The Colin Currie Group performed a Steve Reich 90th birthday concert featuring works written by composers over the age of 71, including the London premiere of In All Your Ways, featuring a work by a man entering his tenth decade, The Guardian reported.
Colin Currie Group Delivers Masterworks Back-to-Back
Following an initial start, the ensemble performed four masterworks consecutively. Colin Currie conducted a chilled reading of Radio Rewrite, a five-movement piece riffing on two classic Radiohead songs. The performance was followed by the Pulitzer prize-winning Double Sextet, which showcases intricate resultant patterns as twin ensembles slip in and out of lockstep.
Luminous Quartet and the Finale of In All Your Ways
The second half of the concert opened with Quartet, a stripped-back piece performed by Currie and Owen Gunnell on duelling vibraphones. The program concluded with In All Your Ways, a 14-instrument song without words with a rhythmic pattern taking its title from Proverbs 3:5-6.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Steve Reich 90th Birthday Concert
Where did the Colin Currie Group perform?
The group performed at the Barbican as part of the venue’s ongoing Steve Reich at 90 celebrations.
Until when do the Barbican celebrations continue?
The Barbican’s Steve Reich at 90 celebrations continue until May.
Which piece featured duelling vibraphones?
Quartet was performed with a panther-like grace by Colin Currie and Owen Gunnell on duelling vibraphones.
Steve Reich Instruments Drive Rhythmic Pattern
In All Your Ways utilizes a motor provided by two each of Steve Reich’s trusty pianos, vibraphones, and marimbas, supplying a rhythmic pattern that turns cartwheels around the ensemble.