Customer Reviews

Reich: Drumming; Six Pianos; Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices and Organ

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"Drumming" is composer Steve Reich's most adventurous and challenging composition. Composed between 1970 and 1971, "Drumming" takes the genre of percussion-based music to a new level. Its use of syncopated and phase-shifting rhythms remains innovative (and some would say pioneering) even today.
The original recording of "Drumming" was made in Germany in 1974 and was released on the Deutsch Grammaphone Label. This version had been unavailable for many years and had become a sought-after collectors item. However, all things must come to pass because now, the much sought-after original recording of "Drumming" has been issued on CD for the very first time at its original length of 84-minutes (the later 1987 recording on Nonesuch Records featured a trimmed-down version running at 56-minutes).
"Drumming" is divided into four distinct parts or movements. The first part is performed entirely on three sets of tuned bongos played with drumsticks. It begins with a single drumbeat which builds up to a syncopated rhythm which carries the entire piece the rest of the way. Throughout it's 25-minutes, this opening section explores nearly every possibility of what can be done with a single simple repeated rhythm. The method of 'phase-shifting' (having one player go out of synch with the other) adds further complexity.
The first part leads directly into the second part as the bongos fade out and the marimbas take over. The marimbas carry on with the piece's simple rhythm which is augmented by two female singers mimicking the pitches with vocal scats. As this part of the piece progresses, the marimbas gradually move from their lowest register to their highest. Like the first part, the hypnotic rhythms are made deceptively complex by the use of phase-shifting.
When the marimbas have reached their highest register, the glockenspiels take over. This begins the third part of the piece. This part is reverse of the second one. The glockenspeils begin at their highest register and gradually make their way to the lowest. Instead of having vocalists mimick the pitches this time, a piccolo and Reich's own whistling punctuate the rhythms.
After this has run its course, beats begin to be taken away until there is a single beat left repeating itself.
This leads into the fourth and final part which is a mix of all the instruments heard in the previous three parts played all together (drums, marimbas, glockenspiels, voices, piccolo and whistles). As the glockenspeils repeat the single beats which ended part three, the marimbas join in on the same beat followed by the bongo drums. The music then builds up into its standard rhythm which in turn builds up to a dynamic and intense rhythmic climax. This brings "Drumming" to its final and exciting finish.
This original recording of Steve Reich's "Drumming" is a revelation compared to its Nonesuch Records counterpart. For all intents and purposes, this original recording is the definitive version. Although the music is uncomplicated and highly repetitive, it is not at all boring. Reich's use of rhythm and percussion on "Drumming" is still some his very best and influential. After many years of being out-of-print, it's great to have the original "Drumming" back on the shelves.
A Definite Must. Highly Recommended!!

Steve Reich's "Drumming" is an amazing piece of work showing how much you can do with one - yes one - continuous musical phrase. Sometimes I even feel guilty when thinking, "Goodness, I wish Reich would do just one more phasing piece". I love the old Reich and am not afraid to admit it. This album, then, is a dream come true.

Whiile I am a young fan (26) from what I can ascertain this was the original 1973 recording. Maybe it is becuase the piece was so new then but this recording has much more life in it than the Nonesuch. Particularly the first and second movement are noticeable in that the first is more bombastic towards its apex while the second while in some senses calmer than the Nonesuch recording, has this hidden forward motion-energy that is more powerful than the Nonesuch track.

All in all, this piece is a joy and I jump at the chance to hear any recording of it. The only complaints are slight. AS it is a '73 recording, some of the overtones in the second and third movements occasionally sound out of tune (the low marimba and a few of the glockenspiel tones for example) - not because they WERE out, but because (my guess) they recorded that way. Second, of course, is the fact taht one cannot listen straight through, as this is a two-disc set. Small potatoes in relation to such a good recording!

I first heard "Drumming" on my car radio (of all places, of course it was probably WBAI-FM in New York) when it first came out in the early seventies. I pulled over to the side of the road to listen, so hypnotic was its rhythm. I have the original three-LP Deutch Grammophone version (the third disk contains two other pieces), which I put on tonight for the first time in many years, and came here to Amazon in hopes of finding a DVD-based version that would play straight through without interruption. (I guess that's still in the future.)

What "Drumming" has always conjured up for me are images from fractal geometry, chaos theory, and evolution - it asserts, wordlessly, that the human being is the product of inevitable processes of differentiation and elaboration, as subtle phase shifts produce beat frequencies and harmonics, starting with a simple syncopated drumbeat, and calling forth the existence of marimbas, flutes, glockenspeils, and eventually the human voice, in order to reach its final expression.

I'm not usually a fan of classical music - jazz is my thing, since it expresses human individuality and group cooperation with a blues-based scale that's a *harmonic* syncopation - but "Drumming" transcends musical categories. As Duke Ellington always said, there are only two kinds of music: good music and bad music.

If you are going to own only one Reich recording, this is the one to own. "Drumming" is a defining moment in both American and 20th century music. With it, Reich successfully took his earlier work with tape compositions that moved "in and out of phase" into the realm of live human performance. Based on a short, simple, repetitive rhythmic pattern, the music ventures through various "shifts" as the musicians move in and out of time with each other. The result is that from one short rhythmic motif, longer and more intricate phrases are created and woven together to create a more complex music out of minimalist means. The resulting music bears a resemblance to both Indian ragas and Balinese Gamelan music in the way these longer phrases/rhythmic patterns expand and contract. Rather than being redundant, the music is hypnotic, drawing the listener in.

