Steve Reich concert at the Barbican!

I've waited for more than 20 years to see the Steve Reich ensemble play Music for 18 Musicians, but last night Phil and I were there at the Barbican Centre in London to see them play the 58-minute piece live. It was the experience of a lifetime for me, very emotional. It also explains a lot of things I've always wondered about the piece, such as which instruments have which parts, and how the musicians can play it without a break (as anticipated, they individually take short breaks, moving between mallet instruments and pianos seamlessly). There was dead silence after the last note for a moment or two, and then the huge hall errupted into clapping, whistling and cheering, everyone on their feet for a five minute standing ovation. Simply superb - a visual and auditory treat that is unlikely to get repeated. The Ensemble were playing in the UK as part of a world tour celebrating Reich's 70th birthday. If you haven't heard it, the album is available on Nonesuch Records, and Steve Reich's website has details of other concerts this year.