Drumming (Reich)

Phasing The piece employs Reich's trademark technique of phasing. Phasing is achieved when two players, or one player and a recording, are playing a single repeated pattern in unison, usually on the same kind of instrument. One player changes tempo slightly, while the other remains constant, and eventually the two players are one or several beats out of sync with each other. They may either stay there, or phase further, depending on the piece. Other techniques K. Robert Schwarz characterized Drumming as a "transitional" piece between Reich's early, more austere compositions and his later works that use less strict forms and structure. Schwarz has also noted that Reich made use of three new techniques, for him, in this work: • "the process of gradually substituting beats for rests (or rests for beats) within a constantly repeating rhythmic cycle", or "rhythmic construction" and "rhythmic reduction" • combination of instruments of different timbres at the same time • incorporation of human voices in imitation of the sounds of the percussion instruments in the ensemble, including whistling effects ==Instrumentation and form==

In total, the work requires 9 percussionists. With the additional players, the piece can be performed by 12 or 13 players. The work falls into four parts, with the following instrumentation used in each: While this is true for his earlier work, Reich would diverge from strict processes more in later works. ==Collaborations==

Choreographers such as Laura Dean, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, and Ginette Laurin have collaborated on dance performances with Reich on Drumming. ==Recordings==

• 1971 – Gary Burke, Steve Chambers, Ben Harms, Russ Hartenberger, Frank Maefsky, Art Murphy, James Ogden, James Preiss (percussion); Jon Gibson (percussion, piccolo); Steve Reich (percussion, voice, whistling); Jay Clayton, Joan La Barbara, Judy Sherman (voice) (John Gibson + Multiples Inc. 72-750125; a limited edition of 500 signed and numbered copies with printed and signed score, released in 1972). Recorded on December 16, 1971, live at Town Hall, New York. Duration 1:21:35 • 1974 – Bob Becker, Cornelius Cardew, Steve Chambers, Tim Ferchen, Ben Harms, Russ Hartenberger, James Preiss, Glen Velez (percussion); Steve Reich (percussion, whistling); Leslie Scott (piccolo); Jay Clayton, Joan La Barbara (voice) (Deutsche Grammophon 3 LPs 2740 106; issued on CD in the 20th Century Classics series in 1996, again as part of the 20/21 Echo Series in 2003, and again as part of the C20 series in 2012. Re-issued on vinyl in 2016.) Duration 1:24:29. • 1987 – Steve Reich and Musicians (Nonesuch/Elektra 79170; also included on Steve Reich: Works 1965–1995). Duration 56:42. • 2002 – Ictus Ensemble (Cypres CYP5608). Duration 54:49. • 2005 – Sō Percussion; Eric Lesser (piccolo); Rebecca Armstrong, Jay Clayton (voice) (Cantaloupe Music CA21026). Duration 1:14:02. • 2018 – Colin Currie Group, Synergy Vocals. (Colin Currie Records CCR0001). Duration 55:07. • 2018 – Kuniko Kato (Linn Records CKD 582). Duration 1:10:02. ==References==