Music for 18 Musicians
STEVE REICH
Steve Reich is an American composer and likes composing using beats, rhythms and pulses and slowly changing and repeating patterns. This type of music is called Minimalism.
Hear this page read aloud...
Steve Reich -audio.m4aListen
Click on this link to take you to a performance of the music : Music for 18 Musicians
- What instruments are being used? Look out for clarinet, bass clarinet, violin, cello, voices, marimbas, vibraphones, metallophones, xylophones, pianos and maracas. Look them up to see which is which!
- Can you think of words to describe this music? E.g. shimmering, quivering, rippling
- What you hear is just an excerpt of the piece. This means just part of it! It lasts much longer!
Activities
Try some of these activities:
1. Look at these musical words and what they mean. Then listen to the music again and see if you can hear the music getting louder or quieter or if there are repeating patterns.
Crescendo - gradually getting louder
Diminuendo - gradually getting softer
Ostinato - a repeating (often rhythmic) pattern
Follow this link to watch Steve Reich’s ‘Clapping Music’.
You may need to ask for an adult’s permission.
2. See if you and some members of your household can make your own rhythmic piece of music just by clapping different rhythms! Look at this example...
3. Design and colour a pattern based on the music. There are some ideas on the background of the picture below to inspire you! If you like, send it to us at music@bedford.gov.uk . We only need your first name and it may get put onto our website!