Steve Reich: Proverb (with score)

Steve Reich (b. 1936): “Proverb“ on a text by Ludwig Wittgenstein from the book “Culture and Value“ (1946) 8:37 = Prolation (augmentation) canon with time shifting among the three sopranos beginning in measure 384 From the program notes: The piece opens with “the three sopranos sing[ing] the original melody of the text in canons that gradually augment, or get longer. The two tenors sing duets, or commentaries, in shorter rhythmic values against held tones from the sopranos. The two electric organs double the singers throughout and further fill in the harmonies. The constantly changing meter groupings of twos and threes give a rhythmically freeing quality to the voices. After about three minutes of just voices and organ, the vibraphones enter enunciating these interlocking shifting groups of twos and threes.“ At the midpoint of the piece, “the original theme in the voices is then inverted, and moves from B-minor to Eb-minor. In this contrasting section