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Episode #2179

Music with Voices on Tape

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Saturday, May 07, 2005

Steve Reich's seminal tape work "It's Gonna Rain" came about largely by accident. In January 1965, Reich had happened upon a street preacher giving a sermon in San Francisco, which he proceed to record. Later, while experimenting with tape loops of the sermon, Reich discovered the process of allowing two identical loops to gradually slip out of phase with one another. This phasing technique soon became an essential element of Reich's style and set the stage for other minimalist classics; hear them on tonight's program. These include Alvin Lucier's 1969 "I Am Sitting In A Room," and John Adams's "Christian Zeal and Activity."

PROGRAM #2179, Music with Voices on Tape (First aired on July 18, 2003)

ARTIST(S) RECORDING CUT(S) SOURCE
Steve Reich Early Works It's Gonna Rain, Part 1 [8:00] Nonesuch #79169.**
www.nonesuch.com or available at Amazon.com
Alvin Lucier I Am Sitting In A Room Edited version [16:00] Lovely Music, #1013
www.lovely.com
John Adams Earbox

Christian Zeal & Activity [10:00]

Nonesuch #79453** 10 CD set. www.nonesuch.com or available at Amazon.com
Various artists Reich Remixed Ken Ishii: Come Out remix [6:00] Nonesuch #79552
Available at Amazon.com

*, ** Find the recordings you've heard - go to the New Sounds Recordings Information page

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