Steve Reich: Double Sextet, Radio Rewrite Ensemble Signal & Brad Lubman

• Steve Reich (1936): Double Sextet:
• 1 I. Fast 08:17
• 2 II. Slow 06:57
• 3 III. Fast 06:39
• Radio Rewrite:
• 4 I. Fast 04:05
• 5 II. Slow 03:23
• 6 III. Fast 03:30
• 7 IV. Slow 03:40
• 8 V. Fast 03:10
• Total Runtime 39:41

Info for Steve Reich: Double Sextet, Radio Rewrite

Following their internationally acclaimed recording of Steve Reich s 1974-76 masterpiece 'Music For 18 Musicians', Ensemble Signal and Brad Lubman present two recent pieces by the composer: 'Double Sextet' from 2007 and 'Radio Rewrite' from 2012 strong, tuneful, energetic, tightly-made works. 'In 2011 Steve saw a performance of his classic electric guitar piece 'Electric Counterpoint' played by Radiohead's guitarist Jonny Greenwood. Reich enjoyed meeting them and was impressed and had the idea to reference some of their music in a new piece. In truth there is not much Radiohead in 'Radio Rewrite', just a few wisps of the harmonic motion from 'Everything in Its Right Place' and a few scraps of tune from 'Jigsaw Falling into Place'...After all these years, Radio Rewrite feels like his own remix, using only as much Radiohead as he needs to get his own music flowing.' David Lang from the CD booklet.

„Reich turns 80 in October and Signal s tribute is a buoyant disc of two fairly recent pieces, both scores full of finesse and detail, both still bobbing to that definitively Reichian thrum that was once so game-changing ... Conductor Brad Lubman keeps the music lucid and elegant ... I enjoyed the warm sounds and lack of hysteria here.“ (Kate Molleson, The Guardian)

„Ensemble Signal’s playing in Double Sextet is so crisp and precise that it s easy to forget its rhythmic and contrapuntal complexities. At the same time the harmony s slightly gritty qualities are preserved, and just the right amount of articulation given to the sustained pitches and chords, which quite literally bind each section together. Their performance of Radio Rewrite makes a little more of the contrasts between the work s five sections than Alan Pierson and Alarm Will Sound s excellent recording (Nonesuch, 12/14), with rhythms punched out nervously at the beginning and more weight and emphasis added to the central movement, where the work s indebtedness to the rock band Radiohead (from whose songs it quotes) is at its most obvious.“ (Gramophone)

“The slow fourth movement has a louring intensity and — highly unusually for Reich — we don’t finish with bouncy rhythms but an unexpectedly threatening question mark. The New Yorkers serve it up with fastidious elegance. They partner the piece with the Pulitzer prize-winning Double Sextet, a three-part gem whose dark heart is a Kind-of-Bluesy middle movement that gleams powerfully.” (The Times)

Ensemble Signal
Brad Lubman, conductor

No biography found.

Booklet for Steve Reich: Double Sextet, Radio Rewrite