minimalism...

stonetoflesh · Jan 9, 2005

Is anyone else here into the Minimalist composers? Lamonte Young, Steve Reich, Terry Riley, Philip Glass, Pauline Oliveros, et al...

I can't decide who my favorite is-- either Reich or Riley.

sent one · Jan 10, 2005

Well, I do know I love Henryk Gorecki's Symphony No 3. Particularly the first movement! It is one of my all time favorite pieces of music and comes from his minimalistic period!!

I will need to check out some of the composer you listed, I am not so familiar with their works.

Many blessings

s o

stonetoflesh · Jan 10, 2005

Being the most popular of the minimalists, Phillip Glass' albums should be the most readily available. Dig a little deeper though and you won't regret it...
I would start with Reich's Six Pianos, Music For 18 Musicians, or maybe Electric Counterpoint. Terry Riley's most famous pieces are In C and A Rainbow in Curved Air, although he's got a lot of other great material.

sent one · Jan 10, 2005

Ok thanks for the recommendations! I will FOR SURE check them out!
I will let ya know.

s o

Multi-Elis · Jan 10, 2005

While I really enjoy the sound and the tempo of Philip Glass, I generally can't take much more than a few minutes of it.

I am, however, interested in non-american minimalists like Arve Part and some of the other guys like him whose minimalist music is often so much more stretched over time that while the minimalism is still there, it doesn't feel as repetitive.

In my church choir we are preparing to sing an Anthem written by a minimalist composer, I can't remember his name. At any rate, I am glad that my choir master is open to singing contemporary music, I think that that is exactly how it should be in a choir - singing a l8ittle bit of everything.

In this new piece that we are doing, my goodness, my line is so minimalistic and repetitive. But it really sounds good with all the harmonies, and there is never the less slight variation that makes it interesting. It is "the Lord's prayer" and is to be sung at the limit of audibility. So I hope we succeed in singing it as it should be (singing softly is harder than you think) and I'm looking forward to the experience.

stonetoflesh · Jan 10, 2005

Arvo Part is pretty cool... I haven't really heard any other non-American minimalists though, any recommendations?

I always thought Phillip Glass was horrendously overrated among the American minimalists.

Your new piece sounds pretty cool!

BWV 1080 · Jan 10, 2005

Have you heard Gavin Bryars? His most famous work is perhaps "Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet", which is based on a looped recording of a homeless guy he found singing the song on a London street. The story and an audio excerpt is availalble at:

http://www.gavinbryars.com/Pages/jesus_blood_never_failed_m.html

Multi-Elis · Jan 13, 2005

The name of the composer we are singing is John Taverner. Yesterday at choir practice we heard a recorded version of what we were sining, because "when you are in the middle of it, you don't always understand what is going on" and it was really beautiful.
I can't recomend much yet, I'm new to it all still. I was introduced to it mostly in my music class at university.
One of the extarcts we heard in my music class was Raich's City life. I think I'm going to check it out of the library if I can.

ASU Belle · Jan 13, 2005

I do like minimalism, but just enough of it! Riley, Glass, Reich, and my favorite is John Adams. He has a work entitled Phrygian Gates which I enjoy listening to. It's relaxing with not too much to concentrate on! God Bless!

ActiveFaith · Jan 20, 2005

Excuse me. I'm trying to get 50 posts!

ActiveFaith · Jan 20, 2005

Excuse me. I'm trying to get 50 posts!

ActiveFaith · Jan 20, 2005

Excuse me. I'm trying to get 50 posts!

25

ActiveFaith · Jan 20, 2005

Excuse me. I'm trying to get 50 posts!

26

ActiveFaith · Jan 20, 2005