3rd Movement (fast) From Electric Counterpoint Flashcards
When
1987
Composer
Steve Reich
Minimalism
Reaction against the randomness of Aleatoric and Experimenatl music
Structure
Binary with a coda
SA
All parts added, introduced by the live guitar
SB
Oscillation between E minor and C minor
Coda
Only 4 part canon and live guitar remains
Other parts have faded out
Oscillation between E minor and C minor increases in pace before settling in E minor
Tonality
E Aeolian
SB Tonality
Oscillation between E minor and C minor
Harmony
Static harmony
No traditional cadences or strong chord progressions
Instruments
1 live guitar, 7 guitars, 2 bass guitar prerecorded
Texture
Polyphonic overall
Starts with 1 instrument, gradually added until 10 parts playing
Finishes with guitars 1-4 and live guitar
4 part canon created in guitars 1-4 by Cell 1 being phase shifted
Dynamics
Generally mf with occasional diminuendos and fade outs for recorded guitars
Live guitar in more varied, overall louder than the other parts
Live guitar generally fades out after handing idea over to other guitar parts
Melody
Made out of cells that are repeated and layered
Cells
A melodic idea
Cell 1
12 quaver idea with rests on the 3rd, 8th and 12th quaver beats
Cell 2
Bass guitar, addition, 2 interlocking parts
The 2 parts hocket to create the bass part overall
Cell 3
3 descending chords, VIc Vc I spread over 2 bars
Addition to grow into full idea
Resultant melody
A tune which is created as a result of polyphonic parts
Visually hidden amongst the parts, ear hears in when polyphony is played
Played by live guitar
Metre
3/2
Bi metre is used with 12/8 and 3/2
Rhythms
Cell 1, quaver, syncopation
Cell 2, quavers, rests
Cell 3, longer note values, between 3 and 6 quavers
Phase shifting of cell 1, rhythmic displacement
