Search - Steve Reich, Jay Clayton, Joan La Barbara :: Drumming

A philosophical work

Philip R. Olenick | Cambridge, MA USA | 02/19/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first heard "Drumming" on my car radio (of all places, of course it was probably WBAI-FM in New York) when it first came out in the early seventies. I pulled over to the side of the road to listen, so hypnotic was its rhythm. I have the original three-LP Deutch Grammophone version (the third disk contains two other pieces), which I put on tonight for the first time in many years, and came here to Amazon in hopes of finding a DVD-based version that would play straight through without interruption. (I guess that's still in the future.)



What "Drumming" has always conjured up for me are images from fractal geometry, chaos theory, and evolution - it asserts, wordlessly, that the human being is the product of inevitable processes of differentiation and elaboration, as subtle phase shifts produce beat frequencies and harmonics, starting with a simple syncopated drumbeat, and calling forth the existence of marimbas, flutes, glockenspeils, and eventually the human voice, in order to reach its final expression.



I'm not usually a fan of classical music - jazz is my thing, since it expresses human individuality and group cooperation with a blues-based scale that's a *harmonic* syncopation - but "Drumming" transcends musical categories. As Duke Ellington always said, there are only two kinds of music: good music and bad music."

Amazing, absolutely amazing

filterite | Dublin, Ireland | 12/19/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I could blather on about this album for a good while and since the other reviewers take you into a more in depth analysis of such an extraordinary album I'll just say this venture into minimalism is incredibly relaxing. While listening to it subconciously you seem to pick out tunes even when it sounds to be incredibly cluttered. Gradually if you're still listening by the time you pop the second CD, it becomes less aggressive, less cluttered and more peaceful, calming, tranquil and then picks the pace up yet again but still sound somewhat slightly different all the time. It's a sheer masterclass of beauty. I hate using words like that normally because it usually makes you sound like a pompous fool but this however deserves the term. It's quite simply astonishing and if you feel overly frustrated or exhausted with your life, this could prove to be the perfect tonic for those with an open mind towards music. It's a pure aural pleasure. Surrender subconsciously and the rewards are great!"

Back to Basics

W. Scott Smoot | Atlanta, GA USA | 01/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Back in the mid-80s when Reich, Glass, Adams, Riley, and Nyman moved from fringe to big time, they all got commissions from larger ensembles. I thought Reich's work was best of all. The thrill of Reich's propulsive beat under long serene (or ominous) tones was enormous. I must admit, though, that he seemed to hit a wall sometime soon after THE DESERT MUSIC and VERMONT COUNTERPOINT. Several "counterpoint" pieces for other instruments followed the same template. Ditto, new pieces echoed DESERT MUSIC, beginning even with the same chord.



This new recording of DRUMMING (the only one I've heard) reminds me why I loved Reich in the first place. At first, it's audaciously simple to the point that a casual listener would call idiotic. Very gradually, with incredible precision and patience, the ensemble gradually shifts out of synch, then starts filling in spaces. Eventually (but not for a long time!) Reich brings in variety with tones and different timbres.



It's dry and clean, it's virtuosic and athletic (what stamina and concentration they must have!), and it's fun."