Legendary sound innovators with their recent interpretation of the iconic composition In C (Terry Riley)

The Young Gods will present their version of the well-known composition In C, written by American composer Terry Riley. The composition was written in 1964 and is often referred to as the first minimalist composition. In C contains a total of 53 short parts, each of which can be repeated any number of times. According to Riley's instructions, the movements must be played in the correct order, but it is not necessary that all of them are played. The piece does not have a fixed length; it can last a quarter of an hour, but it can also last several hours (Riley's recommendation is between 45 and 90 minutes).

On their current album 'Play Terry Riley In C' (2022), The Young Gods offer a new interpretation of the composition, as a trio and with their own sonic vocabulary – electronic instruments, drums and guitars. They have chosen to stick to the score and Terry Riley's instructions, while retaining a degree of freedom, for example in terms of the treatment of the intensity of the sound – which evolves from almost complete silence to sonic eruption and back again in several long cycles. They also chose to maintain a constant tempo throughout the live performance by building a hypnotic flow that meanders and oscillates in ever-changing circles and atmospheres that are perfectly fluid.

“In C is like a game of life: everyone has to listen carefully to each other to make things work. One could say that this is true of all music, but In C is more than just playing together at the same time: this piece invites you into another dimension where past and future events are so intertwined that you are constantly in the field of possibilities”

Franz Treichler, The Young Gods