"Composer Steve Reich is one of the most influential musicians of modern times," BBC Radio 4's This Cultural Life host John Wilson says of his guest on the show. "In the 1960s he helped rewrite the rules of composition, using analogue tape machines to experiment with rhythm, repetition and syncopation. As the godfather of musical minimalism, his influence on Philip Glass, David Bowie, Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead, and many other composers, has been enormous." They talk about Reich's life, work, and the influence of Stravinsky, Bach, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Pérotin, and more. You can hear their conversation via Spotify and Apple Music here:

The twenty-seven disc box set Steve Reich Collected Works was released earlier this year. It features music recorded during the composer's forty years on the label—six decades of his compositions, including first recordings of his two latest works, Jacob’s Ladder and Traveler’s Prayer (which together will be released on a separate CD July 11)—plus two extensive booklets with new essays by Robert Hurwitz, Michael Tilson Thomas, Russell Hartenberger, Judith Sherman, and Nico Muhly, and a comprehensive listener’s guide by Timo Andres. Nonesuch made its first record with Steve Reich in 1985; he was signed exclusively to the label that year. Collected Works includes twenty-four discs of Nonesuch recordings and three from other labels.