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GCSE Music AOS2 – Music in the 20th Century Minimalist Music Steve Reich Electric Counterpoint (movement III)

Lesson objectives How can minimalist music be structured? Understand tonal ambiguity and bi-metric Explore a staff notated score

Background information Steve Reich was born in 1936 in New York and grew up in New York and California. He originally studied philosophy at university and later went on to study composition at the Juilliard School of Music and Mills College. He performed in Terry Riley’s ensemble and, like Riley, became fascinated with tape loops.

Background information Reich’s music is often rhythmically complex with much repetition creating lots of demand on performers to be exact with their timings or counting endless repeats without cues. Reich created an ensemble of players to play his compositions with the difficult rhythmic content. In 1970, Reich took time out to study African drumming in Ghanna and consequently he created works such as Clapping Music (1972) based on those rhythms learnt.

Structure The 3 main sections are divided into A B and Coda. Where are these sections? Quote bar numbers

Tonality and Time signature There are 2 keys in the piece, E minor and C minor. It is ambiguous as there are no raised 7ths (i.e. D# when in E minor) until the bass guitars come in especially at the beginning. Time signature is either in 3/2 or 12/8 and sometimes a mixture of the 2.

Structure The 3 main sections are divided into A B and Coda. Has 3 main sections and within that 9 sub-sections. Section Subsection Bar numbers A 1 1 - 23 2 24 – 35 3 36 – 66 4 67 - 73 B 5 74 – 81 6 82 – 89 7 90 – 97 8 98 – 113 CODA 9 114 - 120

Keywords MODAL – Refers to modes which were used before scales. RESULTANT MELODY – A new melody produced when a variety of parts play their melody at the same time TONAL AMBIGUITY – When the key of a piece is uncertain. COUNTERPOINT - is the relationship between two or more voices/instruments that are independent in contour and rhythm as well as being harmonically interdependent

Rhythm and metre The rhythmic development is as important as the melodic and when it changes into a 12/8 section, upon listening it sometimes feels like the piece is still in 3/2 but with interesting cross rhythms.

Sub sections - 1 Live guitar gradually builds up the one bar ostinato. (How many bars?) It is important to note when the other guitars come in and what beat they start the ostinato. Guitar 2 – Guitar 3 – Guitar 4 – This is called a 4 part guitar canon by Reich. Live guitar plays resultant melody. (bar no.?)

Sub sections - 2 What is introduced? How long is its ostinato and at which bar number is it fully played? Music tech effect used at this section? What is the live guitar doing?

Sub sections - 3 Introduction of strummed chords. Note the chord sequence for: Guitar 5 – Guitar 6 – Guitar 7 – What is the key element used in this section and what is its focus on? What is the live guitar doing?

Sub sections - 4 Strummed guitars continue. What has the live guitar reverted back to doing? (Bar no.)

Sub sections - 5 Start of section B. What most noticable thing has happened? Texture same as which section?

Sub sections - 6 Focus on bass guitars. What’s happened to the tonality? Time signature? What is happening at bar 86?

Sub sections - 7 Key signature? What is happening to the metre?

Sub sections - 8 How is tension built in the piece? (look at the frequency of events happening). What is happening to guitars 5-7?

Sub sections - 9 CODA section. Name the texture we have come back to. What stops at bar 129? What is the last chord played and who by?