“Iconic” may be an overused adjective, but in the case of Steve Reich it feels not only justified but essential. As he approaches his 90th birthday in October 2026, this new release from the Colin Currie Group arrives as both celebration and testament: a vibrant and compelling survey of works spanning more than two decades of Reich’s endlessly inventive career.

‘Steve Reich: The Sextets’ marks the ensemble’s fourth disc devoted to the composer – but only their second in SACD format – coinciding neatly with the group’s own 20th anniversary. Few performers are as closely identified with Reich’s music, and fewer still bring such clarity, energy and conviction to it.

The programme opens with ‘Sextet’(1984, revised 1985), the longest work here at just under 28 minutes, and arguably the most expansive in scope. Scored for four percussionists and two keyboard players (doubling on piano and synthesizers), it is a masterclass in colour and texture. Reich’s imaginative handling of sonority – marimbas, vibraphones, bass drum and crotales – ensures constant variety, while the five movements unfold in a continuous arch form (ABCBA). Particularly striking is the way sustaining tones are drawn from inherently percussive instruments, whether through synthesizers or the arresting technique of bowing vibraphone bars. The performers meet these challenges with dazzling assurance.

‘Double Sextet’ (2007), which follows, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning work of exhilarating rhythmic drive and luminous clarity. Scored for pairs of flutes, clarinets, violins, cellos, vibraphones and pianos, it can be realised either by twelve players or by a single sextet performing against a pre-recorded track. Although the liner notes do not specify which approach is taken here, the performance itself is taut, precise and alive with kinetic energy, particularly in the outer fast movements that frame a more introspective central section.

‘Six Marimbas’ (1986), a reworking of Reich’s earlier ‘Six Pianos’, is hypnotic in the best sense. Its interlocking rhythmic patterns demand attentive listening, but the reward is a shimmering, almost kaleidoscopic sound world. The Colin Currie Group sustains both momentum and clarity throughout, allowing the music’s intricate design to emerge with remarkable lucidity.

The disc concludes with ‘Dance Patterns’ (2002), written for choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and filmmaker Thierry De Mey. Light on its feet, subtly jazzy and rhythmically buoyant, this short piece provides a relaxed yet satisfying close to an outstanding programme.

Reich himself lends his endorsement in the liner notes, praising the ensemble’s “outstanding performances,” and it is difficult to disagree. Recorded in the clear acoustic of King’s Place in August 2024 and presented here in high-resolution SACD sound, the engineering captures every detail with admirable presence and balance.

This is a superb release: expertly played, beautifully recorded and thoughtfully programmed. For long-time admirers of Reich, it is an essential addition while for newcomers, it offers an invigorating entry point into one of the defining voices of late 20th and early 21st century music.

Copyright © 2026 Graham Williams and HRAudio.net

Performance:

Sonics (Stereo):

Sonics (Multichannel):