Rhys Chatham

The Profile

Rhys Chatham is an American composer, guitarist, and trumpeter who fused minimalist processes with the energy of New York’s rock and no wave scenes. A student of La Monte Young and Morton Subotnick, he pioneered large-ensemble guitar works such as An Angel Moves Too Fast to See and A Crimson Grail, and influenced artists including Sonic Youth and Glenn Branca. He has also composed for brass and dance, and spent significant years living in Paris.

Born in New York City in 1952; studied with La Monte Young and Morton Subotnick; first music director of The Kitchen; pioneer of massed electric-guitar compositions (e.g., An Angel Moves Too Fast to See; A Crimson Grail); performed at venues such as CBGB; collaborations and commissions tied to dance companies including the Cunningham Dance Company.

Three DeBaser reviews chart Rhys Chatham’s merger of minimalism and rock, from the ferocious guitars of Die Donnergoetter to the luminous expanse of A Crimson Grail and the exploratory Pythagorean Dream. The pieces highlight his role as a mentor to key no-wave/alt-rock figures, his brass and dance collaborations, and his Paris commissions. Overall sentiment is strongly favorable.