To mark Reich's 60th birthday, Nonesuch compiled this ten-disc box encompassing work from the first 30 years of the composer's oeuvre. The set opens with his revolutionary tape-manipulation piece Come Out, includes a recording of the landmark Music for 18 Musicians, and concludes with the more recent sampled soundscapes of City Life.
In June 1997, as the highlight to a nearly year-long international celebration of Steve Reich's 60th birthday, Nonesuch Records released a 10-CD box set retrospective of the composer's music. Entitled Works 1965–1995, the set includes a rich sampling of the works with which Reich had redefined contemporary classical music over the preceding three decades.
This compilation includes examples from every phase of Reich’s career, from his earliest tape loop pieces such as Come Out to current recordings like his widely hailed paean to urban chaos, City Life.
Among the highlights of Works 1965–1995 are completely new recordings of four of his classic pieces: Music for 18 Musicians, Eight Lines, Four Organs, and New York Counterpoint. These new versions of Reich’s works were recorded with Steve Reich and Musicians, Bang on a Can, and conductor Brad Lubman.
Produced by Judy Sherman, the box set naturally features such Reich landmark works as Electric Counterpoint with guitarist Pat Metheny; his elegiac commentary on the Holocaust, Different Trains, featuring Kronos Quartet; and selections from the Reich / Korot video opera The Cave. Other stand-out tracks are The Four Sections, Tehillim, and Proverb, among others.
The box set is accompanied by a comprehensive illustrated booklet with background information on Steve Reich, including an interview with the composer by music critic Jonathan Cott and essays on Reich by composer John Adams, conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, and Nonesuch Records President Robert Hurwitz.
Although Reich is identified with the Minimalist movement for the spare and stark rigors of his earlier works, he has evolved into a composer of complex vision. This compendium traces his journey from youthful experiments with found sound to multi-layered works for groups ranging from chamber ensembles to full orchestras, and from single-track tape to multiple-channel video. As Works 1965–1995 aptly demonstrates, the composer has remained faithful to the elements of his style while developing into one of the most important and influential musicians working today.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Disc One—Produced by Judith Sherman and Steve Reich, except track 5, produced by Judith Sherman. 2: Recorded May 1968 at RCA Studio A, New York; Engineered by Paul Goodman; Mixing and editing: Steve Reich and Judith Sherman. 5: Recorded June 1996 at the Edison Studio, New York; Engineered by John Kilgore; Assistant engineers: Jim Murray, Takako Furuya; Mixed October 1996 at the Hit Factory, New York; Assistant mix engineer: Tony Black; Editing assistance: Jeanne Velonis.
Disc Two—Produced by Judith Sherman and Steve Reich; Recorded May 1987 at RCA Studio A, New York; Engineered by Paul Goodman; Mixing and editing by Judith Sherman, Steve Reich, Paul Zinman.
Disc Three—1: Produced by Judith Sherman; Recorded November 1988 at CTS Studios, London; Engineered by Dick Lewzey; Edited and mixed by Judith Sherman and Steve Reich at New York Digital Recording, Inc., New York. 2: Produced, edited and mixed by Judith Sherman and Steve Reich; Recorded May 1987 at RCA Studio A, New York; Engineered by Paul Goodman. 3: Produced by Steve Reich; Recorded May 1986 at RCA Studios, New York; Engineered by Paul Goodman; Mixed by Tom Lazarus, Paul Goodman, Steve Reich.
Disc Four—Produced by Judith Sherman; Recorded October 1996 at the Hit Factory, New York; Engineered by John Kilgore; Assistant engineers: Glen Marchese, Chris Hilt; Mixed by John Kilgore, November 1996 and January 1997 at the Hit Factory, New York; Assistant mix engineers: Tony Black, Greg Thompson; Editing assistance: Jeanne Velonis.
Disc Five—Produced by Judith Sherman. 1: Recorded June 1996 at the Hit Factory, New York; Engineered by John Kilgore; Assistant engineers: Greg Thompson, Kevin Stone; Mixed October 1996 at the Hit Factory, New York; Assistant mix engineer: Tony Black; Editing assistance: Jeanne Velonis. 2-5: Recorded August 1993 at Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum, the Netherlands; Engineered by Hans Bedecker; Assistant engineer for additional recording at the Hit Factory, New York: Andy Grassi; Edited and mixed by Judith Sherman and Steve Reich at SoundByte Productions, New York.
