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Steve Reich: Pulse / Quartet
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| Price | New from | Used from |
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Vinyl, Import, March 30, 2018
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| $33.02 | $27.55 |
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From the brand
Track Listings
| 1 | Pulse - By International Contemporary Ensemble |
| 2 | Quartet: I. Fast - By Colin Currie Group |
| 3 | Quartet: II. Slow - By Colin Currie Group |
| 4 | Quartet: III. Fast - By Colin Currie Group |
Editorial Reviews
2018 release. Pulse is performed by the International Contemporary Ensemble - an artist collective committed to transforming the way music is created and experienced-and Quartet (2013) is played by the Colin Currie Group, an ensemble led by percussionist Colin Currie that specializes in the music of Steve Reich; these are also the ensembles that gave the world premiere performances of the respective works. Reich says, "Pulse, for winds, strings, piano and electric bass, was completed in 2015 and was, in part, a reaction to Quartet, in which I changed keys more frequently than in any previous work. In Pulse I felt the need to stay put harmonically and spin out smoother wind and string melodic lines in canon over a constant pulse in the electric bass and or piano. From time to time this constant pulse is accented differently through changing hand alternation patterns on the piano. All in all, a calmer more contemplative piece." He continues, "Quartet, when mentioned in the context of concert music, is generally assumed to mean string quartet. In Quartet, there is just this group alone: two vibes and two pianos."
Product details
- Product Dimensions : 0.2 x 4.92 x 5.67 inches; 1.59 Ounces
- Manufacturer : Nonesuch
- Original Release Date : 2018
- Date First Available : December 8, 2017
- Label : Nonesuch
- ASIN : B0785VL9DB
- Number of discs : 1
- Best Sellers Rank: #91,286 in CDs & Vinyl (See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl)
- #2,317 in Chamber Music (CDs & Vinyl)
- Customer Reviews:
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Top reviews from the United States
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On every Steve Reich piece there’s a beat. It starts early on if not at the beginning and typically, is soon joined by a second beat. Both play on, in contrast to each other but next to each other, played by different instruments with different tonalities. In the case of his 2015 Pulse (what an apt name for a Steve Reich composition!), it’s strings playing behind the flutes and clarinets, starting at 0:30 minutes and starting to separate into two pulses, two groups of instruments somewhere around 1:20 minutes. Over the steady throbbing sound, a sinuous melody unfolds.
In the 2013 Quartet, it’s two vibraphones and two pianos played in harmony as yoked pairs. It’s arranged in a typical Reichian pattern: first a fast, percussive movement, then a slower one, then fast again. Listening from one bar to the next, nothing much changes but over the course of a whole piece there are subtle, slow moving sea changes that transform what you hear to something new and, if not startling, it feels inevitable, as though in a profoundly altered way, Reich has taken to heart the lessons about numbers, ratios and progressions found throughout Bach’s inimitable music.
All of Reich’s music is not percussive, although a lot of it is, but ‘percussive’ is a good term to describe his approach. He uses instruments as much for their rhythmic potential as for melody or harmony. It’s especially noticeable in Quartet, where the percussive, hammering possibilities of the pianos are exploited to good effect against the more obviously hammered and percussive vibraphones. (A thought: mallet players must love Reich. Who else among contemporary composers uses vibes and marimbas as often or well as he does.)
How good is this album? It has more weight than, say, Tehillim, with which piece it has some things in common. But are these major pieces? No, but they’re darn good minor ones and lovely music. In short, this isn’t an indispensable album but it’s a good one and it reminds us that at 77 and 79 years of age, Reich’s age when these two pieces premiered, he was still creating eminently listenable works of genius.
They are related pieces as Reich used Quartet as inspiration for Pulse. Reich considered that Quartet was one of his more complex pieces to perform due to the frequent changes in key and tempo, with pauses. So Pulse is the anthesis of this with simpler harmonics and a constant bass line to provide a solid structure.
The CD is presented in a cardboard sleeve which has a gatefold design. The CD itself is sandwiched inside the right hand side, like a traditional vinyl album. Unfortunately, there is very little information provided on the sleeve despite there being plenty of room due to the gatefold. It does give details of the performers and for Pulse this was the International Contemporary Ensemble, consisting of violins, violas, flutes, clarinets, piano and electric bass.
Pulse is a 14 minute piece, which consists of one movement. It begins with a lush melodic phrase and this is accompanied by a constant rhythmic beat provided by the piano and bass. In typical Reich style, the phrase is repeated and canoned over the steady pulse producing a reverberated sonic effect. This is meditative and calming. There is sufficient variation in the melody to allow the piece to develop, and the ending is soporifically satisfying.
The Colin Currie Group, consisting of 2 vibraphones and 2 pianos, performed the Quartet.This is in 3 movements-
• Fast (6:46)
• Slow (3:59)
• Fast (5:53)
The two Fast movements are buzzing with musical activity, providing a restless sandwich to the calm inner Slow movement which satiates with restful calmness. In total, it provides a thought-provoking musical meditation.
The album is short, barely 31 minutes in length, but is worth acquiring if you are into Reich.
Top reviews from other countries
They are related pieces as Reich used Quartet as inspiration for Pulse. Reich considered that Quartet was one of his more complex pieces to perform due to the frequent changes in key and tempo, with pauses. So Pulse is the anthesis of this with simpler harmonics and a constant bass line to provide a solid structure.
The CD is presented in a cardboard sleeve which has a gatefold design. The CD itself is sandwiched inside the right hand side, like a traditional vinyl album. Unfortunately, there is very little information provided on the sleeve despite there being plenty of room due to the gatefold. It does give details of the performers and for Pulse this was the International Contemporary Ensemble, consisting of violins, violas, flutes, clarinets, piano and electric bass.
Pulse is a 14 minute piece, which consists of one movement. It begins with a lush melodic phrase and this is accompanied by a constant rhythmic beat provided by the piano and bass. In typical Reich style, the phrase is repeated and canoned over the steady pulse producing a reverberated sonic effect. This is meditative and calming. There is sufficient variation in the melody to allow the piece to develop, and the ending is soporifically satisfying.
The Colin Currie Group, consisting of 2 vibraphones and 2 pianos, performed the Quartet.This is in 3 movements-
• Fast (6:46)
• Slow (3:59)
• Fast (5:53)
The two Fast movements are buzzing with musical activity, providing a restless sandwich to the calm inner Slow movement which satiates with restful calmness. In total, it provides a thought-provoking musical meditation.
The album is short, barely 31 minutes in length, but is worth acquiring if you are into Reich.
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