The Desert Music

by Steve Reich

The Desert Music cover art

Steve Reich's 'The Desert Music' is a staggering, highly ambitious piece of orchestral minimalism scored for a massive chorus and a sprawling symphonic ensemble. The composition utilizes relentlessly repetitive, incredibly complex rhythmic pulses and wordless vocalizations to evoke the vast, suspenseful expanse of the American Southwest. It is a profoundly energetic, monumental achievement that dramatically expanded the scope of minimalist music.

Genres

  • Minimalism

Tracklist

  1. The Desert Music: I. Fast
  2. The Desert Music: II. Moderate
  3. The Desert Music: III. Part One: Slow
  4. The Desert Music: III. Part Two: Moderate
  5. The Desert Music: III. Part Three: Slow
  6. The Desert Music: IV. Moderate
  7. The Desert Music: V. Fast