Terry Riley on DeBaser: Minimalism Pioneer, Reviews and Works

Terry Riley

Musician

Forlisteners into minimalism, avant‑garde, contemporary classical, and curious rock fans tracing the roots of repetition and drone.
8 Reviews 1 Definitions 2 Charts

The Profile

American composer and key figure of musical minimalism, known for In C (1964) and A Rainbow in Curved Air (1969). He pioneered tape-delay techniques (time-lag accumulator), explored just intonation, and collaborated extensively with Kronos Quartet, while drawing on Indian classical traditions.

Founder-level minimalist; developed tape-delay performance; major works include In C and A Rainbow in Curved Air; created just-intonation piano cycles; collaborated with Kronos Quartet; influence cited by The Who (“Baba O’Riley”) and Mike Oldfield (Tubular Bells).

Reviews highlight Riley’s role as a pioneer of minimalism and electronic avant‑garde. In C is framed as a foundational minimalist work. A Rainbow in Curved Air showcases overdubbing, organ, and Eastern-tinged textures with major rock influence. Persian Surgery Dervishes captures trance‑like live tape‑delay improvisations. The Harp of New Albion explores just intonation in an expansive, lyrical piano cycle.

Notable Quotes

❝ Among the founders, among the inventors, among the pioneers, among the fathers of minimalism, there is without a shadow of a doubt Terry Riley.

❝ "In C" is considered the first piece of minimalist music, the one that would give rise to a stylistic current, minimalism, which had some American composers as its pioneers: besides Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, and John Adams among the major ones.