Disc Six—Produced by Rudolph Werner and Steve Reich; Recorded October 1984 at RCA Studio A, New York; Engineered by Paul Goodman; Edited and mixed by Karl-August Naegler, Wolf-Dieter Karwatki, Rudolph Werner, John Newton, Steve Reich; Text by William Carlos Williams.
Disc Seven—1-3: Produced by Judith Sherman; Recorded January 1996 the Hit Factory, New York; Engineered by John Kilgore; Assistant engineer: Tony Black; Mixed October 1996 at the Hit Factory, New York; Assistant mix engineer: Tony Black; Editing assistance: Jeanne Velonis. 4-8: Produced by Steve Reich; Recorded May 1986 at RCA Studios, New York; Engineered by Paul Goodman; Mixing: Tom Lazarus, Paul Goodman, Steve Reich. 9-12: Produced by Judith Sherman; Recorded November 1988 at CTS Studios, London; Engineered by Dick Lewzey; Edited and mixed by Judith Sherman and Steve Reich at New York Digital Recording, Inc., New York.
Disc Eight—Produced by Judith Sherman. 1-3: Recorded August-September 1988 at Russian Hill Recording, San Francisco, CA; Engineered by Les Brockman; Assistant engineer: Michael Ahearn; Mix engineer: Ben Fowler. 4-6: Recorded September-October 1987 at Power Station, New York; Engineered by Rob Eaton; Assistant engineer: Gary Solomon. 7-9: Recorded February 1992 at Abbey Road Studios, London; Engineered by Simon Rhodes; Edited and mixed by Judith Sherman and Steve Reich at SoundByte Productions, New York.
Disc Nine—Produced by Judith Sherman; Recorded December 1994 at Edison Studio, New York; Engineered by John Kilgore; Assistant engineer: Yvonne Yedibalian; Mixed by Judith Sherman and Steve Reich at the Hit Factory, New York; Mixed by John Kilgore; Assistant mix engineers: Glen Marchese, Andy Grassi; Video/Text by Beryl Korot.
Disc Ten—Produced by Judith Sherman and Steve Reich. 1: Recorded June 1996 at the Hit Factory, New York; Engineered by John Kilgore; Assistant engineer: Greg Thompson; Assistant mix engineer: Geraldo Lopez; Editing assistants: Jeanne Velonis, Karl Heriem. 2: Recorded June 1996 at the Hit Factory, New York; Engineered by John Kilgore; Assistant engineer: Greg Thompson; Assistant mix engineer: Glen Marchese; Editing assistants: Jeanne Velonis, Karl Heriem. 3-7: Recorded June 1996 at the Hit Factory, New York; Engineered by John Kilgore; Assistant engineer: Carl Nappa; Assistant mix engineer: Geraldo Lopez, Glen Marchese; Editing assistants: Jeanne Velonis, Karl Heriem.
Works 1965-1995
Mastered by Robert C. Ludwig, Gateway Mastering Studios, Portland, ME
Design by John Gall
Design Assistant: Judy Hudson
Cover Photo: Steve Reich during a rehearsal of Music for 18 Musicians (New York, March 1976) by Betty Freeman
Executive Producer: Robert Hurwitz
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MUSICIANS
Disc One—2: Double Edge; Nurit Tilles, Edmund Niemann, pianos. 5: Bang on a Can: Michael Gordon, Lisa Moore, Mark Stewart, Evan Ziporyn, keyboards; James Preiss, maracas.
Disc Two—Steve Reich and Musicians: Bob Becker, Ben Harms, Russell Hartenberger, Garry Kvistad, James Preiss, Steve Reich, Gary Schall, Glen Velez, Thad Wheeler, tuned drums, marimbas, glockenspiels; Pamela Wood Ambush, Jay Clayton, voices; Steve Reich, whistling; Mort Silver, piccolo.
Disc Three—1: Steve Reich and Musicians: Bob Becker, Tim Ferchen, Russell Hartenberger, Steve Reich, marimbas; Garry Kvistad, Thad Wheeler, glockenspiels; James Preiss, vibraphone; Nurit Tillis, electric organ; Pamela Wood Ambush, Rebecca Armstrong, voices (long tones); Jay Clayton, voice (melodic patterns). 2: Russell Hartenberger, Steve Reich, clapping. 3: Steve Reich and Musicians with members of The Manhattan Marimba Quartet: Bob Becker, Kory Grossman, Russell Hartenberger, James Preiss, Bill Ruyle, William Trigg, marimbas.
