Steve Reich

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Steve Reich

Real Name:
Stephen Michael Reich
Profile:
Steve Reich (October 3, 1936, New-York City, USA) is a composer. He studied composition privately with Hall Overton, then moved on to Juilliard School in New-York to study with William Bergsma and Vincent Persichetti (1958 to 1961). Subsequently he attended Mills College in Oakland where he was taught by Luciano Berio and Darius Milhaud (1961-63) and earned a master's degree in composition.

Early on, Reich was influenced by fellow minimalist Terry Riley's loosely-structured aleatoric works which combines simple musical patterns, offset in time, to create a slowly-shifting, cohesive whole. Reich adopted this approach to compose his first major work written in 1965: It's Gonna Rain... Reich moved on from the "phase shifting" technique he had pioneered to more elaborate pieces. He investigated other musical processes such as augmentation (the temporal lengthening of phrases and melodic fragments).
Sites:
stevereich.com, MySpace
In Groups:
Steve Reich And Musicians
Variations:
All | Steve Reich | Reich | S Reich | S. Reich
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Discography

Releases:
Live / Electric Music (LP)   Columbia Masterworks 1968
Four Organs / Phase Patterns (Album) ◄ (4 versions)   Shandar ... 1970
Drumming (2xLP)   John Gibson + Multiples 1971
Three Dances / Four Organs (LP, Album)   Angel Records 1973
Drumming / Music For Mallet Instruments, Voices And Organ / Six Pianos (Album) ◄ (2 versions)   Deutsche Grammophon 1974
Six Pianos / Music For Mallet Instruments, Voices And Organ (LP)   Deutsche Grammophon 1974
Music For 18 Musicians (Album) ◄ (9 versions)   ECM New Series ... 1978
Octet / Music For A Large Ensemble / Violin Phase ◄ (3 versions)   ECM New Series ... 1980
Tehillim (Album) ◄ (2 versions)   ECM Records ... 1982
Variations For Winds, Strings And Keyboards / Shaker Loops (Album) ◄ (3 versions)   Philips 1984
II. (LP)   Hungaroton 1985
The Desert Music (Album) ◄ (4 versions)   Nonesuch 1985
Drumming (Album) ◄ (3 versions)   Nonesuch 1987
Early Works ◄ (3 versions)   Nonesuch 1987
Sextet / Six Marimbas (Album) ◄ (4 versions)   Nonesuch 1987
Different Trains / Electric Counterpoint (Album) ◄ (3 versions)   Nonesuch 1989
Minimalist (Album) ◄ (2 versions)   Virgin Classics 1990
Music For Mallet Instruments (CD, Album)   Hungaroton 1990
Steve Reich/Terry Riley (CD, Album)   Argo Records (2) 1990
The Four Sections / Music For Mallet Instruments, Voices And Organ (CD)   Nonesuch 1990
Another Look At Counterpoint (CD, Dig)   Amiata Records 1993
Six Pianos / Music For Mallet Instruments, Voices And Organ / Variations For Winds, Strings And Keyboards (CD, Album)   Deutsche Grammophon 1993
Electric Counterpoint (CD, EP, Ltd)   Edition al segno 1994
Tehillim / Three Movements (CD)   Nonesuch 1994
The Ultimate Minimal (CD, Comp)   WEA Japan 1995
City Life (CD)   Nonesuch 1996
Works, 1965-1995 (10xCD + Box)   Nonesuch 1997
Exclusive Selection (CD)   Warner Music (Japan) 1999
Music For 18 Musicians (CD, Album)   BMG Classics, RCA Red Seal 1999
Phase Patterns / Pendulum Music / Piano Phase / Four Organs (CD, Album)   WERGO 1999
Reich Remixed (Album) ◄ (6 versions)   Nonesuch ... 1999
New York Counterpoint / Eight Lines (Octet) / Four Organs (Album) ◄ (2 versions)   Nonesuch 2000
