Prog Rock Man
Headphoneus Supremus
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A contribution to another 'appreciation thread' has made me dip into a genre which is obscure to say the least, but one that has been on the go since the late 1960s and has produced some absolutely fascinating and challenging music. Stealing Wikipedia's definition, Minimalist music is
"..... an originally American genre of experimental or Downtown music named in the 1960s based mostly in consonant harmony, steady pulse (if not immobile drones), stasis or gradual transformation, and often reiteration of musical phrases or smaller units such as figures, motifs, and cells. It may include features such as additive process and phase shifting. Starting in the early 1960s as a scruffy underground scene in San Francisco alternative spaces and New York lofts, minimalism spread to become the most popular experimental music style of the late 20th century. The movement originally involved dozens of composers, although only five—Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, John Adams and, less visibly if more seminally, La Monte Young—emerged to become publicly associated with it in America. In Europe, the music of Louis Andriessen, Karel Goeyvaerts, Michael Nyman, Gavin Bryars, Steve Martland, Henryk Górecki, Arvo Pärt, and John Tavener exhibits minimalist traits. The term "minimalist music" was derived around 1970 by Michael Nyman from the concept of minimalism, which was earlier applied to the visual arts.[2] For some of the music, especially that which transforms itself according to strict rules, the term "process music" has also been used."
The rest of the article is here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimalist_music
The album that inspired this thread was suggested by argedee and is by the saxophonist/woodwind player Colin Stetson
I would say that the most famous composer in the genre is Philip Glass and his works with the films 'Koyaanisqatsi' 'Powaqqatsi' and 'Naqoyqatsi' are a superb way to start with the genre. The most common way that minimalist music is to be heard is as film music. Try Michael Nyman and his music for films by Peter Greenaway, and his most famous work for the film The Piano (not fully of the genre, but an easier on the ear version!)
Finally, the granddaddy of minimalist music is Terry Riley, starting in 1969 with the classic 'Rainbow In Curved Air'.
I would sum up minimalist as the modern art of music. Many will not get it, many will puzzle over it and proclaim that they do not understand it and it is a waste of time. But that is the point, to make you think and to challenge.
"..... an originally American genre of experimental or Downtown music named in the 1960s based mostly in consonant harmony, steady pulse (if not immobile drones), stasis or gradual transformation, and often reiteration of musical phrases or smaller units such as figures, motifs, and cells. It may include features such as additive process and phase shifting. Starting in the early 1960s as a scruffy underground scene in San Francisco alternative spaces and New York lofts, minimalism spread to become the most popular experimental music style of the late 20th century. The movement originally involved dozens of composers, although only five—Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, John Adams and, less visibly if more seminally, La Monte Young—emerged to become publicly associated with it in America. In Europe, the music of Louis Andriessen, Karel Goeyvaerts, Michael Nyman, Gavin Bryars, Steve Martland, Henryk Górecki, Arvo Pärt, and John Tavener exhibits minimalist traits. The term "minimalist music" was derived around 1970 by Michael Nyman from the concept of minimalism, which was earlier applied to the visual arts.[2] For some of the music, especially that which transforms itself according to strict rules, the term "process music" has also been used."
The rest of the article is here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimalist_music
The album that inspired this thread was suggested by argedee and is by the saxophonist/woodwind player Colin Stetson
I would say that the most famous composer in the genre is Philip Glass and his works with the films 'Koyaanisqatsi' 'Powaqqatsi' and 'Naqoyqatsi' are a superb way to start with the genre. The most common way that minimalist music is to be heard is as film music. Try Michael Nyman and his music for films by Peter Greenaway, and his most famous work for the film The Piano (not fully of the genre, but an easier on the ear version!)
Finally, the granddaddy of minimalist music is Terry Riley, starting in 1969 with the classic 'Rainbow In Curved Air'.
I would sum up minimalist as the modern art of music. Many will not get it, many will puzzle over it and proclaim that they do not understand it and it is a waste of time. But that is the point, to make you think and to challenge.
