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mechanical electric   March 14, 2002

Disappointingly flat rendering of Reich   December 1, 2001

What a difference re-orchestration makes   November 4, 2001

THe anchor of the CD (Triple Quartet) was brilliant. I wish that the two other versions (orchestral string section and three quartets live) could've been on the CD as well. In closing the first two peices are the meat and potatoes. The last two peices despite in my opinion their performance flaws, serve as a worthy soup and salad.


Recycled Reich...   November 2, 2001
  22 out of 29 found this review helpful

The music on this "new" Steve Reich release falls into two distinct categories:

ACTUAL NEW MATERIAL (15 minutes)
"Triple Quartet": A slight improvement over other recent ventures ("The Cave," "City Life"), however quite grating to listen to... a lack of critical rhythmic interest with static mildly dissonant harmonic content combines for an unrewarding listen that seems to go on for longer than the 14 minutes it actually lasts. A major disappointment compared to "Different Trains," the previous Kronos collaboration.

RECYCLED FILLER MATERIAL (40 minutes)
1. "Electric Guitar Phase": When this same piece is heard as "Violin Phase" (on the 1980 ECM recording) it's long and somewhat tedious yet rewarding upon further listening with an exciting virtuoso feel that a live violinist brings to the table. As performed on overdubbed electric guitars, it is devoid of humanity and fire, losing all hope of holding the listeners attention for the duration. Why this piece seemed worth recording on electric guitar is beyond me. Ugh.

2. "Music for a Large Ensemble": This arrangement/performance is a little cleaner and more transparent than its ECM cousin (that same record that had "Violin Phase" on it. Hmmm.) You can hear some details here that weren't as apparent on the older recording. However, despite the shiny finish, this performance seems to lack the fresh energy and attack heard on the ECM version. So an interesting listen for the overly Reich-obsessed, but nothing revelatory.

3. "Tokyo/Vermont Counterpoint": Completely inferior to the version for flutes as recorded by Ransom Wilson. It is a damn shame that this recording is unavailable on CD at this time: it is a performance brimming with energy, humanity and humor, a virtuoso tour-de-force. As performed on "MIDI Marimbas" (whatever that means) it sounds hollow, monochromatic, electronic, and dull. Blah.

OVERALL: Yet another disappointing Nonesuch Reich release, 75% unsuccessful recycling, 25% sub-standard new material. And I write this as a 10+ year admirer and fan of Steve Reich's music desperately wanting to like this CD. Rats.


Startling insight into an amazing composer   November 1, 2001
  4 out of 5 found this review helpful

This is one of those rare recordings where I have no complaints...from the quality of the music to the quality of the performances to the quality of the packaging...this is the kind of thing that the classical music industry should be looking to if it hopes to revive it's dreadful record sales...

Instead of going in order of the tracks on the disc, let me go in order of the date of composition of each piece.

Electric Guitar Phase, though new in this orchestration, is of course 1967's Violin Phase reborn...This might be Reich's most static piece for tradional instruments (that is, besides early pieces for tape or "pendulum music")...For me, the original version of this piece never quite worked - the articulations possible on violin kept it from really "locking in"...This version has solved that problem completely...

The sharp attack on each note or dyad when done on electric guitars makes every new pattern clearer than any violinist could hope for...it's truly a revelation to hear this piece work so well. I always thought "piano phase" to be the best of Reich's phase pieces...I was wrong. This new recording should make listeners really sit up and take note - classical music ain't what it used to be, and thank G-d...one of our greatest composer's best pieces turns out to be for a bunch of electric guitars!

The next work (chronologically) is "Large Ensemble"...compared to the old ECM recording, I'm not convinced that this ensemble is playing as tightly as this piece needs them to...but at the same time, the sound quality is of course much better and warmer than the old recording. This one you can judge for yourself. I haven't totally made up my mind one way or another on this one...

Tokyo Counterpoint deserves some praise - I think that Reich is right when, in the liner notes, he points out that this transcription has a "sense of humor"...the playing is very tight. I am inclined to say that I like this version better than the original for flutes...in most ways I do, but the warmth of the flutes is missed. Either way, this is a very fine rendering.

The Kronos piece, although the most "high profile" of the works on here, I will not say much about it - others on here already have and echo many of my sentiments. It is a great piece, as you've surely heard is much indebted to Bartok, and is quite a departure for Reich...We know Kronos plays it great, we know the sound quality is great, and the piece works well in one long stroke from beginning to end, the three movements flowing into each other seamlessly.

One of the best Reich recordings out there.