Triple Quartet (CD)   Nonesuch 2001
Drumming (CD)   Cyprès 2002
Variations (CD, RM)   Deutsche Grammophon 2002
African Rhythms (CD, Comp)   Teldec Classics 2003
City Life, Sextet, Vermont Counterpoint, Clapping Music (CD)   Arts Music 2003
Drumming (2xCD, Album, RE)   Deutsche Grammophon 2003
The Desert Music (Live) (CD, Dig)   Ornorm Production 2003
Three Tales (CD + DVD)   Nonesuch 2003
Music For 18 Musicians Live In Budapest (CD, Album)   Hungaroton Classic 2004
Different Trains (CD)   qb 2005
Different Trains (CD, Album)   Signum Records 2005
Drumming (CD, Album)   Cantaloupe Music 2005
You Are (Variations) (CD)   Nonesuch 2005
Phases: A Nonesuch Retrospective (5xCD)   Nonesuch 2006
Piano Phase ◄ (2 versions)   Top 40 2006
Reich Remixed 2006 (Single) ◄ (3 versions)   Nonesuch 2006
Sextet • Piano Phase • Eight Lines (CD)   CPO 2007
Daniel Variations (Album) ◄ (2 versions)   Nonesuch 2008
An American Collection (CD)   Collins Classics  
Appears On:
Music With 58 Musicians Volume One (2xLP, Comp, Promo, Gat) Music For 18 Musicians... ECM Records 1980
180-as Csoport (LP) Music For Pieces Of Wo... Hungaroton 1983
The Danish Percussion Group (LP)   Point Records 1984
The Nonesuch Sampler (LP, Comp, Promo) The Desert Music, Fift... Nonesuch 1986
Cage · Márta · Sáry · Reich · Ragtime · African Music (Album) ◄ (2 versions) Piano Phase Hungaroton ... 1987
In Good Company (Album) ◄ (2 versions) Reed Phase Point Music 1992
Utopia Americana (CD, Album, Comp) Music For 18 Musicians New Tone Records 1992
Ai Confini / Interzone (CD, Album)   New Tone 1993
Volans / Lang / Reich / Moran (CD) Four Organs Argo Records (2) 1993
Shift (Album) ◄ (2 versions)   Point Music ... 1994
Released 1985-1995 (2xCD, Album, Comp) America - Before The War Nonesuch 1995
Striking A Balance: Contemporary Percussion Music (CD, Comp) Nagoya Marimbas EMI Classics 1998
Musiques - Printemps 99 (CD, Comp) D*Note's Phased & Konf... Les Inrockuptibles 1999
Acoustek (CD, Album) Little Fluffy Clouds Angel Records 2000
Conspirare - Chamber Music For Solo Flute (CD, Album) Vermont Counterpoint Composers Recordings Inc. (CRI) 2000
Minimalist (CD, Album) Eight Lines Virgin Classics 2000
Bulgasari 2003 / 0-7# Compilation (CDr, Ltd) Come Out (0 Cut Me 0 Mix) Bulgasari 2003
New Roman Times (Album) ◄ (3 versions) Come Out Pitch-A-Tent ... 2004
Yellow Lounge - The Classical Mix Album Volume Three (CD, Promo, Dig + DVD, Promo) Drumming - Part II Universal Music (Germany) 2004
Discover Music Of The 20th Century (Comp) ◄ (2 versions) New York Counterpoint:... Naxos 2005
Music 4 Hands (CD)   Orange Mountain Music 2005
Renaissance: The Classics (3xCD, Mixed, Comp) Little Fluffy Clouds (... Sony BMG Music Entertainment 2005
Come Out (CDr, Mini) Come Out Turgid Animal 2006
Mobile (CD) Clapping Music Variations Nonesuch 2006
ReComposed By Jimi Tenor (CD, Album) Music For Mallet Instr... Deutsche Grammophon 2006
The Nonesuch Collection Vol. 1 (CD) Section VI From Music ... Nonesuch 2006
The Orb's Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld: Deluxe Edition (3xCD, RM) Little Fluffy Clouds (... Universal Island Records 2006
Warp Works & Twentieth Century Masters (Album) ◄ (2 versions) Violin Phase, Six Mari... Warp Records 2006
[1994-2005] (DVD) Ex Post Facto Petri Kuljuntausta 2006
Early American Minimalism: Walls Of Sound II (CD) Pendulum Music, Reed P... Sub Rosa 2007
