A few of the 53 patterns played for the composition of “In C.” Source: flickr by bpbailey

The KUCI library has an abundant and rich classical-music vinyl collection. While browsing through, I come across the first released recording of Terry Riley’s In C from Colombia Records. I heard about this musical piece from this MetaFilter post, so you can imagine my excitement and surprise to come across such a gem.

Instead of just dryly playing this record on air, I decided to produce a story piece to give you, fellow listeners, some context on this piece.

Click “Read More” for a link to the audio story piece and a transcript of the recording, plus show playlist and a way to try the music.

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The Past - “In C” - Story Piece

Transcript:

The harshest music critic in the world is our parents because they are the only critics in our life that actual control to what you listen to. The stereotypical parent is a classical music lover and to them, rock music is a painful and loud noise. Yes, rock music is an atrocity and classical music is pure. Classical music is sublime. Classical music is the only music in the world, everything else is garbage.

Then you come across minimalist music and both the close minded, classical loving, purist parent and the rebel rousing, disgrace to family, rock loving child will come to the consensus: Change the station!

If minimalist music bothers you, its maybe because you are listening to it passively. Like some classical music, you really have to put your full attention into the music because you aren’t listening to a song, you are listening to an artistic piece.

Take for example what Paul Williams, editor and publisher of crawdaddy magazine, has to say: “The experience of music is not fully in the ears. If it were, we could concern ourselves with sound and its permutations…Since it is not, we must realize that we listen partly with our memories, allowing what we hear to clash and sing with the patterns already established in our minds.”

I read this note off the back of Terry Riley’s original LP of “In C.” What is “In C?” It is regarded as the first minimalist piece and when performed, the resulting music is all based on chance. No two performances are the same.

Performing instructions go like this. First start off with something called The Pulse. Most of the time the piano plays it. It’s the background beat that guides the musicians. Then you have 53 musical patterns, like these: 1, 4, 27, 49, 53. Not necessarily played on a ukulele, but you can, in fact you can play In C on any instrument, but you must have a large group. 35 is desired. More or less is fine.

While the pulse rages on, the performers play the 53 pieces from start to finish. They can repeat each pattern as much as they want and they can come in with the next pattern, anytime they want. Performances are normally 45 to 90 minutes long and the entire thing is an improv of these 53 musical patterns. The result of this jam ranges from madness to pure repetitive genius.

When you listen to In C, your mind will try to pick up and tune in to certain patterns. Yes, sometimes the music will just agitate you. The only advice I can give to you as a fellow listener, is just pay attention to the patterns by themselves and the music as a whole. It’s easy to do this with popular songs, but when it comes to this kind of music or the sound jackhammers, you’ve got really pay attention for patterns. Patterns that are in the key of C.

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Playlist for 1/24/10 show

Format: artist - song name - album ( * signifies that track is new )

• Terry Riley - In C - In C
• Philip Glass - The Photographer (Act I - III) - The Photographer