The Desert Music

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DescriptionExcerpt

Reich’s 1985 Nonesuch debut, incorporating poem fragments from William Carlos Williams, was also his first work for large orchestra and chorus; Michael Tilson Thomas conducts. The New York Times praised its “ingenious craft, transfixing rhythmic energy, and gorgeous sound.”

Description

Reich’s 1985 Nonesuch debut, incorporating poem fragments from William Carlos Williams, was also his first work for large orchestra and chorus; Michael Tilson Thomas conducts. The New York Times praised its “ingenious craft, transfixing rhythmic energy, and gorgeous sound.”

ProductionCredits

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Rudolph Werner and Steve Reich
Recording Engineer: Paul Goodman
Editing and Mixing: Karl-August Naegler, Wolf-Dieter Karwatki, Rudolph Werner, John Newton, and Steve Reich
Recorded October 29 and 30, 1984, at RCA Studio A, New York City
Mastering: Robert C. Ludwig

Music by Steve Reich
Text by William Carlos Williams

Art direction and design: Carin Goldberg
Cover photo: Benno Friedman

Executive Producer: Robert Hurwitz

Nonesuch Selection Number

79101

Number of Discs in Set
1disc
ns_album_artistid
92
ns_album_id
272
ns_album_releasedate
ns_genre_1
0
ns_genre_2
0
Album Status
Artist Name
Steve Reich
MusicianDetails

MUSICIANS
Steve Reich and Musicians
with
Members of the Brooklyn Philharmonic
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
Russell Hartenberger, Robert Becker, Glen Velez, Garry Kvistad, principal percussion
Julie Rosenfeld, concertmistress
Deborah Redding, principal second violin
Francesca Martin, principal viola
Sharon Palmer, principal cello
Donald Palma, principal bass
Cheryl Bensman, choral contractor, soprano

Cover Art
UPC/Price
Label
CD+MP3
UPC
075597910124BUN
Label
MP3
Price
9.00
UPC
603497091867
  • 79101

News & Reviews

  • It was thirty-five years ago today that Kronos Quartet gave the world premiere performance of Steve Reich’s Different Trains at Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. To mark the occasion, Reich’s publisher, Boosey & Hawkes, has published a new video, in which he discusses the process behind composing this piece for string quartet and tape. Reich used carefully chosen speech recordings to shape the musical material for the score, evoking his American childhood during World War II while also addressing the Holocaust. The 1989 first recording of Different Trains, performed by Kronos, won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Composition.

  • Composer Steve Reich talks about creating his iconic 1965 tape piece It's Gonna Rain in a new video from his publisher Boosey & Hawkes. That year, Reich recorded Pentecostal preacher Brother Walter preaching on Noah and the Flood in San Francisco, then aligned two Wollensak tape recorders that gradually fell out of sync, eventually creating contrapuntal lines from the recording. Reich's first major phasing work, it would become a landmark piece.

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  • About This Album

    Reich’s 1985 Nonesuch debut, incorporating poem fragments from William Carlos Williams, was also his first work for large orchestra and chorus; Michael Tilson Thomas conducts. The New York Times praised its “ingenious craft, transfixing rhythmic energy, and gorgeous sound.”

    Credits

    MUSICIANS
    Steve Reich and Musicians
    with
    Members of the Brooklyn Philharmonic
    Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
    Russell Hartenberger, Robert Becker, Glen Velez, Garry Kvistad, principal percussion
    Julie Rosenfeld, concertmistress
    Deborah Redding, principal second violin
    Francesca Martin, principal viola
    Sharon Palmer, principal cello
    Donald Palma, principal bass
    Cheryl Bensman, choral contractor, soprano

    PRODUCTION CREDITS
    Produced by Rudolph Werner and Steve Reich
    Recording Engineer: Paul Goodman
    Editing and Mixing: Karl-August Naegler, Wolf-Dieter Karwatki, Rudolph Werner, John Newton, and Steve Reich
    Recorded October 29 and 30, 1984, at RCA Studio A, New York City
    Mastering: Robert C. Ludwig

    Music by Steve Reich
    Text by William Carlos Williams

    Art direction and design: Carin Goldberg
    Cover photo: Benno Friedman

    Executive Producer: Robert Hurwitz

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