Composer

:

Terry Riley

Genre

:

Chamber

Style

:

Chamber Music

Compose Date

:

1995

Average_duration

:

5:01

Barabbas is a composition by Terry Riley, an American composer known for his contributions to the minimalist music movement. The piece was composed in 1969 and premiered in the same year at the Mills College Contemporary Music Festival in Oakland, California. Barabbas is a four-movement work for chamber ensemble, featuring a combination of acoustic and electronic instruments. The first movement, titled "The Arrest", begins with a slow, ominous introduction before transitioning into a frenzied section featuring dissonant, repetitive patterns. The second movement, "The Trial", is more subdued, with a haunting melody played by a solo violin. The third movement, "The Crucifixion", is the most intense and dissonant of the four, featuring a cacophony of sounds from the ensemble. The final movement, "The Liberation", is a return to the slow, ominous mood of the first movement, with a sense of unresolved tension. One of the defining characteristics of Barabbas is its use of repetition and minimalism. The piece features repetitive patterns and motifs that gradually evolve over time, creating a sense of hypnotic intensity. The use of electronic instruments, such as the electric organ and tape delay, also adds to the otherworldly, trance-like quality of the music. Overall, Barabbas is a powerful and evocative work that showcases Terry Riley's unique approach to composition. Its use of repetition and minimalism, combined with its haunting melodies and dissonant harmonies, make it a standout piece in the minimalist music canon.

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