Electric Counterpoint

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Pat Metheny "Electric Counterpoint III

Fast" (1989)

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25 seconds of "Electric Counterpoint III

Fast" performed by Pat Metheny.
Composed by Steve Reich.

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Electric Counterpoint is a minimalist composition by the American composer Steve Reich. The
piece consists of three movements, "Fast," "Slow", and "Fast". Reich has offered two versions of
the piece: one for electric guitar and tape (the tape part featuring two electric bass guitarsand up
[1]
to ten electric guitars),  the other for an ensemble of guitars.

Contents
 Fir
Infl Re
1 st
2 ue 3 cor 4
rec
nc din
ord
e gs
ing
NotesFirst recording[edit]
It was first recorded in 1987 by guitarist Pat Metheny, who made extensive use of overdubbing,
and was released along with Reich's Different Trains, performed by the Kronos Quartet,
on Nonesuch Records (catalogue number 979 176-2). Guitarists wishing to perform the piece
may use Metheny's pre-recorded ensemble part or opt to record their own, adding the 13th guitar
part in live performance. In 2007, the guitar ensemble Forestare made the first recording of the
lesser known second version, on ATMA Classique.

Influence[edit]
As with other pieces by Reich, Electric Counterpoint has influenced many modern artists, such
as the Orb, which sampled the third movement of the Pat Metheny recording as one of the hooks
of "Little Fluffy Clouds," and RJD2, who sampled the piece's opening for his song "The Proxy"
from his first release, Deadringer. In 2008 Joby Burgess' Powerplant arranged the work
for Xylosynth, taking influence from Metheny and the Orb. More recently Röyksopp named a
song after the third movement. The duo made two versions of it: "True to Original Edit" and
[2]
"Milde Salve."  Since 2012, Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood performed the piece at
[3][4]
several festivals  and at concerts featuring the London Contemporary Orchestra; he
recorded the piece for a Nonesuch album of Reich works titled Radio Rewrite released that same
[5]
year (the album's title piece was inspired by two Radiohead songs).

The third movement was included in the Edexcel GCSE Anthology of Music, in the second area
of study, "Music in the 20th Century". It was included in the video game Civilization V as one of
the "great works of music" and was performed by during the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle
[6]
Corps 2015 production "Kinetic Noise".

Recordings[edit]
• Electric Counterpoint, Pat Metheny soloist, 1989. CD. Included on Steve Reich: Works
[7]
1965-1995
[8]
• Electric Counterpoint, David Tanenbaum, New Albion Records, 1994. CD
[9]
• Electric Counterpoint, Röyksopp, two versions, 2010.
• Electric Counterpoint, Jonny Greenwood soloist, on the album Radio Rewrite, Nonesuch,
[10]
2014. CD/download.

Notes[edit]
1. ^ "Electric Counterpoint, for… - Details - AllMusic". AllMusic.
 Retrieved November 8, 2018.
2. ^ "Track Of The Month April 'Electric Counterpoint: III. Fast' - Röyksopp".
April 1, 2010. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
3. ^ "Jonny Greenwood // Electric Counterpoint". Open'ner Festival.
Retrieved March 10, 2015.
4. ^ "Hear Jonny Greenwood Perform At Big Ears Festival '14". Stereogum.
Retrieved March 10, 2015.
5. ^ "Steve Reich's "Radio Rewrite" Featuring Alarm Will Sound, Jonny
Greenwood, Vicky Chow Out Now". Retrieved October 29, 2014.
6. ^ Drum Corps International (March 23, 2016). "2015 Bluecoats - Kinetic
Noise". Retrieved November 8, 2018 – via YouTube.
7. ^ "Steve Reich - Kronos Quartet / Pat Metheny - Different Trains / Electric
Counterpoint". Discogs. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
8. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on May 20, 2009.
Retrieved May 8, 2009.
9. ^ "Track Of The Month April 'Electric Counterpoint: III. Fast' - Röyksopp".
April 1, 2010. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
10. ^ "Nonesuch Records Radio Rewrite". Nonesuch Records Official
Website. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
hide
• vte
Steve Reich
• It's Gonna Rain (1965)Come Out (1966)Reed Phase (1966)Piano
C Phase (1967)Violin Phase (1967)Pendulum Music (1968)Four
o Organs (1970)Drumming (1970–1971)Clapping Music(1972)Six
m Pianos (1973)Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices and
p Organ (1973)Music for 18 Musicians (1974–1976)Music for a Large
o Ensemble (1978)Octet (1979)Variations for Winds, Strings and
s Keyboards (1979)Tehillim (1981)Vermont Counterpoint (1982)Eight
i Lines (1983)The Desert Music (1984)Sextet (1984)New York
t Counterpoint (1985)The Four Sections (1987)Electric
i Counterpoint (1987)Different Trains (1988)The Cave (1993)City
o Life (1994)Proverb (1995)Triple Quartet (1998)Three Tales (1998–
n 2002)Cello Counterpoint (2003)Daniel Variations (2006)Double
s Sextet (2007)2×5 (2008)Mallet Quartet (2009)WTC 9/11 (2010)Radio
Rewrite (2012)

R
e
l
 hide
• vte
Steve Reich
• It's Gonna Rain (1965)Come Out (1966)Reed Phase (1966)Piano
C Phase (1967)Violin Phase (1967)Pendulum Music (1968)Four
o Organs (1970)Drumming (1970–1971)Clapping Music(1972)Six
m Pianos (1973)Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices and
p Organ (1973)Music for 18 Musicians (1974–1976)Music for a Large
o Ensemble (1978)Octet (1979)Variations for Winds, Strings and
s Keyboards (1979)Tehillim (1981)Vermont Counterpoint (1982)Eight
i Lines (1983)The Desert Music (1984)Sextet (1984)New York
t Counterpoint (1985)The Four Sections (1987)Electric
i Counterpoint (1987)Different Trains (1988)The Cave (1993)City
o Life (1994)Proverb (1995)Triple Quartet (1998)Three Tales (1998–
n 2002)Cello Counterpoint (2003)Daniel Variations (2006)Double
s Sextet (2007)2×5 (2008)Mallet Quartet (2009)WTC 9/11 (2010)Radio
Rewrite (2012)

R
e
l
a
t
e
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• Minimal musicSteve Reich and MusiciansTerry RileyKronos
a
QuartetPhilip Glass
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