Soundscapes (SACD, Album) Nagoya Guitars, Phase Northwest Classics 2007
Steve Reich: Music For 18 Musicians (SACD, Album, Multichannel, Hyb)   Innova Recordings 2007
Defected Presents Charles Webster (3xCD, Comp, Mixed) Electric Counterpoint Defected 2008
Electric Counterpoint (CD, Album, Enh) Electric Counterpoint:... Signum Records 2008
The BBC Sessions 1989-2001 (2xCD, Comp) Little Fluffy Clouds Universal Island Records 2008
A Lady Shaves Her Legs (CD) Electric Counterpoint Erasmus Muziek Producties  
M.O.O.T. (7")   Columbia  
Tracks Appear On:
New Sounds In Electronic Music (LP) Come Out Odyssey 1967
Music With 58 Musicians Volume One (2xLP, Comp, Promo, Gat) Music For 18 Musicians... ECM Records 1980
Music From Mills (3xLP, Comp) Melodica Mills College 1986
The Nonesuch Sampler (LP, Comp, Promo) The Desert Music, Fift... Nonesuch 1986
Cage · Márta · Sáry · Reich · Ragtime · African Music (Album) ◄ (2 versions) Piano Phase Hungaroton ... 1987
Acoustic Counterpoint (CD, Album) Fast, Slow, Fast New Albion 1990
Musica Sin Fronteras Vol. II (2xCD, Album, Comp) Electric Counterpoint ... Gasa 1991
Utopia Americana (CD, Album, Comp) Music For 18 Musicians New Tone Records 1992
Ai Confini / Interzone (CD, Album) Music For Pieces Of Wood New Tone 1993
Released 1985-1995 (2xCD, Album, Comp) America - Before The War Nonesuch 1995
In The Land Of Mantra (CD, Comp) Four Organs Mantra Records (France), Mantra Records (France), Mantra Records (France) 1996
Nouvelle Musique (CD, MiniAlbum, Comp) Six Pianos Argo Records (2) 1996
Les Musiques Américaines De Nonesuch (CD) Music For 18 Musicians... Nonesuch 1998
Striking A Balance: Contemporary Percussion Music (CD, Comp) Nagoya Marimbas EMI Classics 1998
Goodbye 20th Century ◄ (2 versions) Pendulum Music Sonic Youth Records 1999
Musiques - Printemps 99 (CD, Comp) D*Note's Phased & Konf... Les Inrockuptibles 1999
Conspirare - Chamber Music For Solo Flute (CD, Album) Vermont Counterpoint Composers Recordings Inc. (CRI) 2000
Excerpts From OHM: The Early Gurus Of Electronic Music (CD, Promo) Pendulum Music Ellipsis Arts 2000
Gasbook 009: Insect (CD, Enh + File, MP3 + DVD + Box) Music For Eighteen Mus... Gasbook 2000
Maximum Minimalists (CD, Album) Music For 18 Musicians... Nonesuch 2000
OHM: The Early Gurus Of Electronic Music (Comp, Album) ◄ (2 versions) Pendulum Music Ellipsis Arts 2000
Classical Chillout (2xCD, Comp) Nagoya Marimbas Circa Records Ltd., Circa Records Ltd. 2001
Ф.А.К. (File, MP3, Comp, Mixed, 320) Proverb (Nobukazu Take... El Records 2001
Abstrakt Aggregate (CD, Promo, P/Mixed) City Life Synchronic 2002
DJ Mix (CDr, Comp, Mixed, Promo) Come Out Domino Recording Company Ltd. 2003
Every Other Day Is Ok / Tear Dropping Science (CDr) Octet Anti-Party Music, Styge Recordings 2003
Big Chill Classics (Comp) ◄ (2 versions) Electric Counterpoint ... Universal Music (UK) 2004
Big Chill Limited Edition Sampler (12") Electric Counterpoint ... Big Chill Recordings 2004
From The Kitchen Archives - New Music New York 1979 (2xCD, Comp, RM) Drumming, Part One Orange Mountain Music 2004
Yellow Lounge - The Classical Mix Album Volume Three (CD, Promo, Dig + DVD, Promo) Drumming - Part II Universal Music (Germany) 2004
A Thunder Sound (CDr, Mixed, Sli) A Faster Train (Edit) Undivided Productions 2005
Deutsche Grammophon Recomposed (12") Music For Mallet Instr... Deutsche Grammophon 2005
