Reich: Electric Counterpoint (III movement) 1987

Question 1

Instrumentation

Answer 1

o 1 amplified guitar (live)
o 7 guitars (recorded)
o 2 bass guitars (recorded)

Question 2

Technology

Answer 2

o Multi-Tracking/Looping – accompaniment pre-recorded
o Microphone – solo live guitar onstage
o Mixer – assistant mixes live and tape, adjusting volume, balance and panning
o House Speakers – sounds projected to the audience
o Monitor – soloist hears backing tape

Question 3

Structure

Answer 3

o Three Layers:
1. Syncopated quaver motif (Guitar 1, Live Guitar, Guitar 2, Guitar 3, Guitar 4
2. New syncopated quaver motif (Bass Guitars)
3. More sustained motif, built around 3 chords (Live Guitar then other parts)
o Layers 2 and 3 fade out
o Layer 1 left on a held chord

Question 4

Dynamics

Answer 4

o Fairly constant
o Parts gradually fade out
o Ends with a crescendo to ƒƒ

Question 5

Tonality

Answer 5

o G major/E minor
o E♭major/C minor (swaps abruptly between 2 tonalities near end)
o Completely Diatonic

Question 6

Melody

Answer 6

o Ostinato – 1-bar motif
o Note Addition – gradually added until all notes in melody heard
o Resultant Melody – live guitar plays selected individual notes from other parts

Question 7

Metre

Answer 7

o Clear Metre – 3/2

o Polymetre – 3/2 and 12/8

Question 8

Rhythm

Answer 8

o Regular Rhythm – repeating patterns of quavers
o Frequent Syncopation
o Metrical Displacement – motifs out of sync (Guitars 1-4)

Question 9

Tempo

Answer 9

o ♩ - 192

o Very Fast

Question 10

Harmony

Answer 10

o No conventional harmonic progressions (e.g. cadences)

o Final chord (B and E)

Question 11

Texture

Answer 11

o Contrapuntal – lots of independent melodic interest
o Canon – Live Guitar, Guitar 1, Guitar 2, Guitar 3, Guitar 4
o Starts monophonic, builds up texture gradually