Discography

Following the success of his previous albums, “Steve Reich: Drumming” (2018) and “Colin Currie & Steve Reich Live at Fondation Louis Vuitton” (2019), Colin Currie is joined on this album by his closest musical colleagues and companions, the Colin Currie Group and Synergy Vocals, who recorded the work at London’s Abbey Road Studios in 2022.

World Premiere recording of Reich/Richter released June 10, 2022

Nonesuch will release the first recording of Reich/Richter performed by Ensemble Intercontemporain conducted by George Jackson. A vinyl LP is scheduled for August. The music was first written for a film by visual artist Gerhard Richer with film maker Corinna Belz. The recording was made live in Paris at the Philharmonie and the combination of superb musicians in an exceptionally fine acoustic has created an extraordinary result.

Two of the finest percussion groups from two generations join forces for outstanding performances of several early and one late work.

With Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians, the French ensemble Links presents a classic of the 20th century.

Eight Lines, City Life & Other Works

The third release from Colin Currie’s label celebrates the percussionist’s artistic relationship with American cultural icon, Steve Reich. Programed at the composer’s request and performed under his supervision, it captures a group of truly world-class performers at the peak of their powers. On this live recording, Currie conducts and performs with the Colin Currie Group and their long-standing collaborators Synergy Vocals. He is joined on stage by Steve Reich for a performance of Clapping Music. This album is essential for any Reich fan.

Steve Reich: Drumming is the debut album of percussionist Colin Currie’s newly launched record label, Colin Currie Records. The Colin Currie Group, longtime specialists in Reich’s music, is joined by members of Synergy Vocals for this recording.

Pulse / Quartet was released by Nonesuch Records on February 2, 2018. The album includes the world-premiere recordings of Pulse for large ensemble, performed by the International Contemporary Ensemble, and Quartet for two pianos and two vibraphones, played by the Colin Currie Group. The Los Angeles Times notes the “lyricism, gorgeous instrumental textures and affecting harmonies” of Pulse, and the New York Times says of Quartet: “Written for two vibraphones and two pianos, Quartet is Mr. Reich’s first piece for those two instruments alone, and the combination is ingenious and seductive, and deployed with subtle craftsmanship.”

Steve Reich: Double Sextet / Radio Rewrite released on Harmonia Mundi on August 26, 2016. Ensemble Signal and Brad Lubman record two recent works: the Pulitzer Prize–winning Double Sextet (2007) and Radio Rewrite (2013). The Arts Desk writes, “The positivity is intoxicating; this is smart feel-good music which never feels glib. Brad Lubman’s intrepid Ensemble Signal play with an accuracy and passion which defies description.”

In September 2016, Deutsche Grammophon reissued for the first time its historical three-LP boxed set from 1974 of Drumming; Six Pianos; and Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices and Organ, performed by Steve Reich and Musicians. The accompanying booklet includes Reich’s original essay and notes, plus the first publication of correspondences between Reich and the producer about the recordings.

Steve Reich: Duet was released by Sony Records on September 23, 2016. The double CD package features world premiere recordings of the orchestral versions of You Are (Variations) and Daniel Variations, as well as The Four Sections, Duet, and Clapping Music performed by the Leipzig Radio Orchestra and Kristjan Järvi. Clapping Music is performed by Reich with Järvi.

The ECM Recordings was released on September 30, 2016. ECM has re-released a set of its three historic Reich albums, recorded by his ensemble from 1976–1982: Music for 18 Musicians, Violin Phase / Music for a Large Ensemble / Octet, and Tehillim. The set includes “the definitive recording of his undisputed masterpiece Music for 18 Musicians,” according to Pitchfork. Stereophile writes that these albums “confirm that Reich could convey the pulse and spirit of American urban life as brilliantly as Gershwin did 30 years earlier.” The set includes original liner notes by Reich and a new essay by Paul Griffiths.

Steve Reich: Sextet | Clapping Music | Pieces of Wood released on LSO Live on June 10, 2016. The LSO Percussion Ensemble offers a live recording of iconic Reich percussion works. Grammophon calls it “an excellent rendition … as if the precise mechanism of a complex clock had been carefully deconstructed before being pieced back together.”

Third Coast Percussion’s Steve Reich album was released February 12, 2016. Works include Sextet, Mallet Quartet, Nagoya Marimbas, and Music for Pieces of Wood.

Music for 18 Musicians was released on May 12, 2015. Ensemble Signal, conducted by Brad Lubman, marks its first recording on the label with this work.

Radio Rewrite was released by Nonesuch Records in September 2014. It references two songs by Radiohead reworked into an original composition for non rock instruments. The performance features Alarm Will Sound conducted by Alan Pierson. An additional highlight is a completely new recording of Electric Counterpoint performed by Radiohead guitarist, Jonny Greenwood. Also included is Piano Counterpoint, an arrangement of Six Pianos by Vincent Corver performed here by pianist Vicky Chow.

Steve Reich & Musicians (Reissued)

Kuniko Plays Reich’ features three premiere arrangements of Steve Reich’s Electric Counterpoint for electric guitar and tape, Six Marimbas op. tr and Vermont Counterpoint. The exciting arrangements were all created in consultation with Reich (who has contributed to the booklet), and legendary guitarist Pat Metheny advised on ‘electric counterpoint – version for percussions’, having given the debut performance in 1987. The recording showcases KUNIKO’s new live solo marimba part that accompanies the pre-recorded tape of five marimbas in Six Marimbas Counterpoint. KUNIKO worked alongside some of the most respected producers, to create the perfect surround and stereo mixes of these vibrant works. This recording was made without loops or quantization. With up to twelve overlapping tracks, plus a live performance, each arrangement has a consistent timbre that allows the individual tracks to weave within each other, creating waves of sound.

