Nonesuch releases Pulitzer Prize–winning composer Steve Reich’s album Radio Rewrite on September 30, 2014. Co-commissioned for and recorded by Alarm Will Sound, the title piece references two songs by the English band Radiohead. Alan Pierson conducts this premiere recording of Radio Rewrite, which was composed in 2012. The album also includes recordings of Electric Counterpoint (1987) and Piano Counterpoint, which is a 2011 transcription by Vincent Corver of Reich’s 1973 Six Pianos; the works are performed, respectively, by Radiohead’s guitarist, Jonny Greenwood, and pianist Vicky Chow, who is a member of the Bang on a Can All-Stars.Reich says of his new piece: “Over the years composers have used pre-existing music (folk or classical) as material for new pieces of their own. Radio Rewrite, along with Proverb (Perotin) and Finishing the Hat—Two Pianos (Sondheim), is my modest contribution to this genre.” He continues, “Now, in the early 21st century, we live in an age of remixes where musicians take audio samples of other music and remix them into audio of their own. Being a composer who works with musical notation I chose to reference two songs from the rock group Radiohead for an ensemble of musicians playing non-rock instruments: ‘Everything in Its Right Place’ and ‘Jigsaw Falling into Place.’”Reich and Greenwood met in Krakow in 2010 during a festival of Reich’s music, where Greenwood gave a performance of Electric Counterpoint that its composer liked very much. (Greenwood has since performed it many more times, including during a London tribute to Nonesuch’s 50th anniversary at the Barbican Centre.) Reich says, “When I returned home I made it a point to go online and listen to Radiohead’s music and the two songs mentioned above stuck in my head. It was not my intention to make anything like ‘variations’ on these songs, but rather to draw on their harmonies and sometimes melodic fragments and work them into my own piece. As to actually hearing the original songs, the truth is—sometimes you hear them and sometimes you don’t.”Electric Counterpoint was commissioned by BAM for guitarist Pat Metheny. It is the third in a series of pieces (first Vermont Counterpoint in 1982 for flutist Ransom Wilson followed by New York Counterpoint in 1985 for clarinetist Richard Stolzman) with a soloist playing against a pre-recorded tape of themselves. In Electric Counterpoint the soloist pre-records as many as ten guitars and two electric bass parts and then plays the final eleventh guitar part live against the tape.Reich says Piano Counterpoint “is an arrangement of Six Pianos in which four of the six piano parts are pre-recorded and the last two are combined into a more virtuosic single part played live. For these last two parts to be played by a single pianist it was necessary to move some of the melodic patterns up an octave giving the piece an increased sparkle and intensity. The amplification of the live player along with the pre-recorded playback adds additional electricity. Combined with the practicality of needing only a solo pianist, this arrangement can be heard as improving on the original.”
H**N
Excellent recordings of some of Reich's best work
As a preface, I should admit that I've only listened to the CD one time all the way through. But that being said, I was very impressed. I've wanted a recording of Jonny Greenwood's interpretation of Electric Counterpoint for a while now, and this recording doesn't disappoint. I also enjoyed Nico Muhly's liner notes that put in perspective how Reich influenced Radiohead's music, and in turn, Radiohead's songs inspired Reich's piece. As listeners, we can hear a free exchange of musical ideas that transcends barriers of genre or classifications. That's gone now on for ages, popular music influencing "serious" music and vice versa, but it's fun to see that idea reflected by musicians from my generation. The piece Radio Rewrite itself is beautiful. In my opinion, if you enjoy Reich's work, you'll enjoy this CD.
G**T
Why Reich matters
If you're a Reich fan, you'll love this. If you're a Radiohead fan, you'll both appreciate and treasure this. Either way, you'll find out that the Reich is the most popularly unknown, important musical influence of the past 50 years. Brilliant.
K**S
Five Stars
Thanks
W**E
Radio ReReich
I wondered what Nonesuch would pair with the newest work by Steve Reich when it came time to release it on CD. It makes sense to have another recording of Electric Counterpoint, this time with Johnny Greenwood performing the parts. The Piano Counterpoint is an arrangement for one player and prerecorded tape. You don't need to know Radiohead's music to enjoy Radio Rewrite but it is interesting nonetheless to listen to them for a reference. This is a good CD and a nice take on Electric Counterpoint. I do like Pat Metheney better but it is nice to hear a contrasting version here.
