His music always makes me feel comfortable. I think he should keep on spreading his amusing anecdotes online as long as he lives since we enjoy listening to them.
In light of our current predicament, this line from the text of "The Desert Music" always stuck with me: "Man has survived hitherto because he was too ignorant to know how to realize his wishes. Now that he can realize them, he must either change them or perish." --William Carlos Williams
Very true. That quote reminds me of another, from the writer in Tarkovsky's Stalker. "My conscience wants vegetarianism to win over the world. And my subconscious is yearning for a piece of juicy meat. But what do I want?"
One of my absolute favourite composers - hard to believe that the same man wrote "It's gonna rain", Different Trains, Desert Music...and Music for 18 Musicians, You Are Variations, various Counterpoint works. Mr. Reich has really evolved his art. I can't believe Steve Reich is 87 here! Wonderful interview with great questions.
Awesome interview! I love what I've heard of Reich's music and this just makes me want to listen to more - both his music and others he's mentioned. Africa/Brass sounds particularly interesting.
I don't think there were all that many driven out of concert halls by Babbitt et al because their music wasn't played all that often. If you look at what was being programmed during that period it accounted for a tiny amount of the music being scheduled for playing.
I mean that's true, though I think it was more about the zeitgeist of contemporary composition not appealing to many people. People still went and listened to the old classics as they do now, true, but show anyone not interested in experimental music Babbitt and they'll respond the same way anyone not interested in art does to Pollock or White on White.
@@AlbertGenower Thank you for the clarification. Great interview by the way, it was fascinating to hear Steve Reich talk about his intentions behind his artistic choices.