Reich: The Desert Music; Three Movements by Chorus sine nomine

Performed by ALARM WILL SOUND and OSSIA. Conducted by Alan Pierson. Produced by Bang on a Can.

WTC 9/11 / Mallet Quartet / Dance Patterns was released by Nonesuch Records on September 20, 2011. WTC 9/11—scored for string quartet and pre-recorded voices and strings (or three string quartets and pre-recorded voices)—commemorates the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center

Double Sextet and 2×5 were released by Nonesuch on September 14, 2010. Double Sextet won the Pulitzer Prize for music in 2009 and is performed by Eighth Blackbird. 2×5 is scored for electric guitars, electric basses, drum kits & pianos and is performed by Bang on a Can.

Daniel Variations (2006) combines text by Daniel Pearl, the American Jewish reporter and violinist murdered by Islamic fundamentalists in Karachi in 2002, together with text from the Biblical book of Daniel. This premiere recording of Daniel Variations is performed by the Los Angeles Master Chorale conducted by Grant Gershon and also includes the first recording of Variations for Vibes, Pianos and Strings (2005) performed by the London Sinfonietta conducted by Alan Pierson.

For four electirc organs and maracas-Michael Tilson Thomas, Steve Reich, Ralph Grierson, Roger Kellaway, Tom Raney. Also includes, The Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky, arranged for two pianos, and Three Dances by John Cage.

Amadinda Percussion Group

The premiere recording of the London Steve Reich Ensemble performing Sextet, Piano Phase and Eight Lines conducted by Kevin Griffiths on the German CPO label.

The premiere recording of the Grand Valley State University New Music Ensemble performing Music for 18 Musicians directed by Bill Ryan on the American Innova label.

Nonesuch records has released its second boxed set of music by Steve Reich entitled ‘Phases – A Nonesuch Retrospective’, and sold at a special reduced price. Included in the 5 CD box are a large number of Steve Reich’s best known works including, Music for 18 Musicians, Drumming, You Are (Variations), Different Trains,Tehillim, The Desert Music, Cello Counterpoint, Eight Lines, Proverb, Come Out, Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices and Organ, Electric Counterpoint, New York Counterpoint and Triple Quartet. Various Artists include Pat Metheny, Kronos Quartet, Michael Tilson Thomas, Steve Reich & Musicians and Evan Ziporyn.

The Orchestre National de Lyon conducted by David Robertson on Naïve label, number MO 782167

On September 5th, 2005 Signum Records in UK released a new CD of Different Trains. Triple Quartet and Duet performed by the Smith Quartet

Performed by Steve Reich and Musicians at The Kitchen 1977. This recording is live and completely unedited.

performed by the Los Angeles Master Chorale, conducted by Grant Gershon and by cellist Maya Beiser.

(Live recording in Budapest) Amadinda and Musicians

Steve Reich and Musicians, recorded by Deutsche Grammophon in 1974. Re-released 2004.

Steve Reich, Ictus, Synergy Vocals

Steve Reich Ensemble & Synergy Vocals conducted by Bradley Lubman

San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. Conducted by Edo de Waart. Steve Reich & Musicians

Roland Diry: clarinets (New York Counterpoint); Jagdish Mistry: violin (Violin Phase); Peter Rundel: conductor (City Life); Bradley Lubman: conductor (Eight Lines)

Electric Guitar Phase (1967, 2001). Music for a Large Ensemble. Tokyo/Vermont Counterpoint (1981, 2000). Kronos Quartet, Dominic Fracsca, Alarm Will Sound & Ossia Ensembles, Mika Yoshida

Bang on a Can, Evan Ziporyn, clarinets, Bradley Lubman, cond.

Ensemble Avantgarde

(tribute to the composer; various DJs re-work Reich recordings)

Ensemble Modern, Lubman

Steve Reich and Musicians

The Cave (excerpts); City Life; Come Out; Clapping Music; The Desert Music; Different Trains; Drumming; Eight Lines; Electric Counterpoint; Four Organs; The Four Sections; It’s Gonna Rain; Music for 18 Musicians; Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices, and Organ; Nagoya Marimbas; New York Counterpoint; Piano Phase; Proverb; Sextet; Six Marimbas; Tehillim; Three Movements. Various artists.

Reviewed by Richard Taruskin

Nagoya Marimbas, Proverb, Bob Becker and James Preiss, Steve Reich Ensemble / Bradley Lubman / Theatre of Voices/Paul Hillier

Steve Reich Ensemble / Paul Hillier

Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Jon Gibson, Arthur Murphy, Steve Chambers

Schoenberg Ensemble / Reinbert de Leeuw / London Symphony Orchestra / Michael Tilson Thomas

Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices, and Organ. London Symphony Orchestra / Michael Tilson Thomas; Steve Reich and Musicians

Electric Counterpoint / Kronos Quartet, Pat Metheny, guitar

Clapping Music, Come Out, It’s Gonna Rain, Piano Phase. Russ Hartenberger and Steve Reich, perc., Nurit Tilles and Edmund Niemann, pianos

performed by So Percussion

Nexus, Steve Reich and Musicians, Manhattan Marimba Quartet

Steve Reich and Musicians

Steve Reich and Musicians; Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorus / Michael Tilson Thomas

Steve Reich and Musicians

Steve Reich and Musicians

Steve Reich and Musicians