Steve Reich- 3rd Movement Fast 'Electric Counterpoint'

Question 0

Genre

Answer 0

Minimalist

Question 1

Date of composition

Answer 1

1987

Question 2

Genre stylistics

Answer 2

Metamorphosis- gradual change 
Layers 
Repetition/ostinati/loops
Phase shifting
Drones

Question 3

Use of technology

Answer 3

Panning- sound travelling from one speaker to the next
Multi-tracking- different layers on top of each other
Looping

Question 4

Tempo

Answer 4

192 bpm- very fast

Question 5

Metre

Answer 5

3/2 with shuttle shifts to 12/8

Cross rhythms make the metre hard to spot

Question 6

Rhythm

Answer 6

Cross rhythms make the metre hard to spot

Original motif is syncopated

Question 7

Harmony-how is the motif treated?

Answer 7

The motif is developed and explored
Original motif is played on a high register
Motif is hexatonic (6 pitches only)

Question 8

Tonality

Answer 8

Tonal ambiguity-sounds like E minor or Gmajor
Modal- E-Aeolian
No traditional cadences
B section- constant change between E minor and C minor

Question 9

Instrumentation

Answer 9

Soloist with pre-recorded multi-track recordings
1 live soloist:
plays the resultant melody, strummed patterns, cross rhythms
7 pre-recorded electric guitars:
2 pre-recorded bass guitars:
adds depth to texture, developed through addition, creates cross rhythms

Question 10

Dynamics

Answer 10

Ends with a crescendo and a forceful E5 chord

Question 11

Structure

Answer 11

Loosely Ternary form with a coda

ABA(coda)

Question 12

Texture

Answer 12

Panning+ interweaving rhythms make it feel like the texture is changing
Starts monophonic
Ends polyphonic
Polyphonic-contrapuntal texture (only melodies)

Question 13

Section A (texture)

Answer 13

Begins monophonic
More layers are added- 4 part cannon
Texture built up by bass
Bass and live guitar create cross rhythms
Resultant melody played by the live guitar

Question 14

Section B (texture)

Answer 14

C minor (or is it Eb major)
Change in metre to 12/4, two guitars stay in 3/2
E minor again
C minor (metre keeps changing)
E minor (metre and key makes it more ambiguous)

Question 15

Coda (texture)

Answer 15

Stripped back
4 part cannon
crescendos until the E minor chord

Question 32

How do we know it’s tonality

Answer 32

G major or E minor
E-Aeolian
E minor but no D#

Question 33

Interest kept in section A

Answer 33

Addition of texture

Question 34

Interest kept in section B

Answer 34

Tonality and metre changing

E minor and C minor

Question 35

Live player

Answer 35

Pat Methany

Jazz guitarist

Question 36

Texture buildup

Answer 36

Texture builds up
Texture stays the same (interest kept in other ways)
Shorter, texture thins

Question 37

Indonesia

Answer 37

Gamelan

Repetition of a cell

Question 38

Africa

Answer 38

Inspired rhythmically
Syncopation
Cross rhythms
Rpetition