This work's composer compared parts of it to a "cantus firmus . . . of a 12th century Organum by Perotin", and states that one instrument's role "allow[s] the musicians to keep listening" like drummers in Balinese Gamelan and West African music. While the metallophone cues changes from one section to another, the other percussion instruments maintain constant rhythms, the simplest of which opens this work. The winds and voices, without lyrics, hold notes for the duration of a breath, "gradually washing up like waves against the constant rhythm of" the percussion instruments. This piece is based on 11 chords, which are
This work's composer compared parts of it to a "cantus firmus . . . of a 12th century Organum by Perotin", and states that one instrument's role "allow[s] the musicians to keep listening" like drummers in Balinese Gamelan and West African music. While the metallophone cues changes from one section to another, the other percussion instruments maintain constant rhythms, the simplest of which opens this work. The winds and voices, without lyrics, hold notes for the duration of a breath, "gradually washing up like waves against the constant rhythm of" the percussion instruments. This piece is based on 11 chords, which are cycled through in the beginning and end, while in the middle, each chord is the basis for a small piece in its own section, or pulse. For 10 points, name this hour-long work by Steve Reich orchestrated for four female voices and twenty-six instruments, with a bunch of doubling up on instruments.
This work's composer compared parts of it to a "cantus firmus . .
Music for 18 Musicians