Steve Reich’s “2×5”!
In his composition ‘2×5,’ Steve Reich explores the use of rock instrumentation. Scored for two sets of five instruments (hence ‘2×5’), this 21-minute piece calls for a total of ten musicians: four electric guitars, two pianos, two bass guitars, and two drum sets. Performers can either play the piece all-live with ten musicians or with five live musicians against a pre-recorded sound track.
When you listen to this music, it is clear that 2×5 is not rock and roll, but it uses the same instruments. It’s an example of the essential difference between ‘classical music’ and ‘popular music’.
2 × 5 is similar to his earlier periods of pulsed, rhythmic form. There comes a time in an artist’s life when s/he decides to resort to big changes in approach to composition, in order to achieve a large upward step in creativity. A pioneer of minimalism, composer Steve Reich has not only won a Pulitzer Prize but has also changed the course of modern music.
The tracks on this CD are:
• I. Fast 8:39
• II. Slow 6:43
• III. Fast 6:56
• I. Fast 10:12
• II. Slow 3:12
• III. Fast 7:08
Here’s a video of Steve Reich directing the preparation of this music:
Tags: Steve Reich, Minimalism, 2×5