Music GCSE - Reich - Electric Counterpoint

Reich: Electric Counterpoint

            Electric Counterpoint was written in the 1980s by Steve Reich and is in three movements. We are looking at the third movement.

            This piece was composed for Pat Methany who gave the first performance of the work in 1987.

            The metre of this piece changes between 3/2 (3 minim beats per bar) and 12/8 (12 quaver beats per bar). The piece has ostinati, syncopation, cross rhythms and triplets. It has the marking q = 192 which is very fast. It also has a rhythmic counterpoint, uses hexachords and pentachords and is polymetric.

            The melody of…