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Steve Reich/Gerhard Richter

,Barbican Hall
Abstract painting 946-3 by Gerhard Richter

Steve Reich and Gerhard Richter – two giants of contemporary culture – come together in a major new collaboration: a cinematic exploration of Richter’s intense, abstract painting 946-3.

Steve Reich: the composer who redefined the very concept of rhythm – and whose vitality interrogates and transforms everything it touches. Gerhard Richter: a titan of contemporary art, a master of light capable of charging abstract forms with intense emotional power.

Together with Britten Sinfonia they’ve combined original music and digital visuals, algorithmically derived from Richter’s painting, to create an artwork that is boundlessly more than the sum of its parts. ‘A stream of images, its rhythmic flow interpreted by music and, at the same time, a musical composition visualized by film images’ is how Richter describes a collaboration that’s likely to be one of the most significant moments in contemporary art this year.

Tagged with: Classical music Britten Sinfonia 2019-20 Barbican Presents 2019-20 More...

In some places a pre-concert talk was advertised as taking place on the same day. This is no longer happening, and instead Steve will be in conversation on Tuesday 22 October.

Each performance (beginning 7.30pm and 9.30pm) is approximately one hour long, with no interval.

Programme

  • Steve Reich   Runner
  •   Reich/Richter (European premiere, Barbican and Britten Sinfonia co-commission)

Film by Gerhard Richter and Corinna Belz, music by Steve Reich, co-curated by Alex Poots and Hans Ulrich Obrist 

Performers

  • Britten Sinfonia  
  • Colin Currie   conductor
‘The overwhelming sensation left by Reich’s writing is one of optimism. This is joyful, tonal, clever music.‘
Bachtrack, 7 April 2019

Discover

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Listen: Steve Reich on Spotify

Listen to a selection of some of Steve Reich's greatest and most groundbreaking work.

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Listen: Contemporary Classical on Spotify

Discover music from across the Contemporary Classical spectrum – from Judith Weir and George Benjamin to Nils Frahm and Max Richter.

Barbican Hall

Location
The Barbican Hall is located within the main Barbican building. Head to Level G and follow the signs to find your seating level. 

Address
Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London
EC2Y 8DS

Public transport
​​​​​​​The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.