As soon as the slightly sinister repetitive beeps of the off-the-hook phone are heard, you know the next 15 and a half minutes are going to be a very thrilling rollercoaster of emotions. September 9/11 seems to me such a daunting subject, that it shows Steve Reich’s bravery in creating this piece, his own personal reaction and re-imagining of the tragic event. Every note is perfectly placed and Reich has not felt the need to elongate or over produce this work of just over quarter of an hour. This powerful and poignant three movement piece I believe is the best that Steve Reich (now in his 75th year) has committed to manuscript and record.So, what are the elements that make up this recording and new composition? Well, firstly you have the Kronos Quartet, one of the first ensembles to attempt to bring classical music kicking and screaming into the 21st century, acting more like a rock band than string quartet for most of their career. They’ve worked with an exceptional list of contemporary composers, always searching out the new. But it is their relationship and association with Steve Reich, which surprisingly is just based around 3 compositions (this being one of them) that seems to define them. So basically if you want to hear a passionate, powerful and electrifying performance there is nothing quite like seeing and hearing the Kronos Quartet. The other key element of course is Steve Reich himself, who has the rare privilege of being a composer celebrated in his own lifetime. He started off performing his own work until other performers started to be able to get their fingers, mouths and brains around his physically and mentally demanding music. Other key works that anyone new to Reich should check out are Electric Counterpoint (loved by the likes of Radiohead Guitarist Jonny Greenwood) and music for 18 Musicians (a favourite of the rising classical star Nico Muhly).So, where should we begin with WT 9/11? Well, it’s hard to think or hear this piece without referring to Reich’s Different Trains which is a bookend piece to this work. Written 20 years previously, also for the Kronos Quartet, Different Trains was made similarly for string quartet and tape, with the music following the speech rhythms of the recorded voices.  So now taking September 9/11 as the starting point you can hear throughout the three movements of the new piece the historical perspective with publicly accessible recordings by North American Aerospace Defense Command and the New York City Fire Department. Then adding to this he brings the personal perspective with clips of former friends and neighbours who lived or worked in lower Manhattan and were affected in some way by 9/11. This seems to change his role in the piece as he’s not only a composer now but takes on the role of investigative reporter trying to find answers. Unfortunately, there may be no answer to find in regards to why. The prayers we hear in the 3rd movement reinforce this conclusion.Looking further at the music Reich has succeeded in creating a strange version of popular song (maybe even getting near rap; this would seem appropriate for New York). The strings double and harmonize the spoken lines which are sometimes artificially prolonged and warped. It virtually a string orchestra on record as there are three string quartets, one live, and two pre-recorded. This maybe an obvious thing to point out but strings are the short cut to suspense and horror for all Hollywood scores. I started to think of this more of a film soundtrack as echoes of Bernard Hermann came to mind with the powerful string writing in this piece. This music is inspired by one of the most powerful and devastating historic events in recent history. I don’t know why but perhaps due to the fact you don’t have distance from the event (such with the World War II-based Different Trains) I find this makes it far harder to listen to. A piece of music that can only be compounded in its effect as you draw in your experience from that time. Mallet Quartet and Dance Patterns also included on the discs are very good pieces of composition and help bring the collection of music to a more conventional length. But it’s WTC 9/11 which is the reason you buy this work. It is maybe a bold thing to say but I think this is a piece of music that everyone should take time to hear, even if it’s just once in their lifetime.

by artistxite