Steve Reich
Music For 18 Musicians
Play Music For 18 Musicians
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MOG Editorial Review
A daring move for a composer set on simplicity, Music for 18 Musicians represented Steve Reich's first attempt at writing for a large ensemble. True to form, the minimalist composer didn't let the dearth of instruments upend his underlying ethos. Released in 1974, the piece applies the idea of simple pulse manipulation, while instilling each of the 18 instruments with a unique sonic presence. More a transition from phase music to pulse-centered composition than an attempt at bombast, the piece centers around a cycle of eleven chords that bend and warp on each other. Almost electronic in their ambiance, the pulses take an otherworldly quality as they lull the body and mind with bright, transcendent tones.
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AMG Review of Steve Reich: Music for 18 Musicians
Ted Mills
All Music GuideAfter Reich's initial experiments with phase music, he moved on to exploring pulse -- music that had no relation to melody, but would repeat phrases of either one or several notes, increasing then decreasing in volume as long as the musician had the stamina. When repeated with several musicians playing around one key and starting them off at different times, the result was a piece that continuously evolved, sounding like a night drive through a neon city with bright sounds appearing on the horizon, coming closer, then disappearing behind. The original recording in 1978 on ECM records was a major step forward for Reich and legitimized his music beyond the experimentation of such works as "Violin Phase." Where the phase work felt insular and looped, Music for 18 Musicians stretches as far as the eye can see. The piece was rerecorded in the late '90s, but this original recording is worth checking out, even more now for the historical value.
 "Music For 18 Musicians")
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- Release Date 2005
- Label Nonesuch
- Genre Classical/Opera
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