Some people don't even consider the work of Steve Reich music calling his music noise instead. Regardless how you feel about Mr. Reich what is certain is that he is one of the most controversial composers of our time. As strange as it may be Steve Reichs "Phases" has become one of my favorite pieces of music to listen to. I wont deny that his music is not for everyone. But let me tell you that this man is ahead of his time. The following work was written in 1967 and sounds like something that could be on the very cutting edge of music today.
The first time I heard "Phases" I sat memorized for hours listening to the slow modulations of notes and tempos. I loved it from the very first time I heard it. I was fascinated by the almost machine like mathematical progressions of different phrases. It is just cool stuff. It bends your mind a little if you listen to it closely.
Here is a brief description of the following video:
The original 'Piano Phase' for two pianos was composed in 1967. Both pianists play the same repeating pattern but one of them gradually increases tempo so as to slowly move one-eighth note ahead or out of phase with the other. This process is repeated with three repeating patterns that get shorter in duration. The video portion of this piece was created by David Cossin in 2000 and utilizes a pre-recorded video of him playing the piece on midi percussion pads that then trigger piano samples of the notes of the piece. Against this pre-recorded video, projected on a screen in front of him, he then plays the moving part that gradually moves ahead, or out of phase with the recorded part. The audience can then see and hear the process unfolding. Steve Reich
Steve Reich - "Piano Phases"
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