AOS2 Electric Counterpoint - Steve Reich - 1987

Metre

3/2 simple triple to 12/8 compound quadruple (some parts, never all at once)

Rhythm

• Changes accent points
• Metamorphosis (gradual changes)
• Melodic guitar and bass quaver based
• Syncopation
• Cross rhythms

Tempo

Very fast - 192 bmp

Dynamics

• 4 part canon - mf
• Bass - starts f builds to ff
• Chords - mf fading to p
• Live guitar only part that regularly changes

Accompaniment/Instrumentation

• Built on layers of 9 prerecorded parts - panning used to distinguish
• 7 recorded guitars - 4 melodic, 3 chordal
• 2 recorded bass guitars
• One live guitar - Pat Metheny

Texture

Starts monophonic, polyphonic from second guitar entry. Canon - 4 parts

Harmony and Tonality

• E minor modulates to C minor in the next section
• Tonality is initially ambiguous

Melody

• Resultant melody taken from other 4 parts
• Repetitive
• Starts 1 bar guitar ostinato
• Note addition features in every part entry

Form/Structure

• A - B - Coda
• Canon - 4 parts
• B section starts from first time modulates to C minor