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Steve Reich at 90

Tom meets the pioneering American composer as Radio 3 celebrates his 90th birthday.

Tom Service presents live from the BBC's Newcastle studios, as Radio 3 celebrates the 90th birthday of Steve Reich this weekend, broadcasting a series of concerts from The Glasshouse International Centre for Music in Gateshead.

Including an exclusive conversation with Reich himself, the pioneering American composer who was one of key founders of the minimalist school of music in the 1960s, and who continues to influence composers and musicians across genres today.

Tom also meets one of Reich's frequent collaborators Lisa Kaplan, pianist and co-founder of the contemporary ensemble Eighth Blackbird.

And Bryce Dessner, composer and member of rock group The National, tells Tom about the influence Steve Reich has had on his music.

21 days left to listen

3 hours

Last on

Last Saturday09:00
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony no.1 in C major (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Le Concert des Nations. Conductor: Jordi Savall.
    • Beethoven: Révolution, Symphonies 1 à 5.
    • Alia Vox.
    • 4.

  • Igor Stravinsky

    Circus Polka

    Orchestra: CBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Igor Stravinsky.
    • SONY.

  • Bryce Dessner

    Goiza Larrunen

    Performer: Marielle Labèque.
    • 55.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 40.

  • Charles Avison

    Concerto in 4 parts in F major Op.9 no.10

    Performer: Pavlo Beznosiuk. Ensemble: Avison Ensemble.
    • The Avison Ensemble: Avison: Concerti Grossi, op. 9 & op. 10.
    • Divine Art.
    • 1.

  • Francis Poulenc

    Sinfonietta (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Simone Menezes.
    • Fuga Libera.

  • Aram Khachaturian

    Sabre Dance (Gayaneh)

    Orchestra: French Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Paavo Järvi.
    • Ballets russes.
    • Parlophone (France).
    • 6.

  • Kenji Bunch

    Smokehouse (Cookbook)

    Performer: James Townley Shields. Ensemble: Overlook.
    • Cookbook - works by Kenji Bunch.
    • Musica Solis.
    • 1.

  • George Frideric Handel

    Suite no.4 in D minor HWV.437 (Sarabande)

    Ensemble: Jupiter Ensemble. Conductor: Thomas Dunford.
    • Handel - Eternal Heaven.
    • ERATO.
    • 1.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Symphony no.59 in A major 'Fire' (1st mvt)

    Orchestra: Royal Northern Sinfonia. Conductor: Rebecca Miller.
    • SIGNUM CLASSICS.

  • Robert Schumann

    Piano Concerto in A minor Op.54 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Lars Vogt. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Christoph von Dohnányi.
    • R. Schumann: Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54.
    • Signum Records.
    • 1.

  • Steve Reich

    In All Your Ways

    Ensemble: Colin Currie Group.
    • Private recording.

  • Steve Reich

    Different Trains (After the War)

    Ensemble: Kronos Quartet.
    • Nonesuch.

  • Steve Reich

    The Cave (The Cave or Machpelah)

    Ensemble: Steve Reich and Musicians. Conductor: Paul Hillier.
    • Nonesuch.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Piano Concerto no.14 in E flat (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Kristian Bezuidenhout. Orchestra: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra.
    • Mozart: Piano Concertos K. 175, 449 & 466.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 6.

  • Trad.

    Na Puirt Cruinn: Chuirinn Mo Bhalachan/ Faca Sibh Màiri Nighean Alasdair/ Bainne nan Gobhar

    Performer: Mary Ann Kennedy. Performer: Finlay Wells.
    • BBC recording.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Violin Concerto in E 'Spring'

    Performer: Duilio Galfetti. Ensemble: I Barocchisti. Conductor: Diego Fasolis.
    • Vivaldi: The Four Seasons: Galfetti/I Barocchisti/Fasolis.
    • Claves.

  • Jacques Champion de Chambonnières

    Chaconne in F major

    Performer: Kit Armstrong.
    • Piano Chronicles.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 18.

  • Bryce Dessner

    Murder Ballades (Dark )

    Ensemble: eighth blackbird.
    • Filament.
    • Cedille.

  • Steve Reich

    Electric Counterpoint

    Performer: Pat Metheny.
    • Nonesuch.

  • Steve Reich

    Clapping Music

    Performer: Steve Reich. Performer: Colin Currie.
    • Colin Currie Records.

  • Bryce Dessner

    Tromp Miniature

    Performer: Colin Currie.
    • Colin Currie Records.

  • Bryce Dessner

    Garcia Counterpoint

    Performer: Bryce Dessner.
    • 4AD.

  • Frédéric Chopin

    Scherzo no.2 in B flat minor Op.31

    Performer: Benjamin Grosvenor.
    • Benjamin Grosvenor: Chopin, Lizst, Ravel.
    • Decca.
    • 7.

  • Igor Stravinsky

    Dances of the Young Girls (The Rite of Spring)

    Orchestra: Columbia Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Igor Stravinsky.
    • Sony Classical.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Brandenburg Concerto no.5 in D (1st mvt)

    Orchestra: Munich Bach Orchestra. Conductor: Karl Richter.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Miles Davis

    So What

    Ensemble: Miles Davis Sextet.
    • Kind of Blue.
    • Columbia Legacy.

  • Steve Reich

    Duet for 2 solo violins and string orchestra

    Orchestra: MDR Sinfonieorchester. Conductor: Kristjan Järvi.
    • Sony Classical.

  • Antonio de Cabezón

    Tiento no.9 in 5th tone

    Ensemble: Concerto Scirocco.
    • Arcana.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring (Cantata no.147)

    Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan. Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki.
    • BIS.

  • Will Todd

    Softly

    Choir: Tenebrae. Conductor: Nigel Short.
    • SIGNUM.

  • Dorothy Howell

    Nocturne (2 Pieces)

    Orchestra: South-West German Chamber Orchestra Pforzheim. Conductor: Douglas Bostock.
    • British Music for Strings, Vol. 5.
    • CPO.
    • 107.

  • Steve Reich

    Double Sextet 1 (Fast)

    Ensemble: eighth blackbird.
    • Nonesuch.

  • Steve Reich

    Piano Phase

    Performer: Double Edge.
    • Nonesuch.

  • Steve Reich

    Double Sextet 2 (Slow)

    Ensemble: eighth blackbird.
    • Nonesuch.

  • Steve Reich

    Double Sextet 3 (Fast)

    Ensemble: eighth blackbird.
    • Nonesuch.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Symphony no.9 in E minor 'From the New World' (3rd mvt)

    Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic. Conductor: Jiří Bělohlávek.
    • Dvorák: Complete Symphonies & Concertos.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 43.

  • John Dowland

    A Fancy

    Performer: Jakob Lindberg.
    • Jacobean Lute Music.
    • BIS.
    • 1.

  • Ottorino Respighi

    Bergamasca (Ancient Airs and Dances Suite no.2)

    Orchestra: Boston Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Seiji Ozawa.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

Broadcast

  • Last Saturday09:00
    BBC Radio 3