Double Sextet, 2 x 5
Nonesuch, 2010)
Minimalist composer Steve Reich has become amazingly well known in his lifetime; the New York Times calls him “our greatest living composer”, which though not a phrase that has often been used to describe the composers we consider to be the “greatest” throughout history during their own lifetimes, is certainly high praise. Adding considerably to his prestige, Reich is recently coming off of his Pulitzer Prize award for his piece Double Sextet, performed here by the Eight Blackbird group. This piece, scored for two sextets, each comprised of a flute, clarinet, violin, cello, vibraphone and piano (or for one sextet playing with a recording of itself), is a highly syncopated, clustered, and repetitive exploration of tension and release. There are moments throughout where the constant clashing of tones and rhythms gives way to a break in the storm; it is these moments which provide the drama, variation, and context that make the piece interesting. This piece could really be compared to a piece of modern techno music (as an aside, many techno artists have been inspired by Reich’s music); the constant, high string melodies with very little vibrato almost sound electronic, and the pulsing beat provides the trancelike ambience common in techno.
The other portion of this record, 2 x 5 as performed here by Bang on a Can, is scored for two typical rock band setups. It is a similarly ambience driven piece, but suffers from the instrumentation which does not lend itself to the repetitive nature of the music.
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