A thought on minimalism

[kenjari]

I was thinking about minimalism this weekend as a result of attending Akhnaten. One of its best aspects is the way small things become much more important. Minimalism forces the listener to pay attention to details that they wouldn't necessarily notice as much in other music: the entrance of a new instrument or voice, subtle changes in texture, a shift in harmony or tempo, etc. Also, simple things like chromatic scales can become major events. At its best, minimalism makes these small or simple things moments of extreme dramatic or emotional significance. Minimalism has taught me, as a composer, that there are many times when I don't have to do that much after all, when a little can go a very long way.