Violin Phase

Violin Phase, written by minimalist composer Steve Reich in October 1967, is an example of his phasing technique previously used in Piano Phase in which the music itself is created not by the instruments but by interactions of temporal variations on an original melody. Music of this kind is generally referred to as process music.

In Violin Phase, two violins are recorded and played back, together at first. They are then made to go slowly out of sync by adding silence to one of the tapes. A new melody is formed by the interaction of the two out of sync instruments and is then accented by a third violin. This process is repeated with variations throughout the rest of the piece.

Reich also arranged the piece for electric guitar and tape (or 4 electric guitars). In this form the work was recorded as Electric Guitar Phase by Dominic Frasca.

Works by Steve Reich
1960s
  • It's Gonna Rain (1965)
  • Come Out (1966)
  • Piano Phase (1967)
  • Violin Phase (1967)
  • Pendulum Music (1968)
1970s
  • Four Organs (1970)
  • Phase Patterns (1970)
  • Drumming (1970–1971)
  • Clapping Music (1972)
  • Music for Pieces of Wood (1973)
  • Six Pianos (1973)
  • Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices and Organ (1973)
  • Music for 18 Musicians (1974–1976)
  • Music for a Large Ensemble (1978)
  • Octet (1979)
  • Variations for Winds, Strings and Keyboards (1979)
1980s
  • Tehillim (1981)
  • Vermont Counterpoint (1982)
  • Eight Lines (1983)
  • The Desert Music (1984)
  • Sextet (1984)
  • New York Counterpoint (1985)
  • Three Movements (1986)
  • The Four Sections (1987)
  • Electric Counterpoint (1987)
  • Different Trains (1988)
1990s
  • The Cave (1993)
  • City Life (1994)
  • Nagoya Marimbas (1994)
  • Proverb (1995)
  • Triple Quartet (1998)
  • Three Tales (1998–2002)
2000s
  • Dance Patterns (2002)
  • Cello Counterpoint (2003)
  • You Are (Variations) (2004)
  • Variations for Vibes, Pianos, and Strings (2005)
  • Daniel Variations (2006)
  • Double Sextet (2007)
  • 2x5 (2008)
  • Mallet Quartet (2009)
2010s
  • WTC 9/11 (2010)


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    —Gwendolyn Brooks (b. 1917)

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