La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass: The evolution of minimalism and audience response

Abstract

Minimalism was a period in music throughout the postmodern twentieth century initiated by the compositions of La Monte Young (1935-- ), followed by those of Terry Riley (1935--), developed by Steve Reich (1936-- ), and evolved by Philip Glass (1937-- ). Minimalist music was influenced by the non-Western music of India, created by the constant repetition of musical patterns to generate a hypnotic state on the listener through stasis. The size of the minimalist audience has continually increased from the New York City loft-based performances of La Monte Young to the opera house performances of Philip Glass. The composer's goals for an audience, his musical adaptation, and the effect of stasis contribute to the differences in audience size. These three factors are examined through each composer's biography, early and late compositions, and concert reviews of the premieres. The techniques utilized by each composer have become more effective in the creation of stasis from the compositions of Young to Glass. The biographies of the four minimalists, their compositions, and the premieres serve as an excellent source in the examination of the connection between the composer and the audience.