Drumming

by Steve Reich

Drumming cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 1972
  • Label: Deutsche Grammophon
  • Country: United States
  • Length: 2:07:16
  • Community rating: 3.8/5 from 2 ratings

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Documenting a foundational work of American minimalism, this piece was inspired by the composer's studies of traditional drumming in Ghana. The recording utilizes the 'phasing' technique where identical rhythmic patterns gradually shift out of sync, creating a hypnotic and complex polyrhythmic experience that bridged Western classical music with non-Western rhythmic traditions.

Genres

Descriptors: rhythmic, minimalistic, repetitive, polyrhythm

Tracklist

  1. Drumming: Part I (24:35)
  2. Drumming: Part II (25:19)
  3. Drumming: Part III (15:39)
  4. Drumming: Part IV (18:56)
  5. Six Pianos (24:14)
  6. Music For Mallet Instruments, Voices And Organ (18:31)

Credits

  • Art Murphy - drums, marimba, glockenspiel
  • James Preiss - drums, marimba, glockenspiel
  • Steve Chambers - drums, marimba, glockenspiel
  • Ben Harms - marimba, glockenspiel
  • Frank Maefsky - marimba
  • James Ogden - marimba
  • Jon Gibson - marimba, piccolo flute
  • Russ Hartenberger - marimba, glockenspiel

More from Steve Reich: full discography