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🎸Music History – 1850 to Present

🎸music history – 1850 to present review

9.2 Minimalism and Post-Minimalism

4 min readLast Updated on August 13, 2024

Minimalism in music revolutionized composition with its focus on repetition and gradual change. Composers like Steve Reich and Philip Glass used simple patterns and limited harmonies to create hypnotic, meditative pieces that challenged traditional musical structures.

Post-minimalism expanded on these ideas, incorporating more complex harmonies and diverse influences. Composers like John Adams blended minimalist techniques with elements from other styles, creating a more eclectic and expressive musical language that continues to shape contemporary classical music.

Minimalist Music Characteristics

Repetitive Patterns and Gradual Processes

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  • Minimalist music employs repetitive patterns, steady pulse, and a gradual process of transformation over time
  • Composers use a limited set of musical materials (short melodic or rhythmic motifs) subjected to subtle variations and permutations throughout the piece
  • "Gradual process" involves the slow, incremental change of musical elements (pitch, rhythm, or timbre), creating a sense of continuous evolution and development
  • Ostinato, or persistently repeated musical phrases, is a common technique, creating a sense of stasis and immersion

Reduced Harmonic Palette and Sonic Environments

  • Minimalist works often feature a reduced harmonic palette, focusing on consonant intervals and simple chord progressions, contributing to the music's meditative and hypnotic qualities
  • Composers frequently explore the spatial and acoustic properties of sound
  • Extended techniques, drones, and sustained tones are used to create immersive sonic environments (Steve Reich's "Drumming", La Monte Young's "The Well-Tuned Piano")

Prominent Minimalist Composers

Steve Reich, Philip Glass, and Terry Riley

  • Steve Reich's compositions ("Music for 18 Musicians", "Drumming") exemplify the use of phasing techniques, where identical musical patterns are played simultaneously at slightly different tempos, creating complex polyrhythmic textures
  • Philip Glass's operas ("Einstein on the Beach", "Satyagraha") showcase his signature style of repetitive, additive processes, and the use of extended harmonic and rhythmic structures
  • Terry Riley's seminal work, "In C," is considered a landmark of minimalist music, featuring a series of short musical phrases that performers can repeat and vary at their discretion, creating a fluid and ever-changing musical landscape

Establishing Core Principles and Influence Beyond Classical Music

  • The works of Reich, Glass, and Riley helped establish the core principles and techniques of minimalism (repetition, gradual process, focus on inherent qualities of sound)
  • Their influence extends beyond classical music, as their ideas and approaches have been adopted and adapted by musicians in various genres (jazz, rock, electronic music)

Emergence of Post-Minimalism

Expanding Boundaries and Incorporating Diverse Influences

  • Post-minimalism developed as a response to and an extension of the minimalist movement, with composers seeking to expand the boundaries of the style by incorporating a wider range of musical influences and techniques
  • Post-minimalist works often feature a greater degree of melodic and harmonic complexity compared to earlier minimalist pieces, while still maintaining an emphasis on repetition and gradual process
  • Composers such as John Adams and Michael Nyman have incorporated elements of romanticism, neo-classicism, and other historical styles into their post-minimalist compositions, creating a more eclectic and expressive musical language

Integration of World Music and Technology

  • The influence of world music traditions (African and Asian music) can be heard in the works of post-minimalist composers, who often employ non-Western scales, rhythms, and instrumentation
  • Post-minimalist music frequently explores the integration of electronic and acoustic instruments, as well as the use of sampling and digital manipulation techniques, blurring the boundaries between traditional and experimental music

Minimalism vs Post-Minimalism

Similarities in Repetition and Gradual Process

  • Both minimalist and post-minimalist music share a focus on repetition, gradual process, and the exploration of the inherent qualities of sound
  • The structure of minimalist pieces often revolves around the gradual unfolding of a single musical idea or process

Differences in Complexity, Harmony, and Expression

  • Post-minimalist works often exhibit a greater degree of complexity and variety in their musical materials compared to minimalist compositions
  • Minimalist compositions tend to employ a more limited harmonic vocabulary (consonant intervals, simple chord progressions), while post-minimalist works may incorporate a wider range of harmonic techniques (chromaticism, modulation, extended tonality)
  • Post-minimalist works may feature a more diverse array of musical sections and development techniques (contrasting themes, variations, juxtapositions)
  • Post-minimalist composers often seek to imbue their music with a greater sense of emotional expression and narrative arc compared to the more abstract and meditative qualities associated with minimalist works
  • While minimalist music tends to maintain a strict adherence to its core principles and techniques, post-minimalist compositions often display a more eclectic and inclusive approach, incorporating elements from various musical styles and genres

Impact of Minimalism and Post-Minimalism

Influence on Contemporary Classical Music

  • The minimalist movement has had a profound impact on the development of contemporary classical music, challenging traditional notions of form, harmony, and expression, and opening up new avenues for musical exploration and experimentation
  • The influence of minimalism can be seen in the works of numerous contemporary composers, who have adapted and expanded upon its techniques and aesthetic principles, creating a diverse range of musical styles and approaches
  • Post-minimalism has further broadened the scope of contemporary classical music, incorporating a wider range of musical influences and techniques, and blurring the boundaries between classical and popular genres

Influence on Electronic and Experimental Music

  • The repetitive and hypnotic qualities of minimalist music have had a significant impact on the development of electronic and experimental music, with many artists and producers drawing inspiration from its rhythmic and textural innovations
  • Minimalist and post-minimalist techniques have been adopted and adapted by musicians working in various genres (ambient, techno, post-rock), creating new hybrid forms that challenge traditional musical categories and conventions

Broader Cultural Impact

  • The influence of minimalism and post-minimalism extends beyond the realm of music, with their aesthetic principles and conceptual approaches influencing contemporary art, film, and literature
  • Minimalist and post-minimalist ideas contribute to a broader cultural dialogue about the nature of creativity and perception


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© 2025 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.