Disc Four—Steve Reich and Musicians: Rebecca Armstrong, Marion Beckenstein, Cheryl Bensman Rowe, sopranos; Jay Clayton, alto, piano; Russell Hartenberger, Bob Becker, Tim Ferchen, marimbas, xylophone, piano; Steve Reich, marimba, piano; Thad Wheeler, marimba, maracas; Nurit Tilles, Edmund Neimann, pianos; Philip Bush, piano, maracas; Elizabeth Lim, violin; Jeanne LeBlanc, cello; Leslie Scott, Evan Ziporyn, clarinets, bass clarinets.
Disc Five—1: Bang on a Can; Bradley Lubman, conductor; Todd Reynolds, Gregor Kitzis, Jaqueline Carrasco, Elizabeth Knowles, violins; Martha Mook, Ron Lawrence, violas; Mark Stewart, Greg Passelink, cellos; Patti Monson, David Fedele, flues, piccolos; Michael Lowenstern, Evan Ziporyn, clarinets, bass clarinets; Edmund Neimann, Nurit Tilles, pianos. 2-5: Schoenberg Ensemble with Percussion Group The Hague; Reinbert de Leeuw, conductor;
Barbara Borden, Tannie Willemstijn, sopranos; Yyonne Benschop, Anada Goud, mezzo-sopranos.
Disc Six—Steve Reich and Musicians with Members of the Brooklyn Philharmonic Chorus; Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor; Principal percussion: Russell Hartenberger, Bob Becker, Glen Velez, Garry Kvistad; Principal strings: Julie Rosenfeld, concertmistress; Deborah Redding, second violin; Francesca Martin, viola; Sharon Prater, cello; Donald Palma, bass; Choral Contractor: Cheryl Bensman, soprano.
Disc Seven—1-3: Evan Ziporyn, clarinet. 4-8: Steve Reich and Musicians with members of Nexus: Bob Becker, Russell Hartenberger, Garry Kvistad, Glen Velez, marimbas, vibraphones, bass drums, crotales, tam-tams, sticks; Edmund Neimann, Nurit Tilles, pianos, synthesizers. 9-12: London Symphony Orchestra; Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor; With Bob Becker, Russell Hartenberger, Garry Kvistad, James Preiss, percussion; Edmund Niemann, Nurit Tillis, pianos.
Disc Eight—1-3: Kronos Quartet: David Harrington, violin; John Sherba, violin; Hank Dutt, viola; Joan Jeanrenaud, cello. 4-6: Pat Metheny, guitar. 7-9: London Symphony Orchestra; Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor; Neil Percy, Simon Carrington, Ray Northcott, Frank Ricotti, Clive Malabar, percussion.
Disc Nine—The Steve Reich Ensemble; Paul Hiller, conductor; Cheryl Bensman Rowe, soprano; Marion Beckenstein, soprano; James Bassi, tenor; Hugo Munday, baritone; Bob Becker Russell Hartenberger, Garry Kvistad, Thad Wheeler, percussion; Nurit Tilles, Edmund Neimann, Philip Bush, pianos, keyboards; Elizabeth Lim, Todd Reynolds, violins; Scott Rawls, viola; Jeanne LeBlanc, cello; Leslie Scott, Al Hunt, flutes, oboe, English horn, clarinet, bass clarinet.
Disc Ten—1: Theatre of Voices: Andrea Fullington, Sonja Rasmussen, Allison Zelles, sopranos; Alan Bennett, Paul Elliott, tenors; With members of The Steve Reich Ensemble: Russell Hartenberger, Bob Becker, vibraphones; Nurit Tilles, Edmund Niemann, electric organs; Paul Hiller, conductor. 2: Bob Becker, James Preiss, marimbas. 3-7: The Steve Reich Ensemble: David Fedele, Gen Shin Kai, flutes; Jackie Leclair, Matthew Sullivan, oboes; Leslie Scott, Michael Lowenstern, clarinets; Russell Hartenberger, Bob Becker, vibraphones; Garry Kvstad, percussion; Nurit Tilles, Philip Bush, sampling keyboards; Edmund Niemann, Lisa Moore, pianos; Elizabeth Lim, Todd Reynolds, violins; Lois Martin, viola; Jeanne LeBlanc, cello; Jay Elfenbein, bass; Bradley Lubman, conductor.
