The second episode of our archival series with Carl Stone features a conversation with minimalist composer Terry Riley. It took place in 1993 in Los Angeles on the occasion of Terry Riley’s performance of his piece Woelfli Portraits at LACMA. Starting off the conversation with a look at Riley’s childhood in California, we learn about his early love for radio and his diverse musical tastes, going from country, to classical to bebop, which inspired him to focus on music. Moving forward, the two address some of Riley’s most seminal work, In C (1964), his tape loops experiments that led to it, and the psychedelic era of the 1960s which would influence him to work on music in relation with consciousness. This conception of music will be heightened with the teachings of Pandit Pran Nath, an Indian classical singer, who had a deep influence on his work. Further, Riley tells us about several collaborations that impacted his music, such as one with the trumpet player Chet Baker in Paris, his longtime work with the Kronos Quartet, and singing with Lamont Young in New York. Many musical examples punctuate the conversation and thus help bond the words with the sounds.

PIECES AND RECORDINGS FROM:

Terry Riley, The Harp of New Albion (1986), Celestial Harmonies [Opening and closing credits]

Terry Riley, June Buddhas (From “Mexico City Blues”) (1992), Musicmasters

Terry Riley, The Harp of New Albion (1986), Live performance in Padva, Italy

Terry Riley, Crow’s Rosary (1987)

Terry Riley, The Sands (1991), commissioned by the Salzberg Festival