Double Sextet
Encyclopedia
Double Sextet is a composition by Steve Reich
scored for two sextets of flute
, clarinet
, violin
, cello
, vibraphone
and piano
. It won the 2009
Pulitzer Prize for Music
, the first for the composer. The piece was commissioned by Eighth Blackbird
, who performed the premiere of the piece in 2008, at the University of Richmond
in Virginia.
The piece is strongly driven by the two pianos
and the two vibraphones
, marking out each phrase and key change, particularly in the fast movements. Within each movement are four harmonic sections in the keys of D, F, A and B (or their relative minors
), similar to many of Reich's works; the reason being that the sections eventually return to the original key.
The interlocking piano rhythm themes occur throughout the piece. The pianos interlock, creating the effect of constant eighth-note chords.
) or one sextet and tape, playing against a recording of themselves, the latter being more popular due to less demand for space and players.
The piece has been recorded by Eighth Blackbirdhttp://www.eighthblackbird.com and was released on CD on September 14, 2010 along with 2x5
.
Steve Reich
Stephen Michael "Steve" Reich is an American composer who together with La Monte Young, Terry Riley, and Philip Glass is a pioneering composer of minimal music...
scored for two sextets of flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
, vibraphone
Vibraphone
The vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
. It won the 2009
2009 Pulitzer Prize
The 2009 Pulitzer Prizes were announced on April 20, 2009, the 93rd annual awards.The New York Times won five awards this year, with the St. Petersburg Times being the only other multi-prize winner with two...
Pulitzer Prize for Music
Pulitzer Prize for Music
The Pulitzer Prize for Music was first awarded in 1943. Joseph Pulitzer did not call for such a prize in his will, but had arranged for a music scholarship to be awarded each year...
, the first for the composer. The piece was commissioned by Eighth Blackbird
Eighth blackbird
eighth blackbird is a Grammy Award-winning contemporary music sextet based in Chicago. The group derives its name from the eighth stanza of Wallace Stevens' poem Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird...
, who performed the premiere of the piece in 2008, at the University of Richmond
University of Richmond
The University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
in Virginia.
Structure
Double Sextet is in three movements, lasting about 22 minutes in its entirety:- Fast
- Slow
- Fast
The piece is strongly driven by the two pianos
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and the two vibraphones
Vibraphone
The vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
, marking out each phrase and key change, particularly in the fast movements. Within each movement are four harmonic sections in the keys of D, F, A and B (or their relative minors
Relative key
In music, relative keys are the major and minor scales that have the same key signatures. A major and minor scale sharing the same key signature are said to be in a relative relationship...
), similar to many of Reich's works; the reason being that the sections eventually return to the original key.
The interlocking piano rhythm themes occur throughout the piece. The pianos interlock, creating the effect of constant eighth-note chords.
Performance
The piece is either played by 12 musicians in total (2 sextetsSextet
A sextet is a formation containing exactly six members. It is commonly associated with vocal or musical instrument groups, but can be applied to any situation where six similar or related objects are considered a single unit....
) or one sextet and tape, playing against a recording of themselves, the latter being more popular due to less demand for space and players.
The piece has been recorded by Eighth Blackbirdhttp://www.eighthblackbird.com and was released on CD on September 14, 2010 along with 2x5
2x5
2x5 is a composition by Steve Reich written in 2008. It is scored for five musicians and pre-recorded tape, or two identical quintets on rock instruments, in total: 2 drum sets, 2 pianos, 4 electric guitars, 2 bass guitars...
.