GCSE Music Revision 2014Area of Study 2:

Steve Reich: 3rd Movement (fast) from Electric Counterpoint

Steve Reich: Context & Background

Through the 20th Century composers aimed to push music in new & interesting directions

Minimalism emerged after art forms such as expressionism (Schoenberg)

Composers explored new ways of writing music down e.g. scores with little or not detail

Instruments were in unconventional ways e.g. being hit, plucked, bowed or immersed in water!

Steve Reich: Elements of Minnimalism Drones – a ling, continuous note or constantly repeated note often low pitch Ostinato or loops – repeated cycles of musical ideas. The shortest are

known as cells Phasing – two almost identical parts which go out of sync with each other

gradually Metamorphosis – gradually changing from one musical idea to another,

usually one note at a time Layering – adding new musical parts, usually one at a time Note addition - starting off with a very simple ostinato and gradually adding

notes as the pattern repeats Note Subtraction – starting off with a complex ostinato and gradually

removing notes Rhythmic Displacement – playing a musical phrase so that accents fall in

unexpected places Augmentation – extending the durations of a rhythmic pattern Static Harmony – One long chord which changes only very gradually, if at all

Steve Reich: As a composerBorn in New York in 1936His music is rhythmically complex

with much repetitionFamous for the ‘phasing technique’ Music is highly demanding to

performStudied African drumming in 1970

which influenced compositions such as Drumming & Clapping Music

Steve Reich: Electric Counterpoint Electric Counterpoint was written in 1987 The piece is the last in a series of 3 pieces for soloists playing

to pre-recorded multi track tapes Commissioned for Jazz guitarist Pat Metheny The performance features 12 recorded guitar parts & two

bass guitars as well as the live part The performance requires precise timing and a high level of

accuracy The ‘backing track’ (recorded guitars) allows notes addition

and other development techniques to be used that would not be possible with a standard tape loop

Section Timing Description

A

1 0 – 42s •One bar ostinato played by guitar 1 (pre recorded) followed by the live guitar part using 3 notes of ostinato one •building gradually using addition technique•Guitars 2, 3 and 4 enter played variations of the ostinato forming a “Four part guitar canon”•When all the parts have entered the live guitar starts the resultant melody•The piece is in 3/2 time with a cleat triple metre•Hints of E Minor

A 2 43s – 1:05 •Bass guitar is introduced•Two bar ostinato is introduced gradually•Two bass guitars are panned to the left and right speakers•Live guitar continues the resultant melody

A 3 1:05 – 2:05 •Live guitar introduces a new idea•Guitars 5, 6 and 7 introduce new sequences•The live guitar plays interweaving chords between the parts of guitars 5 - 7

A 4 2:06 – 2:16 •The live guitar returns to the resultant melody

Steve Reich: Electric Counterpoint Section A

B 5 2:16 – 2:31 •A startling change of key to C minor signals the start of section B texture remains the same

B 6 2:32 – 2:46 •The key shifts back to B minor•In this section the metre changes to 12/8•The bass plays a new ostinato

B 7 2:47 – 3:01 •The key returns to C minor•The metre changes every 4 bars

B 8 3:02 – 3:32 •Return to E minor•Shifts in key and metre become more frequent•Bass guitars start to fade out with guitars 5 - 7

Coda 9 3:32 – 4:24 •The texture has now returned to the “four part guitar canon” •Shifts in key continue until the pieces settles in E minor•The piece ends with a crescendo to a final E Minor chord played by all remaining guitar parts

Steve Reich: Electric Counterpoint Section B & Coda