This work of an hour’s duration dating from 1976 signified Reich’s definitive breakthrough. More seething harmonies arise during its first minutes than in Reich’s entire oeuvre up until that point.

Reich moved on from his extreme minimal experiments and rigid phase shifting technique to create an effervescent, energetic composition in which each instrument seems to claim a leading role. From the female vocal parts to the growling clarinets and the rousing percussion, all the elements flow into each other in an extremely transparent manner. A hallucinatory interweaving of rhythmic pulses and invigorating melody lines totally captivates the listener.

Artists

Steve Reich
Music for 18 Musicians

Asko|Schönberg
Slagwerk Den Haag
Wishful Singing