Drumming

I am completely entranced by Steve Reich's work. It is so satisfying to recognise a structure, and to hear it played out, and that it what Reich gives us. His kind of music has often been called passionless, and unhuman, but I cannot agree.

In Different Trains, I always feel a quick thrill during the sublime moments when the recorded words are repeated by the strings. There is a quick variation on the melody of the human voice - that particular human voice in the recording - and the train chuffs along. It is so masterful: he has such a command of sound.

And there is little in music to rival the anticipation and excitement when I know a change is about to come in the rhythmic structure in Drumming, not to mention the satisfaction when the rhythmic structure does change. When I get involved in the music, it feels unique: I start counting the beats without thinking of numbers, and the changes come as instincts rather than planned-out events. It is deeply emotional music. 

This is a pencil drawing of Steve Reich in the dark at a piano, not at the drums or the tape deck. The photograph is from decades ago.