. Smith Little Venice, Steve Reich New York Counterpoint, José Evangelista Merapi, Rodney Sharman Dark Glasses, Kevin Volans She …