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Steve Reich – Early Works
Genre: | Electronic, Classical |
---|---|
Style: | Modern Classical, Experimental, Post-Modern, Minimal, Contemporary |
Year: |
Tracklist
Come Out | 12:54 | ||
Piano Phase | 20:26 | ||
Clapping Music | 4:39 | ||
It’s Gonna Rain | 17:31 |
Credits (13)
- Carin GoldbergArt Direction, Design
- Paul GoodmanEngineer
- Robert HurwitzExecutive-Producer
- Steve ReichLiner Notes
- Robert C. Ludwig*Mastered By [Mastering]
- Judith ShermanMixed By, Edited By
Notes
Germany/Europe CD releases:
Steve Reich - Early Works 1987 issue, Price Code WE 851, pressed by Record Service Alsdorf matrix ‘979169-2.2 RSA’
Steve Reich - Early Works 1987 issue, Price Code WE 851, pressed by Record Service GmbH matrix ‘979 169-2 SRC-01’
Steve Reich - Early Works Code France WE 810, made by Record Service Alsdorf (per disc face) but post-1991 release so probably actually made by WMME Alsdorf) matrix '979169-2.2 RSA’
Steve Reich - Early Works Code France WE 810, made by Record Service Alsdorf (per disc face) but post-1991 release so probably actually made by WMME Alsdorf) matrix ‘755979169-2.3 10/98’
[Invalid Release] duplicate of Steve Reich - Early Works?
Steve Reich - Early Works 1987 issue, Price Code WE 851, pressed by Record Service Alsdorf matrix ‘979169-2.2 RSA’
Steve Reich - Early Works 1987 issue, Price Code WE 851, pressed by Record Service GmbH matrix ‘979 169-2 SRC-01’
Steve Reich - Early Works Code France WE 810, made by Record Service Alsdorf (per disc face) but post-1991 release so probably actually made by WMME Alsdorf) matrix '979169-2.2 RSA’
Steve Reich - Early Works Code France WE 810, made by Record Service Alsdorf (per disc face) but post-1991 release so probably actually made by WMME Alsdorf) matrix ‘755979169-2.3 10/98’
[Invalid Release] duplicate of Steve Reich - Early Works?
Versions
Filter by
14 versions
, | – | ||||||||
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![]() | Early Works LP, Compilation | Elektra Nonesuch – 9 79169-1 | US | 1987 | US — 1987 | ||||
![]() | Early Works CD, Compilation | Elektra Nonesuch – 9 79169-2 | US | 1987 | US — 1987 | ||||
![]() | Early Works LP, Stereo | Nonesuch – 979 169-1 | Europe | 1987 | Europe — 1987 | Recently Edited | |||
![]() | Early Works CD, Compilation | Elektra Nonesuch – 979 169-2 | Europe | 1987 | Europe — 1987 | Recently Edited | |||
![]() | Early Works Cassette, Compilation | Elektra Nonesuch – 9 79169-4 | US | 1987 | US — 1987 | New Submission | |||
![]() | Early Works LP, Promo | Elektra Nonesuch – 9 79169-1 | US | 1987 | US — 1987 | New Submission | |||
![]() | Early Works CD, Compilation | Nonesuch – 979 169-2 | Germany | 1987 | Germany — 1987 | New Submission | |||
![]() | Early Works CD, Compilation Longbox | Elektra Nonesuch – 9 79169-2 | US | 1987 | US — 1987 | New Submission | |||
![]() | Early Works CD, Compilation, Reissue | Elektra Nonesuch – WPCC-4087 | Japan | 1987 | Japan — 1987 | New Submission | |||
![]() | Early Works Cassette | Elektra Nonesuch – 979 169-4 | Germany | 1987 | Germany — 1987 | New Submission | |||
![]() | Early Works CD, Compilation, Reissue | Elektra Nonesuch – WPCS 5052 | Japan | 1996 | Japan — 1996 | New Submission | |||
![]() | Early Works CD, Compilation, Reissue | Elektra Nonesuch – 9 79169-2 | US | US | |||||
![]() | Early Works CD, Compilation | Nonesuch – 979 169-2 | Europe | Europe | |||||
![]() | Early Works CD, Compilation, Repress | Elektra Nonesuch – 979 169-2 | Europe | Europe | New Submission |
Recommendations
Reviews
Edited 6 years ago
referencing Early Works (LP, Compilation) 9 79169-1
This is it - the greatest of the early minimal works of Steve Reich. Conceptual experiments with out-of-phase tape recorders on the enigmatic It's Gonna Rain and Come Out (the influence of this track even permeates into the work of Capt Beefheart).
If it's minimal you want - how more mimimal can you get than Clapping Music? Just human hands clapping, gradually phasing in and out of time. Sheer genius. This is the record you could find cheap in HMV sales back in the 1980s... I think mine cost me £2.99.
In my opinion the first 15 years (up to Octet) contain the best and most challenging pieces that Reich composed.
Maybe he was chasing sales or acclaim but, for me, the later, more elaborately orchestrated works become less interesting, with more concessions to accessibility and 'the market'.
I was lucky to see Steve Reich and Musicians at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London in 1981 where they performed Clapping, Drumming and Octet, a great night that has stuck in my memory.
If it's minimal you want - how more mimimal can you get than Clapping Music? Just human hands clapping, gradually phasing in and out of time. Sheer genius. This is the record you could find cheap in HMV sales back in the 1980s... I think mine cost me £2.99.
In my opinion the first 15 years (up to Octet) contain the best and most challenging pieces that Reich composed.
Maybe he was chasing sales or acclaim but, for me, the later, more elaborately orchestrated works become less interesting, with more concessions to accessibility and 'the market'.
I was lucky to see Steve Reich and Musicians at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London in 1981 where they performed Clapping, Drumming and Octet, a great night that has stuck in my memory.

referencing Early Works (CD, Compilation) 979 169-2
Absolutely essential if you are interested in minimalism. The recording of "Clapping Music" is a bit dry for my liking (no resonance to it), but the two tape pieces are masterful & the piano piece very beautiful.