Steve ReichSteve Reich at UC Berkeley University Museum (November 7, 1970)

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A live performance of four earlier works by Reich, including Four Organs, My Name Is, Piano Phase and Phase Patterns." The concert by Steve Reich & Musicians took place November 7, 1970 at the opening of the University Museum, on the University of California, Berkeley campus. This recorded broadcast is presented by Richard Friedman. This performance marked an important moment in Bay Area new music history with the triumphant return to the East Bay by Reich who studied at Mills with Berio and performed in 1964 in the world premiere of Terry Riley's "in C" at the San Francisco Tape Music Center. The resonant acoustics of the concrete interior museum were especially appropriate for Four Organs, with its long additive sustained chords over a maraca pulse. The capacity crowd occupied every conceivable area of the interior space, including walkway ramps suspended over gallery spaces. An electrifying evening!

This item is part of the collection: Other Minds Archive

Author: Steve Reich
Date: 1970-11-07 00:00:00
Source: Other Minds
Keywords: Avantgarde

Creative Commons license: Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial

Notes

All Other Minds programs available, with additional print and photo materials, at http://www.radiOM.org.

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Reviewer: Dr. Nev - - November 23, 2007
Subject: Wonderful

I have always been a fan of Steve Reich. So wonderful to hear a live interpretation of some of his work.

"The modern day composer refuses to die." - Edgar Varese.

Reviewer: felaiuki - - December 25, 2005
Subject: Great! but where's the download?

Steve Reich live! good sound quality, amazing music, but why only "stream"?? Where's the "Download" feature?

Reviewer: dwquinn - - January 23, 2004
Subject: important document

at the very least, it is fascinating to be able to compare live performances of "4 organs", "piano phases" and "phase patterns" with the original recordings. "my name is" is a piece constructed in the style of "it's gonna rain" and "come out", albeit not as dense or complex. constructed from recording assorted persons waiting in line for the concert, people were requested to respond to the question, "what is your name?", and selections were constructed and presented as a performance in time for the concert. not as interesting ss "come out", but impressive for the quick turn-around time for performance. sound: A/performance: A.

essential.
- d. whitney quinn
pasadena, ca

Reviewer: Richard_Friedman - - January 21, 2004
Subject: Steve Reich at UCB

I have to admit, it is amazing to hear myself announce the program 33 years later. Thanks to the OM staff for resurrecting this tape and making it available. You have to remember that at that time nothing like this had been heard on Bay Area FM radio. I had attended an early performance of 4 Organs in 1967 (I think) at an art gallery on Laguardia Place in Greenwich Village, and was quite astounded by it then. No one knew what to make of it. Reich and others managed to establish the "Downtown Avant-Garde" in NYC, in opposition to the Uptown AG around Columbia Univ and Milton Babbitt. The pieces on this UCB program drew a clear line in the sand, and changed the direction of new music in the late '60s and '70s.
-- Richard Friedman, Oakland CA.