Music for the pandemic

[Bach5G]

Steve Reich, Music for 18 Musicians.



Actually any Steve Reich will do.

[Posaunus]

Listening to most of Steve Reich's compositions is almost worse for me than getting a case of COVID-19!

[AndrewMeronek]

Music for 18 musicians is awesome. Awesometacular, even. Hard to listen to, but when I have the energy to invest -

[AndrewMeronek]

I am absolutely in love with this piece. I wrote a brass quintet arrangement last year, but this is the gift that keeps on giving.

[Bach5G]

I’m now listening to Radio Rewrite by Reich and Radiohead and others.

I say this is perfect music for the pandemic in the sense that the pace of life these days allows one to observe and appreciate the subtle, minimalistic changes in the music over the life of the performance.

Much like the virus itself. Fragments repeat, replicate, evolve, mutate, on and on, almost infinitely. Best enjoyed alone in quarantine? I wouldn’t describe this as “girlfriend friendly music”.

Music for our time in a discomforting way.