I N C1t964)

Terry Riley (b. tsss)

The early l96os saw the rise of the musical style known as minimalism. Vith roots in the work ofJohn Cage, minimalist works at f irst were generally characterized by constant repetit ion of one or more shortdiatonic patterns, with alterations introduced into the pattern very slighdy and gradually to produce aneffect of kaleidoscopic change. The style arose partly as a reaction to the complexity of serialism and partlyas an attempt to reproduce the perceived stasis, or t imelessness, of Oriental music. The most important earlyfigures were Terry Riley, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass, all of whom later moved beyond the style of the early,"classical," minimalism as described here.

Rileys h C was a landmark in the early development of minimalism. Clearly its score can give l itt leidea of its effect in performance. After l istening to one of the recordings,35 ask yourself if you l isten to In Cany differently from the way you listen to a Haydn quartet, Chopin nocturne, or Stravinsky balleo Riley hassaid that he came to realize that "things didn't sound the same when you heard them more than once, andthe more you heard them, the more different they did sound."3u Vhat did he mean? Many minimalist worksfeature a degree of improvisation. Does the improvisation in In Cdiffer fromiazz improvisation?

The following directions are provided in the score by the composer;

AII performers play Jrom tbe same pan.Tbere are st repeating fgures, played in seQuerce.Tltry are to be taken consecutiuely with each pedormer determining tbe uumber of times be repeats eacb f1ure bdore going on to tbe next.The pulse rs traditionally played by a beautiJul girl on tbe top tt)ro octdnes of a grand piano. Sbe must play loudly-and keep strict tempo Jortbe entire ensemble to Jolloa.Tbe tempo should be detennired by bow Jast tbe ensemble can execute the smallest units (tath notes).AII pet'ormers must strictly adhere to tbe tempo oJ tbe pulse.AJter tbe pulse bas belm to sound, eacb perJormer determhes Jor bimself wben to enter on the frst fgure.As a general rule the performers sbould remaiu within () coflpass oJ t or s fgures oJ each other, occasionally trying to ftierge together il aunison Tbis means tbat altbougb eacb perJormer is cssentially Jree to repeat a fgure as mauy times as he wishes, be must ilimitely abide bytbe pace taken on by the nalority tn the ensemble.The msrmble sbould sit as close together tts is comJortably possible, all performers radiating outward Jrom tbe pulse, wbo should be in tbe cnkr.Il ,s O.K to ampliJy instrumettts that cat't naturally play so loud, sucb as strings, Jluks, barpsichords, etc.All parts sbould be played at tbe writter pitcb. h is generally O.K. to transpose up an octaoe. Transposing dowtr an octaoe should bediscouraged unless seoeral perJormtrs are doing so and eoen then they sbould be extremely cardul in choosing alignments and try to absorbthe kndency fo stick oqf.Since performances oJten go ooer an bour, each fgure can easily be repeated Jor a minute or longer. (Pert'ornances coufil last days, nonths, ayear---a fgure Jor each week, witb the closing one to start the new year.)Don't be in a burry to nooe Jrom fgure to fgure. Stay on your part and keep repeating it, listning Jor bow it is relating to wbat tbe rest oJ theasemble s playirg. IJ it sounds hke neryone is playing tu tbe same alignnmt oJ a fgure, you may sbrJt yours to creaie an opposing alignmnt.

Say tbat most oJ the ewembleis playing fgure * tz like tbis,

ffiyou may cbose to align like tbis,

and so on

In this utay you haoe not st fgures but literally thousands and it is part oJ the creatioe task oJ tbe ercemble to explore tbediJJerent combinations.Play at a good lourl oolume but aooid letting your part get isolated Jron tbe otbers Make all exits and entries as incouspicuousas posstble.

In order to play coutitutously utithout Jatigue, a fgure can be repeated in groups oJ t or s utitb a rest inchtded to Jorm an ooerall

fattern consistrng oJ x number oJ repetitions plus a rest. Tbe duration oJ tbe rest may be equal to tbe duration oJ tbe fgure beingrebeated. as i l lustrated belout.

Thr mnkes tbe pdrt nrore stable aud symmetrical and allows it to grooue better utith the rest oJ tfu ensenrble, especially iJ eoeryonetlst is stabilized in a patkrn Jormation. Houteoer, any number oJ repetitions and any duratiou oJ rest iJ permittedCbanges should not be dramatrc. Tbe sequence sbould oery gradually nJold.\4Ibm eacb pedormtr reaches fgure tss be sbould stay on tbat fgure until the enttre ensemble has arrirted and a wtison isttcbteued. Tbe players can tbev grddually drop out, tbc pulse cofi inuing tr Jeut moments nJter the rtst oJ tbe usemble bas fnished.IJ n perjonner comes lo a Jigure he canuot play, he may omit i t .Tbe enscnble should learn oll fgures in tnison beJore attenf,tirtg any contbinatiotr, It is esseutial tbat eoery one play the fiEurescorrtctly.AnyntmtberoJ tns t rumut tscanp lay lngerera l tbenrorcp layers , thebatc r i tgos .Scuera lkq , l ,o r t td i rs tnuner tssbou ldbeusdrr5 r l , f l l rr5 fercrrssiorr instnnnetts lbtt arc twted, sucb as narinbas, oibraphoncs, , tnd xylophonts ,I t Jir lurcs t22 to i26 tht lot l td qutrter notes art usudl ly played as thrrc dgbth nons

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