E**A
Reich Rewrite (again)
Reich Rewrite...I am sorry, but Mr. Reich has not developed in his music. His pieces in the last 20 years are too similar...A few more interesting elements here and there, such as You Are. There are better performances of the pieces elsewhere (i.e. the Original Eight Lines). The last compelling music he has written is maybe The Cave (possibly more relevant today than when written), Different Trains, and Sextet. Sadly, WTC, City Life, Three Tales, and this CD etc all are cut from the same neutral palette. Please check out his masterpiece works (Drumming, Music for 18 musicians, Four Organs, Music for Mallets, Voices, and Organ) to see how he - 40 years ago - effectively wove a synthesis of drone, minimalist processes, and a world music awareness together to create music that has been hugely influential in many contemporary fields of EDM, ambient, trance, slo-core etc).
S**N
Radiohead combined with Reich
I am a fan of Steve Reich and also Radiohead, so its no surprise that I bought this CD as soon as it was launched in the UK. There are three separate works on the CD - Electric Counterpoint, Piano Counterpoint and Radio RewriteJonny Greenwood has played Electric Counterpoint live on several occasions, so Radiohead fans may be familiar with this piece. It is probably the most accessible piece on this CD for people not familiar with the minimalist classical style of Reich's music, and Greenwood plays it on this CD.It was as a result of Greenwood playing his music, that Reich began listening to Radiohead and was then inspired to compose Radio Rewrite. He used the tracks Jigsaw Falling Into Place and Everything In Its Right Place as a basis for the first and second movements of Radio Rewrite.Reich's music can be difficult to get into, but if you make the effort to listen to it (on more than one occasion!) it will pay dividends. The music has a relaxing, transcendental quality with its overlapping rhythms, pulses and phasing.This is most apparent with Piano Counterpoint, where Vicky Chow, the pianist, is playing out of sync with pre-recorded piano music to produce the characteristic Reich sound.The CD is nicely packaged with some interesting background information in the booklet, which is is my excuse for not downloading or am I just old-fashioned?I think that if I was just a Radiohead fan I would award this CD with 2 Stars, and if I were just a follower of Reich's music I would award it 3 stars. But because I am passionate about both - its got to be ***** FIVE STARS *****
L**3
レディオヘッドの曲の再構築
スティーヴ・ライヒは1936年生まれの米国の作曲家。ユリイカ2015年5月号（映画監督ポール・トーマス・アンダーソンの特集）を読んでいたら、ある記事が、スティーヴ・ライヒの“Electric Counterpoint”について述べていた。正確に書くと、ポール・トーマス・アンダーソンの映画の音楽を担当したジョニー・グリーンウッド（レディオヘッドのメンバー）が“electric counterpoint”をカヴァーしたというものである。それで興味を持ったので、本作を買ってみた。一曲目はその“electric counterpoint”の再演である。この曲は、最初はパット・メセニーによって1987年に録音された。「カウンターポイント」とは、ある演奏家があらかじめ録音した自分の演奏と共演するとの意味で、グリーンウッドもそうしている。二曲目は、ヴィッキー・チョウというカナダ人のピアニストによる“piano counterpoint”である。これは1973年に発表されたライヒ自身の“Six Pianos”を編曲したもの。これも多重録音曲である。三曲目の”Radio Rewrite”は、レディオヘッドの“Jigsaw Falling into Place”（“In Rainbows”収録）と“Everything in its Right Place”（“Kid A”収録）を再構築したもの。フルート、クラリネット、ヴィブラフォン、ピアノ、ヴァイオリン、ヴィオラ、ベースなどで演奏されている。ライヒの音楽に影響を受けているレディオヘッドの曲を、このような形で聴くのは面白い。
完**め
今回のスティーヴ・ライヒはレディオヘッド
Music for 18 Musiciansがとてもよかったので Drummingを名前でDifferent Trainsをジャケで買ってどれも凄く良かったので、これを買ってみました。正解。1-3はライヒの曲をレディオヘッドのギタリストが演奏したもの。5-9はライヒがレディオヘッドの曲から作ったもの。5-9は少し異色でミニマムサウンドでは無い感じで高揚感は少なくて自情緒的。ライヒ少しずつ揃えるつもり。
小**ー
かっこいい
エレクトリックカウンターポイントはパットメセニーとは違い、ロック的な感じもあり、面白かった。
P**N
無機質と有機質のはざま
１ electric counterpoint ロック的なリフの繰り返しによるミニマルミュージック、どこかFunkを思わせるノリを生み出す。まぁ無機質な音楽。2 piano counterpoint 上に同じ。ピアノによるリフ的フレーズの繰り返し。情緒を排したミニマル。しかし、Funkyなノリは感じられる。ところが３曲目のRadio Rewriteが鳴った瞬間、途端に音楽は「意味」や「方向」を持ち始め「感情」「抒情的」な意味合いを帯び始める。それは「弦」による横方向に流れる音列やタンゴに似たリズムがそう感じさせるのかも知れない。それさえもミニマルミュージックの範疇と捉えるかどうか。私は無機質なミニマル音楽が好きだ。
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