Pitchfork hearts Steve Reich
I like how Pitchfork mentions how Steve Reich represents classical, even to people who are aware of large parts of other musical canons. Seems to me a strange phenomenon, but probably true.
Pitchfork Feature: Interview: Steve Reich
Classical is a funny term, implying superiority and impenetrable complexity, yet it’s hard for me to listen to the great classical works and not think about a composer’s sense of humor, his/her vulnerability, his/her voice. It’s not the music that’s snobbish, it’s the way people have been conditioned (incorrectly) to approach it. And there is no set definition of what classical music is. Is Indian classical music also classical music or it is world music? And even if you define the classical canon as being the “Great Men” - meaning MozartBeethovenChopinBrahmsTchaikovskyStravinsky… - there is an immense amount of room for debate as to which of their pieces are good. Steve Reich categorically doesn’t even like Mozart, which is blasphemy in this (repeat after me) Mozart year.
But to circle back, I’d like to offer a primer on classical music for those interested. I will be doing a series of posts on this topic for the unintiated although I think those who do like the music will get something out of it as well. My goal is to strip away the preconceptions and get to enjoying fun goodness.
This won’t be an exercise in the top ten greatest pieces of all time. I could do that but no one would be served by a rehash of the “exulted” works. I prefer to give you some oddities that will shave away at the edges of the edifice. Please join me in these future installments.
