Steve Reich, Phase to Face

This documentary shows the career of Stephen Michael “Steve” Reich, the creator of the "repetitive" sound, which he represents with others as Terry Riley and Philip Glass. Since 40 years his formation "Steve Reich and Musicians" has experimented with many technics - from analoug to sampler and late also with video. In the interviews he comments the main developments and explains some of his works. Steve Reich is an American composer who pioneered the style of minimalist music. His innovations include using tape loops to create phasing patterns (examples are his early compositions, "It's Gonna Rain" and "Come Out"), and the use of simple, audible processes to explore musical concepts (for instance, "Pendulum Music" and "Four Organs"). These compositions, marked by their use of repetitive figures, slow harmonic rhythm and canons, have significantly influenced contemporary music, especially in the US. Reich's work took on a darker character in the 1980s with the introduction of historical themes as well as themes from his Jewish heritage, notably the Grammy Award-winning Different Trains.