Made With Love (File, MP3, Comp, Mixed, 192) Section VII Not On Label (Blu Mar Ten Self-released) 2005
OHM+: The Early Gurus Of Electronic Music (DVD) Three Tales: Dolly (Ex... Ellipsis Arts 2005
Raiding The 20th Century - Words & Music Expansion (CDr, Mixed) It's Gonna Rain Ninja Tune 2005
An Anthology Of Noise & Electronic Music / Fourth A-Chronology 1937-2005 (2xCD, Comp) Pendulum Music Sub Rosa 2006
Orchestral Space '68 (CD, Album) Piano Phase Victor Entertainment Japan, Tower Records (Japan) 2006
ReComposed By Jimi Tenor (CD, Album) Music For Mallet Instr... Deutsche Grammophon 2006
ReComposed By Jimi Tenor (CD, Album, Promo) Music For Mallet Instr... Deutsche Grammophon 2006
The Nonesuch Collection Vol. 1 (CD) Section VI From Music ... Nonesuch 2006
A Sampler From Cantaloupe Music (CD, Comp, Smplr) Drumming, Pt. 4 Cantaloupe Music 2007
Ascii Ghettoblaster (CDr, Mixed, Ltd) New York Counterpoint ... Deceptikon Industries 2007
Moondog : The Viking Of 6th Avenue (CD) I Came Into This World... Process (2) 2007
The Tree Whose Voice Wasn't Heard (File, MP3, 192) Electric Counterpoint ... Grafq Records 2007
Defected Presents Charles Webster (3xCD, Comp, Mixed) Electric Counterpoint Defected 2008
Sound Unbound Audio Companion: Excerpts And Allegories From The Sub Rosa Archives (CD, Album, Mixed) Reed Phase Sub Rosa 2008
Sound Unbound. Sampling Digital Music And Culture (CD, Album, Mixed) Reed Phase The MIT Press 2008
The Grandfather Paradox (Comp) ◄ (2 versions) Electric Counterpoint ... BBE 2009
A Lady Shaves Her Legs (CD) Electric Counterpoint Erasmus Muziek Producties  
The Wild Sounds Of New Music (7") Violin Phase Columbia  
The Wild Sounds Of New Music (7") Violin Phase Columbia  
Unofficial Releases:
Reich Remixed (CD, Album, Ltd)   ArsNova 2001
Creelpolation 1 (3xCDr, Comp, Unofficial) M.O.O.T. - Music Of Ou... Creel Pone 2006
D*Votion / Come Out (12", Promo, Comp) Come Out Dorado (3), Celebrate Life 2008
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Reviews & Discussion

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Review by tweeclr Apr 23, 2003
Reich is simply the best on contemporary classical music. His early works have been a really deep influence on techno, check out "Piano phase" or "Violin phase" and get rid of the fact that what you thought was "avant garde" is already 30 years old. So groovy, so emotional, so charming..enigmatic and soulful. Hard to explain in words, the Reich experience is something you must live at your own.
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Review by Koba_no_Gomi Sep 29, 2002
I am surprised no-one has commented on Steve Reich yet.
His earliest pieces "Come Out" and "It's Gonna Rain" were some of the earliest uses of tape loops in experiemntal music. They are probably the earliest releases to be comprised entirely of the spokem word cut-up and looped.

His other style of compositions -- instrumental -- is a whole other thing. Take "Six Pianos" for example. At any given time, 4 pianists are all playing very similar parts. Progressively, one part changes just a few notes here and there, then another changes. What you have is a slow metamorphosis of notes in a very solidly repeating piece. It is very hypnotic.
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Electric Counterpoint I - Steve Reich