How Steve Reich Brings Repetitive Music Alive

* In this episode of 'Listening in', I analyse Steve Reich's masterpiece - 'Music for 18 Musicians'. I look at the harmonic language that the piece uses, the construction of the work as a whole as well as the some of the melodic lines that make up the piece. But ultimately, I consider how, despite the precise nature of its construction, 'Music for 18 Musicians' is a music of humanity.

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FURTHER WATCHING

FURTHER READING/RESEARCH

MUSIC
Recordings of 'Music for 18 Musicians':

#stevereich #musicfor18musicians

[SaenSaen]

If anyone watching this or reading these comments hasn't listened to this piece in it's entirety, do yourself one the greatest musical favors you can for yourself and go listen to it. Find a comfortable place to rest your body, turn down the lights, and just get lost in the piece. It's pure genius.


Thanks for your hard work Listening In. This channel is amazing.

[davidschwartz]

I studied the piece closely (wrote a thesis on a part of it) and have to say: This is a really really well done overwiev on this work. Great job!!

[seleniticdawn]

Looking forward to seeing your channel grow. Your content is so well thought out, insightful and well presented.

[HectorRodriguez-music]

This masterpiece changed my perspective of music drastically. I’ve been hearing this piece since 2016 and it never loses its magic. I literally can’t stop hearing it, it’s a drug! 😅 Very well analysis!!! 👏👏👏

[gabrielagoni]

Thank you for this video!! Music for 18 Musicians is one of my favorite pieces. I remember the first time listened to it I was on a plane at night (I've never flight before that time so I've never had the chance to watch a city from above), and I contemplate how the little lights moved and went on and off, and I felt this organism conformed by infinite small parts working in coordination, resembled the music perfectly. It was one of the most beautiful experiences ever.

[OrisStories]

I want to claim the spot of your biggest fan before your channel blows up... I love your work, keep it up, you're making this music student incredibly happy! :)

[MattLeGroulx]

Thanks to David Bruce for pointing me here, keep the videos coming!

[ukdavepianoman]

A really superb summary of this work. As you say the construction is highly mathematical but the work radiates emotion, depth. I find it to be like a journey where you return to where you started...or a birth to death and rebirth....or....

[antoniopola]

A composer who completely changed my way of listening to and conceive music

[twtobin]

I am not classically schooled in music, but I find this video simply and perfectly describes Reich's genius in terms anyone can understand and appreciate. Music For 18 Musicians has always been one of my favourite pieces of music. Now I know even more deeply why that is. Thanks.

[nathancarter]

I wish I could love react this video, because this was honestly so fantastic! I'm a big fan of Steve Reich (and this piece in particular), so it was really fascinating to see the whole piece broken down and analysed.
Keep up the good work :)

[Goran_D]

This video is beautifully explained and narrated. I agree wholeheartedly and have listened to this piece almost daily for the last 20 years. Thank you for making it.

[grrggrrg]

Holy crap what a great video. Love Reich.

[pattyluss]

Wow, great vid, came here on David Bruce's recommendation. Music for 18 Musicians has been a profoundly inspirational piece for me, didn't realize most of how it was written before this though, thank you!

[Cystlib]

Once I saw Steve Reich perform this at a festival, which was really nice. I went on to see Franz Ferdinand and Noisia later that day. That was quite a shift lol

[pedrohorta]

Section V is the litmus test for how I judge every recording of Mf18M over the years... The original ECM version still swings the hardest. So many subsequent versions just aren't as "locked in". They're often rushed or the mix is lopsided. Great video👍

[ruichenliu]

Only 8k views after one and a half year? This doesn't match the quality of this video at all!! I will definitely share your channel with my friends!
Music for 18 Musicians is one of my favorite piece, I love how the piece grow from simple ideas, and the logic that brings them a one-hourish piece. It is truly the combination of humanity and logic. And... it has been the background music for me to study calculus (it really does help my math

[Michail_Chatziasemidis]

This synoptic analysis changed the way I viewed Minimalistic music. Thank you!

[bookstuart]

Hi Barnaby. I’m working on composing music for one of my videos and gamelan first came to mind and then Steve Reich’s music. On searching for his music I found your channel and this well analysed video of the 18 musicians. I will now do some homework and programming and see what I can create. Stay safe regards Brian.

[johncrwarner]

I am someone who discovered "modern classical music"
through hearing Pierrot Luniare by Schönberg and
I can "sing" some of the songs too!

I also enjoy Berio, Harrison Birtwhistle and
our local university when I was growing up
had a Contemporary Music Festival every year
so I heard a lot of music.

I also love, it was a later love, minimalism,
playing over and over again a recording of "It's Gonna Rain"
by Reich, plus the operas of Glass and John Adams.

Reich is interested in rhythm and Schönberg was interested in Harmony
Both interesting but different.