Not everyone likes the music of Steve Reich. Some really don't like it. Frankly it is a mystery to me why they don't. But it is also a mystery to me why I do. I'm not talking about the later music where he moves away from the repetitive pulse of earlier pieces, but those challenging early pieces themselves. I don't think it's hard to enjoy The Desert Music or Tehillim or a lot of recent pieces. But can you enjoy something like Six Pianos?
I first heard that in a music theory class in 1976. About half of the people in the class were pianists and it was fascinating watching the reaction of a few of them. First it was: "oh god, what is this?" Then it was "oh god, is it ever going to change?" Meanwhile others were enjoying the ever-changing patterns. This kind of music sounds as if it would be dead simple to copy--heck AI could do it even better. I don't know about that, but I do know that as soon as you try to copy it, you realize how very difficult that is.
I really couldn't say why I enjoy this music. But I do.
What's not to enjoy? Repetitive and hypnotic patterns with slow and gradual shifts are the basis for everything Americans like dancing to in clubs, and are qualities found in dance and religious music around the world.
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ReplyDeleteEthan, we often disagree, but on this I am totally with you. The subtle and gradual shifts in hypnotic patterns are deeply expressive and satisfying.