Music for 18 Musicians

eighteen musicians, phasing in and out under rolling waves of bliss This is such an important album, not only a milestone for Steve Reich's career, but also one for other minimalist or post-minimalist composers, not to mention music at large. You can sense the influence of Reich in so many different artists and musicians playing today. And this record is clearly the matrix where everything started... I can't really take the 1001 Albums... book seriously when I see that this contemporary composer (to whom you could arguably add Philip Glass, Terry Riley, Meredith Monk or Arvo Pärt) gets totally and criminally ignored by the original list. It makes their authors look like... uncultured swines, to be honest. To be clear, this is not a mere question of elitism, contrary to what my words up here might suggest. Steve Reich was also quite a subversive figure when he challenged the American orchestral music establishment during the seventies. In a sense, he represented the New York working class, and his subsequent works have often underlined this more clearly than this particular album does. The man was also a part-time plumber in those early years, for Pete's sake! Guess he must have heard some crazy things in his ears tapping on those pipes at work, lol. So for newbies and newcomers, please don't take the experience this terrific piece of music offers as a mere "intellectual" endeavor. Sure, the thing is precisely sequenced and structured, and its different lively rhythms phasing in and out of each other are almost scientifically thought-out. Yet the end result feels as mystical as its textures are sensual. Without this mysticism and sensuality, this result wouldn't amount to much in the grand scheme of things. Yet it's the exact contrary that happens here. You can listen to this in a meditative fashion, or take it as a cinematic experience, or just play it as background music to create a "mood" at home. There are so many ways to enjoy this seminal album. The "eighteen musicians" in question are exclusively playing percussions (marimba, vibraphones and the likes), piano, woods and strings. But the music is so all-encompassing you're soon under the impression you're also hearing church organs or elated voices during the course of this single long track. Interestingly, Reich would soon use real vocalizations for his other masterpiece *The Desert Music*, harnessing the same sort of hypnotic, repetitive musical grammar. But as much as I think this later piece should be included as well (along with *Different Trains*, *City Life*, and also *Drumming*, maybe), the chronologically earlier spot occupied by this ECM album surely takes prominence. And, you know, if ever there's a candidate for music offering an out-of-body experience, *Music For Eighteen* gets my vote right away. Congratulations to the user who suggested this. That's a stellar choice in my own "book". 5/5 for the purposes of this list dedicated to essential albums. 10/10 for more general purposes (5 for the absolutely proficient musicianship / production values + 5 for the artistry) ---- Number of albums from the original list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 465 Albums from the original list I *might* include in mine later on: 288 Albums from the original list I won't include in mine: 336 ---- Number of albums from the users list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 90 (including this one) Albums from the users list I *might* select for mine later on: 110 Albums from the users list I won't select for mine: 225 ---- Yo, Émile. Je t'ai enfin répondu. Regarde sous... *Demon Days*, de Gorillaz. 😉

The original 1001 albums book (and list) are supposed to exclude classical music. As such this album should not appear on it. The music on the album is a modern genre called minimal music. As it's full of small themes repeating it has a large overlap with several popular music genres like electronic and ambient. Philip Glass, another minimal music artist, even made remakes of David Bowie albums. So, the question of whether this album belongs on this list is a difficult one. Music for 18 Musicians is one of the best music pieces of Steve Reich. The repetition in the musical themes with small changes works great and creates an almost organic atmosphere ("the duration of particular note-pulses is determined by the natural breath rhythms of the musicians"). One of the top 25 albums of all time according to David Bowie.

I think I’m in the wrong cried here, because most reviews are 5 stars and j am nowhere near that. Just because something is technically proficient, that doesn’t make it good. Where’s the emotion? If Jazz is one end of the spectrum, this is the other.

Very interesting pick! I have listened to a bit of Phillip Glass’ music over the years, so I kind of knew what sort of thing this might be… I loved listening to it. While it’s for a totally different kind of listening than most of this list, I think it definitely worthy of this list. One of the many albums I’ve encountered on this project that make me thankful as I would never have found this on my own.

It is kind of relaxing, but borders on being somewhat boring

I feel like I'm not part of some fun club because I just didn't get it at all. 20 minutes in and I started skipping around. I don't think I can take 60 minutes of constant sixteenth notes and Bass Clarinets.

Yes absolutely love this, it’s finding these sorts album every once in a while what keeps me going with this user list 2 year on.

This is really excellent!

Steve Reich absolutely deserves to be on the list as his influence goes far beyond the world of contemporary classical music.

Pretty sure listening to this made me smarter. Thank you for sharing. I have to think this album is one of the pinnacles of human acheivement. Well chosen user #741, even if it does stretch the definition of the list (if I thought it was in bounds I would have shared an album of Bach Fugues). But Steve Reich didn't let people put him in a box so why should you?

Music that makes you feel like you can shoot laser beams out of your eyes if you focus hard enough. Arguably a perfect album. Hypnotizingly gorgeous, minimalist yet never boring, always evolving over the span of 50 minutes. Any album that has me saying: "Okay I wanna listen to that again" right after it ends is worthy of a 5/5 in my book.

I listened to this album on two separate devices (home stereo and ear buds) and I picked out different bits - that’s a fun magic trick. I can hear why Bowie named it as one of his favourite albums. But minimalism? - my ass. This disc is so dense with riffs and themes that overlap and weave that it feels like you’re trapped in a giant cuckoo clock. This thing is trance-inducing. I’d imagine that sensation would be heightened should you be in an altered state. Not that I would know.

I had a quiet night alone at home which was the perfect time to have this on and work on some creative work. Hell yea

4.5

Very beautiful

A music major friend introduced me to Reich in the college radio show we shared - Piano Phase if I recall. Can't say I've listened to a lot since but I guess it made an impression since I remember it more than 30 years later. I liked this a lot. A music major I was not, and I don't know much about Minimalism. In some ways it seems like a misnomer for what seems highly orchestrated to me, but I was happy to give whatever it is an hour. If I was smarter I'd probably be able to give it five stars.

Nice to see some modern classical on the list. Dont know if this was fully to my taste (the composition is a bit bland by classical standards), but a 56-minute long sustained performance is a feat nonetheless. Interesting pick, definitely broadens the scope of the user list and I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all.

Overall I liked this, but there were times I thought it might be driving me insane. 3 stars.

Nice

Rating: 6/10

Minimalismo. Saca un tanto de quicio. Un 2.