Terry Riley: In C

Terry Riley (Composer), State University Center of Creative and Performing Arts (Orchestra), Terry Riley (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Terry Riley
• Orchestra: State University Center of Creative and Performing Arts
• Composer: Terry Riley
• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000024Q8
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #239,814 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Sometimes simplicity is the mother of invention, and with In C, Terry Riley composed nothing short of a classic. A cornerstone of minimalism, Riley's 1964 composition is little more than a loose guideline for musicians. Driven by the repeated pulses of even octave eighth notes played on the top two C keys of the piano, each member of the ensemble runs through 53 simple phrases at a self-determined pace. Gradually, swarms of instruments find themselves playing in unison, always to be overtaken by the perfect pacing of the pulsing piano. The entire composition gradually moves from C to E to C to G and, when performed correctly, the effect is otherworldly.

This recording from 1968 features Riley himself on saxophone and a small ensemble of musicians from the New Music Center in Buffalo, New York. Overdubs were employed to keep the flow going and the effect of all this repetition is nothing short of mesmerizing, albeit slightly clinical. An even jazzier recording of this composition exists, the 25th Anniversary Concert on New Albion. On that live recording, a larger ensemble of jazz and classical's elite (including members of Kronos and Rova) invigorate In C with a full sound and plenty of gusto. --Jason Verlinde

Product Description

Terry Riley's In C, one of the most influential compositions of the past quarter century, has been played by almost every conceivable combination of instruments; however, the Shanghai Film Orchestra's version ranks as one of the most exciting and exotic interpretations. It marks the 25th anniversary of the piece, and represents the first time a Western new music piece has been recorded in China. In C is a rhythmic, energetic work, but it also echoes the mystical, embroidered music of the Near East and India. By staying in or around the key of C, this 1964 work creates a model sound that can be seen as a forerunner of today's minimalist and world music styles.

The Shanghai Film Orchestra plays this contemporary Western work on traditional Chinese instruments. The tuning is different, and the tone colors of the ancient Chinese bells and strings lend a new vibrancy to the piece. The construction of this version is equally striking. Instead of following the score straight through, earlier parts are brought back and woven into a tapestry of sound even more mesmerizing than Riley's original recording.

The talented Chinese-American composer, David Mingyue Liang, contributes two works that extend the orchestra's range to include the ethereal sounds of bowed vibes and the haunting resonance of China's only complete set of mangluo gongs. This remarkable recording, the result of a cultural openness in China, proves that the East and West have much to say to each other. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Repetition _and_ chance, April 3, 2000

By 

DAC Crowell - See all my reviews

This review is from: Terry Riley: In C (Audio CD)

Ting, ting, ting, ting, ting, ting, ting, ting...that's how this starts, with a drumming pulse on the top Cs on a piano. Then gradually, a whole tapestry of interlocking sounds starts to unfold, and you're slowly getting immersed in 'In C'. You don't really listen to this piece; the effect is much more like that aforementioned 'immersion', as the very gradual shifting of the patterns is more like organic growth, instead of the architectural jumps and skips found in Philip Glass or Steve Reich's works. How this is accomplished is by the use of a very selective variant on chance processes; since performers aren't given direct instructions on when to change from one ostinato to the next, this slow, 'oozing' shifting occurs, and it's quite fascinating (as opposed to what one reviewer here seems to think). It's certainly not an easy work to wrap your head around, unlike Glass, etc, but both the music and the ideas behind it are most rewarding. A critical work.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still the Best Recording, December 29, 2005

By 

L. Zajicek "ArtIsLove" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Terry Riley: In C (Audio CD)

Minimalism has produced five masterpieces: Philip Glass' "Music in Twelve Parts" and "Einstein on the Beach," La Monte Young's "The Well-Tuned Piano" (good luck finding that one!), Steve Reich's "Music for 18 Musicians," and Terry Riley's "In C." Although there are several recordings of "In C", each with a different orchestration, this one is probably still the best recording after all is said and done. (I only wish Mr. Riley would make a much longer recording, AT LEAST two hours long.)

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Minimalist Masterpiece!!!!, September 29, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Terry Riley: In C (Audio CD)

This is one of the first of the "minimalist" movement. Though it is hard to "HEAR" It is wonderful to "LISTEN" to. Every fan of the minimalist movement should atleast listen to this recording. I would say this recording is "essential". Highly recomended.