Electric Counterpoint - Steve Reich

Background: 1987; minimalism
Dynamics: mezzo-forte to begin; no dramatic changes, parts fade in and out.
Rhythm and metre: 3/2; rhythmic displacement; 192 crotchet bpm.
Structure: ambiguous; binary with a coda or ternary.
Melody: made up of ostinati. Ostinati 1: hexatonic; disjunct; syncopation. Live guitar: note addition; resultant melody. Ostinati 2: octave leaps.
Instruments: 1 live guitar; 7 pre-recorded guitars; 2 pre-recorded bass. Guitars 5,6 and 7 are strummed, all other guitar parts are picked.
Tonality: ambiguous; beginning is G major; bass guitars hint E minor.
Texture: monophonic opening; layered texture leads to 4-part canon; polyphonic (counterpoint) for most of piece; 4-part canon for final sections.
Harmony: consonant harmony. Guitar 5 chords: C Bm E. Guitar 6 chords: C D Em. Guitar 7 chords: C D Bm.
Musical features: note addition; note subtraction; layering; rhythmic displacement.

Resource summary

	Created by bethanygrace7 over 11 years ago