Chapter 39 Minimalism

Minimalism is a style in art as well as music Strips subject matter to minimal amounts of material, or basic fundamentals of shape, color, and sound Use of repetition and subtle variation Minimal music: short bits of melody or sounds repeated over and over with slight variations Steady beat, not necessarily with constant metric pattern Drones sometimes used Systematic music: another term for minimalistic music ideas at beginning of work set up a system for rest of work Composers cite influence of : Indian ragas (drones and variations) African tribal drumming (repetition of rhythm patterns)

Philip Glass New style fit well in avant-garde theater works by Samuel Becket, Bertold Brecht, and others Born in Baltimore, 1937 Father owned record store 1976, produced opera Einstein on the Beach Glass became acquainted with modern music and jazz 1982, Netherlands Opera Company commissioned portrait of Ghandi, Satyagraha Played violin and flute 1984, commissioned by Stuttgart Opera Company to compose portrait of Egyptian pharaoh, Akhnaten At University of Chicago, studied Schoenberg’s twelve-tone composition techniques Glass’s music has had influence on many art rock groups; King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Talking Heads Degrees in mathematics and philosophy Composed 21 film scores Studied composition at Julliard Soundtracks for Kundun (1997) and The Hours (2002) nominated for Academy Awards and won Golden Globe awards 1960, studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris Hired to notate music by Ravi Shankar, sitarist Won Golden Globe for The Truman Show (1999) Composed score for Academy Award-winning documentary “The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara” Also studied music from North Africa

Featured Listening: Company, second movement, by Philip Glass Composed 1983 String Orchestra 160 Beats per minute Two sections alternate (AB) Homophonic texture Meter changes between duple and triple; additive meter Originally composed for a theater piece Listen to the A and B sections at the end of this selection: Listening excerpt from CD 2, tracks 43-44, pp. 372-373

Steve Reich Born in New York City in 1936 1988, composed Different Trains for Kronos Quartet Studied philosophy at Cornell University Attended Julliard to pursue career as composer 1990, won Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Composition for Different Trains 1963, completed masters degree at Mills College in northern California Darius Milhaud and Luciano Berio- faculty at Mills College 1993, The Cave composed in collaboration with Beryl Korot Interested in music from Indonesia and Africa Musique concrete: sounds that have been recorded and manipulated 1970, grant from Institute for International Education allowed him to study drumming at the University of Ghana 1995, used musique concrete in City Life, using sounds recorded around New York City 1971, composed Drumming Attended American Society for Eastern Arts in Berkeley, California; studied Balinese gamelan music Fire and police sirens recorded on February 25, 1993 during commotion after car bomb exploded under the World Trade Center 1976, composed Music for Eighteen Musicians

Listening Guide: Electric Counterpoint, third movement by Steve Reich Composed in 1987 Guitar ensemble Fast tempo Continuous repeated patterns Amplified solo guitar, classical guitars, electric bass guitars Mostly triple meter Music specifies that players sit so that audience will hear call-and-response effects from one side of stage to the other Listen to the opening of this selection: Listening excerpt from CD 6, track 19, pp. 374-375

John Adams Born in new England in 1947 2003, won Pulitzer Prize for Music for On the Transmigration of Souls, 2002 Music rooted in minimalism, but is bored with it Large-scale work for chorus, children’s choir , orchestra, and prerecorded sounds Uses repeated motives, but varies textures and instrumentation Composed to commemorate victims of September 11, 2001, terrorist attack Both parents musicians Father taught him to play clarinet Much of text taken from real missing persons posters, telephone messages, and other attempts to contact possible victims of the attack Was composing music at age 10 Earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music from Harvard University Has won numerous awards; continues to compose and conduct all over the United States and England Moved to California to teach at San Francisco Conservatory and compose for the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra 1980’s, composed music for 2 operas based on real-life events: Nixon in China and The Death of Klinghoffer Is currently an Artist in Association with the BBC Symphony Orchestra

Listening Guide: “Short Ride in a Fast Machine” by John Adams Composed in 1986 Minimalism for orchestra Delirando (frenzied) Beginning sounds repeat at end, but otherwise not sectional Large orchestra and 2 synthesizers Quadruple meter Listen to the opening of this selection: Listening excerpt from CD 6, track 20, pp. 376-377