One of the iconic oeuvres of the 20th century, “Music for 18 Musicians” written by Steve Reich in 1976, is truly a genre defining piece for minimalism. Bali music culture, and Gamelan in particular, were the inspirations for Reich’s groundbreaking idea. The composer himself confesses, that it indeed was the starting point, but no more. The term “Gamelan” is applied to either traditional Balinese music genre, and a certain type of percussion instruments orchestra. According to Reich, the composers intention was not to recreate the specific sound of Gamelan orchestra, but to grasp the inner structure of the music, and, in a broader sense, to understand a way how music is organized outside of the West European tradition.
“The beauty of … pulsing added-note harmonies and the sustained power and precision of the performance the music's salient features; and instead of the sterile, electronic sound usually associated with minimalism, the music's warm resonance was a welcome change ." (AllMusic)
The piece is based on a cycle of eleven chords. A small piece of music is based on each chord, and the piece returns to the original cycle at the end. Another important factor in the piece is the use of human breath, used in the clarinets and voices, which help structure and bring a pulse to the piece.
“For me, Steve Reich is a hypnosis, a meditation”, musician Andrey Volosovsky, a participant of the concert, says. “In this state, a person deep in his thoughts, thinking, listening, sleeping, can be much more susceptible to the new impulses of this music, to its shifts. Listening to the pieces, you kind of peek into another worlds, while your senses get heightened. So, music of Steve Reich is the simplicity of genius, a striking example of that kind”.
