1976: Steve Reich - Music for 18 Musicians
Including classical music (whatever such a term may mean) on a list of best albums of the 70s is not merely disingenuous, but feels like a token choice. Squeezing Reich in between CCR and Elvis Costello is a surefire way to outline how many classical albums are missing from the list. That's what happens with all token choices in lists - they make you aware of how token they actually are.
Actually, because of the last paragraph, I was going to completely skip this album. But then I read an email that film composer Jamshied Sharifi is speaking to my film course: American-Jewish Identity in Film. He is responsible for the soundtrack to brilliant films like: Muppets from Space and Harriet the Spy. (He also scored The Thomas Crown Affair.) And thus, in homage, I decided to give the album a listen and do a post tonight. But I can't promise any interesting insights. The most I know about classical music is that Mahler was a genius, Wagner was a Nazi, and that film Amadeus was about Beethoven (who turns out was a bit of a sleaze).
So tonight's post is a bit of a place filler. Also, I entered this week's Rollingstone prompt. There are three more to go after this, and then they pick the Grand Prize winner. The prompt was: find an unreported trend and report on it. I'll tell you all what I picked on Friday. Night, all.
Actually, because of the last paragraph, I was going to completely skip this album. But then I read an email that film composer Jamshied Sharifi is speaking to my film course: American-Jewish Identity in Film. He is responsible for the soundtrack to brilliant films like: Muppets from Space and Harriet the Spy. (He also scored The Thomas Crown Affair.) And thus, in homage, I decided to give the album a listen and do a post tonight. But I can't promise any interesting insights. The most I know about classical music is that Mahler was a genius, Wagner was a Nazi, and that film Amadeus was about Beethoven (who turns out was a bit of a sleaze).
So tonight's post is a bit of a place filler. Also, I entered this week's Rollingstone prompt. There are three more to go after this, and then they pick the Grand Prize winner. The prompt was: find an unreported trend and report on it. I'll tell you all what I picked on Friday. Night, all.