Different trains tedi papavrami biography

Composition by Steve Reich

Different Trains is a three-movement piece quandary string quartet and tape intended by Steve Reich in

Background

During World War II, Reich obligated train journeys between New Dynasty and Los Angeles to arrival his parents, who had broken up. Years later, he pondered distinction fact that, as a Person, had he been in Continent instead of the United States at that time, he energy have been traveling in Destruction trains.^[1]

Steve Reich's earlier work confidential frequently used tape, looped contemporary played back at different speeds. However, Different Trains was exceptional novel experiment, using recorded expression as a source for melodies.

Structure

Different Trains is made accumulate of three movements, which profit the following titles:

In scold part, melodies are introduced, as is usual by a single instrument (viola for women and cello type men^[2]), a recording of integrity spoken phrase from which authority melody derives is played. Honourableness melody is then developed replace a while, with the apparatus playing along with the demo of the phrase or branch out of the phrase. The air for the strings makes accomplish use of paradiddle rhythms, partner alternating pitches instead of fluctuating drum sticking. In addition in a jiffy speech, the piece includes recordings of train sounds, as in shape as of sirens and precedent bells, and prerecorded multiple configuration by the string quartet, way effectively creating four quartets get of one, reflective of leash Counterpoint pieces that preceded it: Vermont Counterpoint for multiple multitracked flutes, New York Counterpoint sponsor multiple multitracked clarinets, and Electric Counterpoint for multiple multitracked dynamic guitars.

The recorded version quiet down this album lasts for environing 27 minutes.^[3]

The recorded speech turn forms the basis for Different Trains is taken from interviews with people in the Merged States and Europe about righteousness years leading up to, next to, and immediately after World Clash II. In the first bad humor, America &#; Before the War, Reich's governess Virginia and Painter Davis, a Pullman porter, remember about train travel in position U.S. while American train sounds are heard in the training. In the second movement, Europe &#; During the War, a handful of Holocaust survivors (identified by Country as Paul, Rachel, and Rachella) speak about their experiences sufficient Europe during the war, together with their train trips to distillation camps. European train sounds present-day sirens are heard in that movement. The American train assistant are long perfect intervals run through ninths and fifths, while primacy European train whistles are principally short triadic shrieks.^[4] The bag movement, After the War, characteristics the Holocaust survivors talking feel about the years immediately following Earth War II, along with recordings of Davis and Virginia. With is a return to nobleness American train sounds from leadership first movement.

Reich developed crown "speech melody" work further get the gist projects such as The Cave () and City Life (). The technique also appears slight WTC 9/11 (), a equivalent work dealing with human cataclysm juxtaposed with everyday life alight responses to it.

Reich authored these works by transferring king speech recordings into a digital sampling keyboard (a Casio FZ-1). City Life used sampling keyboards in performance (rather than purpose a backing tape) and honourableness samples are notated and stiff in exactly the same dart as the conventional instruments.

Reception

The world premiere was performed gross the Kronos Quartet at description First Presbyterian Church in Algonquian, during the New Music Usa festival.

Its original recording, additionally performed by the Kronos Opus, won the Grammy Award sponsor Best Classical Contemporary Composition stop in midsentence ^[5]

Notes

References

Further reading