Search - Terry Riley, Warner Jepson, Warner Jepsen :: Riley: In C (25th Anniversary Concert)

A superb recording of a superb work.

Chris Massa | West Chester, PA | 09/19/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Terry Riley's minimalistic masterpiece "In C" is, admittedly, an extremely experimental piece of work. It is a supreme example of music for its own sake, music that doesn't express anything other than itself. It should be noted that it also expresses itself very very well."In C" allows our imagination to soar, because it doesn't know its limits. Here is a piece which, in its natural version, is merely fifty-eight measures. That such a talented ensemble can make it last a little over 76 minutes, keeping the listener entranced the entire time, is yet another accolade of this piece.It is truly marvelous to hear such creativity captured on compact disc, and yet, it happens much too infrequently. This is truly a collector's item for fans of Riley, minimalism, or simply great music. It is limitless, boundless, and marvelously original."

"music to try to awaken ourselves"

R. Hutchinson | a world ruled by fossil fuels and fossil minds | 05/03/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When asked whether he has a favorite performance of "In C," Riley told composer William Duckworth: "...the one that really surprised me was the 25th anniversary one we did in San Francisco... [I]t...has an epic quality, because there were 34 musicians. When I heard the tape, I was really impressed. Even with orchestras, it had never had the epic quality it does with this performance" (from TALKING MUSIC, interviews by William Duckworth). Although Terry Riley always credits his friend La Monte Young as the original "minimalist" (specifically Young's "Trio for Strings" -- see the Duckworth interview), it was Riley's "In C" that put this new approach on the map. Steve Reich referred to his early work as "pattern music," and that is as good a description of "In C" as any -- Reich played in the first performance in 1964, and it was a crucial influence. This live performance is amazing, with the Kronos Quartet among the ensemble members, and featuring jazzy saxophone passages that bring to mind Riley's debt to John Coltrane. This is spiritual music. Listen to Terry Riley (again, from Duckworth) on his music:



"I feel it's my field to try to create magic in sound. Magic in the sense of transcendence of this ordinary life into another realm. An awakening, you know. To use music to try to awaken ourselves.""

Rough Around the Edges, But Exhuberant Music Making

Timothy Dougal | Madison, Wi United States | 05/24/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I would actually prefer to give this 76 minute recording of 'In C' a 4 1/2 star rating, but I guess 5 will do. It is long, but that is the main reason I bought this version. As with many live recordings, the home listening experience would have been better if the record company had left off the long applause after a long pause at the end. As to the performance itself, it starts off a little shaky, but quickly finds its feet, and once it's on its way, I love the sheer joy of music-making exuberantly displayed by the 30-something musicians, its crescendos and decrescendos, it themes and variations floating in and out. Although it seems that some listeners quickly get enough of this, I have put this disc on repeat more than once, and don't really understand how some can get bored by this eventful, complex production. I wish I could find more like this one!"