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Label:
  Innova - http://innova.mu/
Serial:
  678
Title:
  Steve Reich: Music for 18 Musicians - GVSU New Music Ensemble
Description:
  Steve Reich: Music for 18 Musicians

Grand Valley State University
New Music Ensemble
Track listing:
 
Genre:
  Classical
Content:
  Stereo/Multichannel
Media:
  Hybrid
Recording type:
  PCM
Recording info:
 

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Reviews: 4 show all

Site review by Christine Tham December 20, 2007
Performance:   Sonics:    
Steve Reich's Music for 18 Musicians is a piece that will probably either enthral or infuriate you. My sincere hope is that it's the former rather than the latter, as it is one of my favourite pieces of music (regardless of genre) and I have been listening to it for more than 20 years.

It all started when a friend at university (this is in the mid 1980s) asked me whether I have ever heard of a "minimalist" composer called Steve Reich. At that time I have just started listening to the music of Philip Glass (introduced via the movie Koyaanisqatsi), so I was interested in broadening my horizons even further.

He lent me two CDs, both on the ECM label. One contained three pieces, "Octet / Music for a Large Ensemble / Violin Phase" and the other was "Music for 18 Musicians." I still remember him staring at me somewhat quizzically as he handed over the CDs and said "Uhmm ... you may not like them. Some people say it's very repetitive. But tell me what you think."

I ended up enjoying the music on both CDs tremendously, but the one that truly captivated me was "Music for 18 Musicians." From the moment I put it into the CD player, and the opening pulses emanated from the speakers, I was transfixed. Whenever I listen to it, the music puts me into a semi-trance.

I can't fully describe the emotional impact of the music on me, but it has a calming effect and I feel as if I am floating in the air with the notes enveloping me. For some strange reason, I feel warm, and at certain parts and during certain chord progressions I feel a tremendous sense of satisfaction and well being. Whenever the music finishes, I feel a sense of loss and hope that it would continue on. On occasions, I have even put the CD player in repeat mode so that when it finishes it starts all over again.

On the surface, the music seems to be full of paradoxes. It seems very simple, and yet very dense when you listen to it closely. It seems very repetitive, and yet is not. There are no strong melodies, and yet I find the music quite hummable (and I have been known to sing parts of it in the shower!). It is full of pulses and staccato notes, and yet flows organically and smoothly like a liquid. It sounds superficially "electronic", yet the instruments used are all acoustic.

At the beginning, one wonders how long can the composer keep sustaining the interest of the listener (surely one would get bored after a few minutes) and yet my brain keeps saying "I just want to listen to a little bit more, just to see where this is going." It seems all too soon an hour has passed.

However, not everyone shares my opinion. I have known people who detest the piece, and feels it sounds very mechanical and repetitive. More than one person have told me listening to it for more than a few minutes gives them a headache. One commercial (for pain relief tablets) that ran for several years on Australian TV even used the opening bars to emphasise or suggest headache and period pain!

But enough about the music, because you will make up your own mind on this.

To date, there has been three recordings that I know of, including this one. Both previous versions were performed by Steve Reich and his musicians. Many of the musicians involved in the earlier version (released by ECM in 1978 catalog number ECM 1129) were also involved in the later version (released by Nonesuch Records in 1998 catalog number 79448-2).

This is a brand new version released on an independent label (Innova) and is the first multi-channel version released on a Hybrid Super Audio CD. It is performed by the Grand Valley State University New Music Ensemble directed by Bill Ryan. It is recorded at the Royce Auditorium at St. Cecilia's Music Center in Grand Rapids, MI, USA.

In terms of length, this version clocks in at 61'20", which is half way between the 56'31" of the 1978 version and the 67'42" of the 1998 version.

The performance is not as tight or as precise as Steve Reich and his musicians in the earlier recordings, but it is a credible interpretation that stands as tall as the other two recordings. I actually like the slightly softer sound (interpretation, not recording) of this version.

The multi-channel recording is absolutely superb, and puts the two earlier recordings to shame. I feel like I am truly enveloped by the music, and musical lines seem to drift in and out of the soundstage, accentuating the feeling that I am somehow floating in a sea of music.

The extra fidelity of Direct Stream Digital is put to good use. I feel that for the first time, I can start hearing individual lines and parts in the music clearly, rather than all of them blurring into a wall of sound. For the first time, I can tell the difference between the three pianos used in the music, and individual human voices.

In stereo (DSD as well as CD), the music is still there but the additional spaciousness and dimensionality of the multi-channel mix has been flattened. I also feel in stereo the mix sounds a little more congested. But I think it is still very listenable (even on my MP3 player).

So, all in all, if you are a fan of this music, this is a "must-have" recording. If you have never listened to it before, I would suggest auditioning it first before buying. Who knows, it may "change your life", as it surely did mine.

Site review by Geohominid December 7, 2007
Performance:   Sonics:    
The text for this review has been moved to the new site. You can read it here:

http://www.HRAudio.net/showmusic.php?title=4945#reviews

Site review by Polly Nomial December 1, 2007
Performance:   Sonics:  
The text for this review has been moved to the new site. You can read it here:

http://www.HRAudio.net/showmusic.php?title=4945#reviews

 
Works: 1  

Steve Reich - Music for 18 Musicians