Name: Four Organs / Phase Patterns / Pendulum Music
Brand: Steve Reich and Ensemble Avantgarde

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

KR026

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Colour

black

Colour details

Discogs ID

Discs

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2022-08-26

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Kudos

Tax rate GB

UPC / Barcode

4024572766436

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1 / Extended format: No / LP / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No / black

Artist

Steve Reich and Ensemble Avantgarde

Genre GB

Modern Composition

Label GB

Karl Records

Three early compositions (1968-1970) by Steve Reich, one of the most prolific exponents of minimal music, in stunning interpretations by the critically acclaimed Ensemble Avantgarde.

Steve Reich (born 1936) is undoubtedly one of the key figures in 20th century contemporary music and, along with Terry Riley and Philip Glass, one of the founding fathers of so-called minimal music. With classics like Music For 18 Musicians, Drumming or Different Trains the American composer proved himself one of "a handful of living composers who can legitimately claim to have altered the direction of musical history" (The Guardian).

The four pieces on this collection date back to the time before his famous masterpieces (1967-1970): Four Organs and Phase Patterns build on short, repeated patterns that gradually go in and out of phase with each other, creating "a shimmering matrix of sound that is both hypnotic and fascinating in detail" (Allmusic.com) and anticipate Reich's later trademark sound. "Pendulum Music" is a process piece where only a few starting parameters are given: four microphones are suspended within an array of amplifiers and speakers, then set in motion - the shifts in feedback as they move in space create the music, the results differ with each new performance (as can be experienced listening to the 2 versions here).

Reich's early works are presented on this LP in stunning interpretations by Leipzig based Ensemble Avantgarde whose dedicated, inspired renditions of essential masterpieces of modernism (documented on CDs on reputated labels such as Wergo or Hat Hut Records) won them the Ernst von Siemens Foundation Prize and the Schneider-Schott Prize of Mainz.

Four Organs / Phase Patterns / Pendulum Music

Music GB