Proverb is a piece by Steve Reich for three sopranos, two tenors, two vibraphones, and two electric organs, to a text by Ludwig Wittgenstein.^[1] It was written in 1995, and was originally intended for The Proms and the Utrecht Early Music Festival. It was premiered at Alice Tully Hall in New York City on February 10, 1996 by Theatre of Voices with Paul Hillier, to whom the piece is dedicated.^[2] Steve Reich Steve Reich (born Stephen Michael Reich, October 3, 1936) is an American composer. ... Look up Soprano in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In music, a tenor is a male singer with a high voice (although not as high as the modern countertenor). ... A typical Ludwig-Musser vibraphone. ... The organ is a type of keyboard musical instrument, distinctive because the sound is not produced by a percussion action, as on a piano or celesta, or by means of vibrating strings, as on the harpsichord. ... Ludwig Josef Johann Wittgenstein (IPA: ) (April 26, 1889 – April 29, 1951) was an Austrian philosopher who contributed several ground-breaking works to contemporary philosophy, primarily on the foundations of logic, the philosophy of mathematics, the philosophy of language, and the philosophy of mind. ... A Promenade concert in the Royal Albert Hall, 2004. ... The Alice Tully Hall is a concert hall that is part of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. ... Nickname: Big Apple Location in the state of New York Coordinates: Country United States State New York Boroughs Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Area    - City 1,214. ... February 10 is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Paul Douglas Hillier (b. ...

Proverb was written during a period when Reich was experimenting with "speech melody", and is influenced by the period Reich spent working on The Cave with Paul Hillier and singers with a strong background in medieval polyphony. This is especially apparent in the two tenor parts, which pay homage to Perotin in their use of hocket.^[3] The text is "How small a thought it takes to fill a whole life!" This text is an excellent explanation of the piece itself, as well as perhaps Reich's career, much of it spent exploring minimalism.^[4] The text is first presented by a solo soprano voice, singing a long lyric line. This original melody and text are then deconstructed throughout the piece, including through the use of elaborate canons, until at the end the solo soprano restates the text to a transformed melody. The work is approximately 14 minutes long. Pérotin was a European composer, believed to be French, who lived around the end of the twelfth and beginning of the thirteenth century. ... In music hocket is the rhythmic linear technique using the alternation of notes, pitches, or chords. ... Minimalism describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is stripped down to its most fundamental features and core self expression. ...

Proverb is one of a number of Reich's works which has been remixed by electronic musicians. It is also the inspiration for a dance being premiered at London's Barbican Centre in September 2006.^[5] The work has been well received by critics.^[6]

Recordings

• "Proverb/Nagoya Marimbas/City Life" with Paul Hillier, Theatre of Voices, Bradley Lubman, Jay Elfenbein, Jeanne LeBlanc, on Nonesuch Records, October 15, 1996.
• "Steve Reich 1965-1995 [BOX SET]" on Nonesuch Records, June 3, 1997.
• The score of Proverb is available for rental from Boosey and Hawkes.

Nonesuch Records is currently a Warner Bros. ... October 15 is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years). ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... June 3 is the 154th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (155th in leap years), with 211 days remaining. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Boosey & Hawkes is a British music publisher, the largest classical music publisher in the world. ...

References

• Paul Griffiths. "Steve Reich", Grove Music Online, ed. L. Macy (accessed September 13, 2006), grovemusic.com (subscription access).
• [2] Composer's notes at Boosey and Hawkes.

The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians is an encyclopedic dictionary of music and musicians, considered by most scholars to be the best general reference source on the subject in the English language. ... September 13 is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Notes

1. ^ Grove, "Works"
2. ^ Grove, "Speech Melody", and the score
3. ^ http://www.wnyc.org/shows/newsounds/episodes/2004/06/08
4. ^ http://www.salon.com/april97/sharps/sharps970414.html
5. ^ http://www.barbican.org.uk/theatre/event-detail.asp?ID=4125
6. ^ For example, "Same roots, same tree, ever new branches" [1] by Robert Schwarz