Reich's 1985 Nonesuch release "The Desert Music" marked a return to large-scale works for orchestra and voices, featuring the composer's signature interlocking rhythmic structures and gradual harmonic shifts. The piece is structured in two parts, with the first featuring a pre-recorded tape and the second an ensemble of voices and instruments.
- The album was recorded by the Brooklyn Philharmonic and the Brooklyn Philharmonic Chorus, conducted by George Manahan, with the addition of the Steve Reich ensemble.
- The text for the vocal parts was drawn from Puerto Rican poet and activist Graciela Noa.
- The album was released on Nonesuch Records in December 1985.
Steve Reich is a pioneering American composer, a key figure in the minimalist music movement. "The Desert Music" was composed between 1983 and 1984, following his 1981 work "Toccata for Strings and Orchestra" and preceding his 1987 opera "The Evils of Narcissus".
Tracklist
