Contents
Introduction
1.Definition of minimalism music
Minimalism Music, also called Minimalist Music or Minimal Music, is a new music form that emerged in the Northeastern United States in the 1960s. Just like a sonata, it is often impossible to define it as a style, a technique, or a genre. But when it comes to it, people who know it almost understand what kind of music it is. To sum up, “minimalism” does not simply mean “simplification”, but means using as few musical materials as possible, using a repetitive technique, and gradually changing the musical materials during repetition, so that they can continue to develop.
Some people would call Minimalism Music as “repetitive music” or “mediatve music”.
2.Brief history and origins of minimalism music
The emergence of minimalism music was the earliest breakthrough against the anti-traditional music of the 1950s and 1960s. Partly it was a rebellion against sequence music, which was tonal; partly it was inspired by non-Western music. This is a kind of hypnotic music that keeps spinning around a few notes. It is the result of composers being influenced by religious ritual music in places such as India, Bali, and West Africa. They were also inspired by Satie’s ideas about furniture music. Satie believed that people do not need to concentrate on music appreciation, just let it be placed there like furniture.
Features of Minimalism Music
Wiki has listed for us the great characteristics of minimalism music, let’s take a look one by one.
1.Functional tonality or harmonious chords
If functional tonality is absent, harmonious chords are emphasized.
This is a common feature of modern tonal music. Functional harmony began to be abandoned at the end of the 19th century. Tonal music starting in the 20th century paid more attention to the overall color rather than rigid functionality in the use of harmony. Minimalism is no exception. This is especially true in Glass’s music.
It can be seen from the music score that in these nine measures, from A6, to g46, to d, to g, to Eb, to Ab46, to f#o7. This is not so much a consideration of vertical chord links, but rather a result of the natural development of each voice horizontally.
2.Repetition and gradient
Phrases, or smaller units of figures, motifs, and cells will be repeated continuously. Add elusive, slow changesto a melody that lasts for a long time with little or no change. Repetition and gradient are probably the most important elements in minimalist music. Repetition in minimalist music mainly refers to repetition that may be a small motive. This repetition may be rhythmic, pitch-based, or comprehensive.
3.A pause in musical progression
A pause in musical progression (stasis) with a sustained bass, rhythm, or long note. This is actually a slow minimalism music style.
4.Teleological Minimalism Music
Minimalism has some other important properties, one of which is that it is non- teleological. Literally translated, it can be: directionless and purposeless. Just like the works of the pioneering minimalist composers above, starting with a piece of material, it seems that it can develop endlessly. Unlike other traditional music, starting with a piece of music material, it will inevitably develop into some form. Music will inevitably develop to a climax, it will inevitably transform the theme and motivational materials in certain ways, it will inevitably have contrasts, and it will inevitably end up with some central material. These inevitable directions may not exist in minimalist music.
Influential Minimalism Composers
Steve Reich, Terry Riley and Philip Glass are some of the founders of minimalism music. We also mentioned Glass above, so what other Minimalism Composers are there? Let’s take a look.
1.Philip Glass: Embracing simplicity and transcendence
In the first section of Features of Minimalism Music, we mentioned Glass. The greatness of Glass is that he used his own unique musical language to promote minimalism, an “avant-garde” music form, to the general public.
2.Steve Reich: Pioneering repetitive patterns
The essence of Leitch’s music can be said to be a further interpretation of the repetition and continuity of rhythmic units. These rhythmic units can use the techniques of “gradual change” and “replacement” to obtain a certain ambiguous quality through rhythmic asymmetry, which is what the American music critic Steinberg calls “a gradual change in seemingly unchanged conditions.”
He said: “I am interested in the process of anything that can be perceived. In music, I hope to hear the progress of the sound process. In order to hear all the details in detail, the process of music must advance slowly.”
The essence of Leitch’s music can be said to be a further interpretation of the repetition and continuity of rhythmic units. These rhythmic units can use the techniques of “gradual change” and “replacement” to obtain a certain ambiguous quality through rhythmic asymmetry, which is what the American music critic Steinberg calls “a gradual change in seemingly unchanged conditions.”
3.Terry Riley: Exploring improvisation and repetition
Minimalist pioneer Terry Riley was a composer revered for his introduction to Western musical patterns. Riley was born in California on June 24, 1935. He began his musical career as an outstanding piano soloist in the 1950s. In the middle period, he went to San Francisco and Berkeley University to study music composition. During this period, he was deeply influenced by the innovators of minimalist music such as La Monte Young. Under the influence of classmates such as John Coltrane and John Cage, he began to study music. improvised and created the Mescalin Mix in 1960.
Terry Riley once wrote a piece of music called “In C” that has the same characteristics as these paintings. It consists of 53 melody fragments. The pieces can be played in any order, repeated as often as you like, and with as many instruments as you like.
The Impact of Minimalism Music
In everyone’s daily life, perhaps the most accessible minimalist music is the background music of movies. Many movies with grand worldviews tend to use minimalist music as background music, especially some science fiction movies.
Hans Zimmer is a composer who has contributed a lot of minimalist background music. The following are his well-known works:
- The soundtrack to the movie “Inception”, “dream is collapsing”, “one simple idea”.
- The movie “interstellar”, “cornfield chase”, “stay”.
Let’s mention our Glass master again. Glass has also had a great influence on film soundtracks, pop music, and ethnic music/cross-border music.
- The soundtrack to the Oscar-winning film The Hours, “morning passages” and “the hours” are all his works.
Conclusion
Minimalist music allows people to focus more on the essence of the music through simplified and repeated elements. It strips away unnecessary decoration and complexity, allowing people to feel the emotion and expression of music more deeply. Therefore, many people use minimalist music as background music for meditation and relaxation.
In fact, the cross-fusion of minimalist music with other art forms is also its charm. It challenges the structure and form of traditional music and explores new musical fields.