Unfinished Electric Counterpoint Essay

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Electric counterpoint 3rd movement (fast) essay electric counterpoint was written by Steve Reich in the 19th century. It was written for Pat Methany who was a jazz guitarist. It was first performed in 1987 and is one of 3 movements which follow a fast-slow-fast pattern. Another minimalist composer is Philip Glass who wrote Façades and company in 1994. Electric counterpoint is written for 7 pre recorded guitars and 2 bass guitars with a solo guitarist playing over the recordings. When performed, the live guitr is amplified to fit in with the backing tape. All together the piece contains 10 guitars. Steve Reich uses Electric Counterpoint because he uses an electrical recording of the 7 pre recorded guitars and uses counterpoint which means two or more independent melodies playing together (polyphony). The piece is tonally ambiguous at the beginning of the piece but there are hints of it being in E minor but doesn't become clear until the bass guitars come in and then you can tell that the piece is in E minor. He three chord progressions used are C, Bm and E5, C, D and Em and C, D and Bm. At the start of section B the key switches to C minor and continues to change alternatively with the intervals in between getting shorter until the Coda where it stays in E minor until the end. The piece is in binary form (AB) and has 4 sections within the A and B sections. The piece begin monophonically with the live guitar playing a one bar ostinato. Layers are added as three other guitars play the same motif but using phasing and this creates layering and the 'four part guitar canon.' the live guitar then plays the resultant melody which is the melody that stands out to the listener when two or more melodies are combined. The piece is now polyphonic. When the bass guitars enter, they are both panned to both

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