1.
Create a modal pattern using quavers
in 12/8.
2.
Build up texture and harmony using
canonic "phase shifting".
3.
Use substitution: rests for beats and
vice versa.
4.
Try and experiment with dynamics to
accentuate rhythmic interplay.
5.
Homophonic instrumental texture.
6.
Produce a 'B' section using another
mode.
7.
No bass line or downbeat.
8.
Try and keep it under 5 minutes long.
Research
Steve Reich (3rd October 1936 - present), an American composer, pioneered the Minimalist music movement along with Terry Riley, Phillip Glass and La Monte Young. He was recently described as one of
a handful of living composers who can legitimately claim to have altered the direction of musical history (Radio 3 2010)
and also
may...be considered, by general acclamation, America's greatest living composer (Gann 1999)
Reich was of Jewish heritage and used memories of train journeys between New York and Los Angeles during WWII as influences for his composition Different Trains. It was whilst mulling over the memory years later that he realised that had he been in Europe instead of the USA, he might have been travelling in Holocaust trains. This composition was a novel experiment as it used recorded speech as a source or melodies instead of the tape loop phase shifting he usually used. He won a Grammy Award for this composition as well as Music for 18 Musicians.
In order to create his compositions, Reich used a variety of methods including the innovative phasing patterns using tape loops. Piano Phase was written in 1967 and was the first attempt of applying the phasing technique. The piece has two identical lines of music playing simultaneously to begin with. These two lines slowly become out of phase when one of them speeds up slightly. Reich initially had applied this technique to only recorded sounds but, after experimenting in the studio, found that humans could replicate the technique.
The piece typically lasts fifteen to twenty minutes. Reich adapted the piece later to be played by two marimbas one octave lower than the piano original. One memorable recital of the Piano Phase was by a student Rob Kovacs where he gave the first solo performance of the piece by playing both piano parts at the same time on two different pianos. This recital was in 2004 and Reich was in the audience for this performance.
The Composition
The composition was created by first creating a sequence. This was completed in Cubase using the MIDI sequencer. The MIDI was then exported and re-imported into Logic Pro where the synth Massive was used to generate the sounds. This was then exported as a wav file and re-imported into Cubase. Sony Soundforge was used in order to change the timing of one of the lines. This was then re-imported into Cubase. The whole piece was then mixed and exported as a wav. The screen shot below shows the way the piece was arranged.
A third line to the composition was experimented with. All three lines of music are the same and have the same instrument. The piece can be listened to below.
Critical Analysis
The composition utilises the ideas Reich developed and sticks closely to the brief. Unfortunately this causes the composition to be almost a re-hash of exactly what Reich did. Perhaps with different instrumentation or a different line of music the piece would work a little better. Despite this, the technique worked effectively in terms of the brief. The experimentation of introducing the third line of music was successful as each of the three lines are played at different speeds and this introduces even more movement and interesting patterns within the music.
References
Radio 3 Programmes – Composer of the Week, Steve Reich (b. 1936), Episode 1. BBC. October 25, 2010. from http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vct73 [22.04.14]
Gann, Kyle (July 13, 1999). "Grand Old Youngster" The Village Voice. From http://www.villagevoice.com/1999-07-13/music/grand-old-youngster/ [22.04.14]
No comments:
Post a Comment