Terry Riley
 

I just got Terry Riley's A Rainbow In Curved Air, which is apparently the first minimalist classical piece. It focuses largely on repetition and timbre changes, mainly on synthesizer and organ. It's mesmerizing, hypnotic, and ambient, and I dig it. Anyone else heard this? Download it or something.

Terry Riley is my Uncle!!!!!

Terry Riley is fabulous - he did an amazing collaboration with the Kronos Quartet in London a while back

it's called Sun Rings I think

plus he was a huge influence on the Who - remember their Song Baba O'Reilly (if that's how you spell it)

The introduction to Baba O'Riley is a take-off of A Rainbow In Curved Air (if not just a sample)

Terry Riley is good stuff...I prefer Steve Reich though...just an opinion

Sun Rings
 

Love the beginning to Baba O'Reilly. Never heard of Terry Riley though- will check him out!

This thread needs a huge bump and a descriptive review of In C, which may be the most beautiful minimalist work ever (sorry Steve Reich & Arvo Part). Which I will provide later.

I don't know if I would say In C is the most beautiful minimalist work ever. It's one of my favorites by Riley but I think Glass and Gorecki have composed far more beautiful pieces. Particularly Gorecki's "Symphony of Sorrowful Songs." To me, that is one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard.