Maximal minimal

However, minimal music has also had a formative influence in many other areas – the one-hour sound meditation »Timber« by the »Bang on a Can« co-founder Michael Gordon is one example, techno is another.

It is a great honour for the Elbphilharmonie’s »Maximal minimal« festival that Steve Reich, one of the genre’s leading figures, has agreed to attend the Hamburg concerts and to take part in a discussion. The Colin Curie Group, which Reich holds in high esteem, interprets some of his most important works for percussion and the impressive »Music for 18 Musicians«.

The Agoo Group, in contrast, shows how important the influence of non-European musical forms was for the composers of minimal music; in this case with traditional drum music from Ghana, which Reich got to know during a visit to Africa.

Finally, all of Hamburg’s musically adept residents are invited to take part on stage in the Elbphilharmonie’s Grand Hall. The occasion is provided by Terry Riley’s »In C«, one of the genre’s early works. Further events such as the audience-interactive »Clapping Music«, workshops on Ghanaian drumming and film screenings complete the programme of the »Maximal minimal« festival.