Simple Pleasures

Excited by: Getting home to my flat after a manic Edinburgh week
Listening to: The Oxford Gargoyles' new album 'Flyin' Right'
Cups of coffee achieved: 3 train coffees, bleurgh.

Let's start with a joke...

'knock knock'
'who's there?'
'knock knock'
'who's there?'

'knock knock'
'who's there?'
.....
'Steve Reich'

I always remember when an old tutor of mine told me this. It's my standard musical geek joke to bring out at any minimalist gig. I was lucky enough to head out to the late night prom last Wednesday and see the stellar team that was Steve Reich, Mats Bergstrom, Rainer Romer, Ensemble Modern and Synergy Vocals. It was packed! There was an incredible sense of occasion with a great mix of prommers.

Thing is, from this gig and from the same programme I saw a couple of years back at the Fesitval Hall, I have come to learn a really important thing - for me, minimalism is such a great entry into the world of 'classical' music. I have to say I was always the one with my pencil tirelessly trying to figure out when semiquavers change to quavers, when the line is passed between instruments, when and why Reich changes the lines the way he does. As I lay in the arena of the Albert Hall (yes, many people were laying down. Very odd hearing Reich and seeing the huge UFO-like sound reflectors above you) I just closed my eyes and let everything wash over me. Suddenly I really got a sense that this music, especially 'Music for Eighteen Musicians', just works. I was engrossed, bedazzled and generally so impressed by the whole thing.

I have to admit - hearing 'Clapping Music' in the Albert Hall is a bit of a joke. Even the best of UFO-esque acoustic technology couldn't hide the fact that when heard closely it sounded like three people clapping due to the horrendous echo. But hey, what can we do? we're lumbered with the palace of hellish acoustics which is the Albert Hall, so I suppose we have to just accept that. 'Music for Eighteen Musicians', however worked a lot better, due to the bigger forces involved. No prizes for guessing the size of the ensemble. What makes this work simply magical is Reich's use of incredibly varied textures and timbres underpinned by a rhythmic drive which seems to saunter you along this beautiful musical journey. Something else Reich just seems to bask in is using voices as instruments as the incredible Synergy Vocals showed us. Synergy deliver the parts on mic with crystal clarity - they shine through but never overpower any of the other instruments.For Reich it seems, everyone is equal, and this produces such a refreshing sound.  Every time I see Synergy, I just want to see them again and again. They are a real credit to contemporary vocal music. A wonderful wonderful ensemble

So my tip for this week? Have a listen to Music for Eighteen Musicians. Don't try and sit there analysing it, but just let it be the wonderfully crafted piece of music that it is.