My name is Reich…

The origins of Reich / Richter inspire this programme, inviting us to delve into the repertoire of the American composer. From his early beginnings, with highly experimental works, to this composition for ensemble, the programme also explores Bach and Stravinsky — two composers whom he regarded as central to his inspiration and to his decision to become a musician. The piece was commissioned by The Shed arts centre in New York and is based on Patterns, a series by German artist Gerhard Richter. Starting from an abstract painting, Richter subjects the image to a series of processes that gradually transform it, resulting in works with an almost psychedelic quality. This marks the first collaboration between the two artists, whose work focuses on exploring the shared sensory experience of music and art. Richter’s mathematical formulas align perfectly with the rigour and repetition that characterise Reich’s musical structures.