minimalism

Minimalism emerged in the 1960s as a reaction against the complexity of serialism and the academic avant-garde. Pioneered by composers La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass, the style strips music down to essential elements — short melodic or rhythmic cells repeated with slow, incremental changes that create hypnotic, trance-like textures. Steve Reich's phasing technique, where identical patterns gradually drift apart, and Philip Glass's additive processes, where patterns grow by the gradual addition of notes, are hallmark minimalist techniques. The movement drew inspiration from non-Western music, particularly West African drumming and Balinese gamelan, as well as jazz. Minimalism's influence extends far beyond concert music into film scoring, ambient, and electronic dance music.