Reich: Sextet / Piano Phase / Eight Lines

Album review

A stunning success. Just take the pivotal pieces of this undervalued recital, Eight Lines, and compare it, for example, with the beautiful, very balanced versions by the Ensemble Modern (RCA) and Christopher Warren-Green (Virgin Classics/Warner) and straight away you'll understand the rhythmic force and expressive density of minimalist and repetitive music, one of the most important currents in today's musical output. In particular, it is important for its influence on a whole swathe of pop and electro musicians on the East Coast of the USA going back to the 1980s. Written for two string quartets, two flutes, and two clarinets, Eight Lines (1983) is clearly one of Steve Reich's masterpieces, as proved by the science of timbres and the deep energy of his writing. That's what strikes one upon hearing this performance by the London Steve Reich Ensemble and Kevin  Griffiths: the implacable élan, the insatiable dynamism of Steve Reich's world – and oh, the clarinet parts! The line woven by the piano at the outset of Piano Phase (1967) has rarely been heard with such great precision and such natural and powerful rhythm. Sextet (1984-85), a harder work, is given here with extraordinary fluency. This enchanting, simply wonderful album is a must-listen for anyone who wants to discover "minimalism" and this American, Steve Reich. © Pierre-Yves Lascar/Qobuz