This Deutsch Grammophon recording restores a long sought after nearly 85 minute version that has been long out of print. Recorded in 1974, a few years after the composition was written, there is an energy and freshness to the performance. Perhaps what sets this above all other recorded versions is that Reich himself both performs with, and supervises his hand picked musicians, making this the "director's cut" of his minimalist masterpiece.

Originally released in 1973, this version is the re-released updated version of the seminal work of composer and minimalist "Steve Reich". Taking the central theme and idea of drumming and using rhythmic arrangements that owe a heavy debt to minimalist" or "trance" music at its best; rhythmic and melodic, using a variety of performers and percussionists, to bring these compositions to life, it's like a lengthy composition that ebbs and flows, and hits with tightly woven passages of sound, with subtle variations, which fall perfectly into line, and then gradually begin to fall out of synch, but done in such a slight and streamlined way, that you tend not to notice of the first few listens, and it's only subsequent gradual listens, that begin to unearth the intricacy of the music.

It's a sound that is minimal in its aesthetic...yet the deceptive almost trance-like nature of the sound, revel an undulating undercurrent to the music, that given the right conditions to truly appreciate the music, can be as intense and powerful as that of dynamic rock music. It strangely boundless, and unconcerned with similarly derived music, yet it can on occasion feel warm and organic, this is partly due to Reich's brilliance as a composer...which revels him to be determined, and single-minded in his approach, and seemingly able to give his arrangement a transitional sound, which gives way to an almost muscular and propulsive sound.

It's repetition, defined in the best possibly sense, and arguably those not familiar with Reich's work, may well find this tough going, as there are no vocal accompaniments to latch onto.....or any dramatic shifts in approach to change the mood, or even any real surprising U-turns to prepare for. Instead what you get is a subtly shifting music, heavy in texture and surprisingly thick in complexity, whereby melodies are challenging, with everything taking on a more Cerebral and hypnotic, near-clinical arrangement. It's epic listening, with no patience for people that like their music which is short and easily digestible. And instead these are long passages of resonating music, harmonically repeated and spread out over great lengths, allowing the listener to submerge themselves in the music, which will eventually mutate into fluid, linear songs.

I'll admit straight away, that I'm no Reich expert, I love his work...and I have several of his albums, which I enjoy greatly, but I'm a novice as far as his work is concerned (although I'm willing to learn), and for a casual listeners standpoint, I'd have to say that this is not only one of my favourite Reich pieces (along with "Music for 18 Musicians"), but possibly one of his more accessible pieces. It's a remarkable piece of work, and so long as your prepared to try and truly appreciate, what's going here....this is truly sublime stuff, and a whole hearted recommendation, for those unsure of where to start with Reich's work. Tremendous!!!

After repeatedly restraining myself from buying the truncated Nonesuch 'Drumming', I finally gave in to my urge by getting this re-release of the original 85-minute recording from 1974. Unlike the other reviewer, listening to the whole thing was no problem. In fact, I wouldn't have minded if it were longer. The music is entrancing, fluid, graceful and motivating. (It's terrific workout music!) The simplicity of its beginnings give way to exhuberant complexity again and again, continually arriving in surprizing places. My only complaint is the idiotic, flimsy cardboard packaging, which has been specially designed not to fit in slots made for CD jewel cases, and to last for weeks, perhaps months of use. I guess the folks at Echo 20/21 don't know about the convenient 2CD jewel cases that are used for most double sets!

I had this on LP, then bought the newer Nonesuch recording when it came out - blech! This original version is much longer than the Nonesuch version, letting take in the slow changes much more deeply than the newer recording. The only drawback is that the whole piece won't fit on one CD, so you need to change CD's to hear the last part (of 4).

Six Pianos is an earlier version of Six Marmbas, Music for Mallet instruments kind of reminds me Octet. Both are very nice companion pieces to Drumming, and are a lot less 'dry'.

If you want Drumming, this is the one to get!

Back in the mid-80s when Reich, Glass, Adams, Riley, and Nyman moved from fringe to big time, they all got commissions from larger ensembles. I thought Reich's work was best of all. The thrill of Reich's propulsive beat under long serene (or ominous) tones was enormous. I must admit, though, that he seemed to hit a wall sometime soon after THE DESERT MUSIC and VERMONT COUNTERPOINT. Several "counterpoint" pieces for other instruments followed the same template. Ditto, new pieces echoed DESERT MUSIC, beginning even with the same chord.

This new recording of DRUMMING (the only one I've heard) reminds me why I loved Reich in the first place. At first, it's audaciously simple to the point that a casual listener would call idiotic. Very gradually, with incredible precision and patience, the ensemble gradually shifts out of synch, then starts filling in spaces. Eventually (but not for a long time!) Reich brings in variety with tones and different timbres.

It's dry and clean, it's virtuosic and athletic (what stamina and concentration they must have!), and it's fun.

This is a brilliant insight into some of Reich's percussive works, with well played versions of each piece - who would expect less from Reich's own ensemble? Not much needs to be said for Drumming - this is the definitive recording for Reich's groundbreaking piece. Music for Mallet Instruments is brilliantly done, with a nice balance on the instruments and voices. The same applies for Six Pianos, although I do believe Piano Circus also did a brilliant version. A definite CD to buy.

These recordings of all of these pieces are a lot longer than other recordings I have of them. Each section is repeated more times. This Drumming is fantastic. The piece is so composed that the slowly changing very complex rhythms don't get boring, & the longer it lasts the better it feels. This Six Pianos comes through with clarity & strength. This long Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices, & Organ is wonderful. It's one of my favorite pieces by him. He received the music. While he was writing the rhythms, the melodies just came. It's like a plateau that's a basic statement of much of his music. Or like a geodesic dome. This cd is definitely an important Steve Reich cd to have.