have been brought up as a
Century, was put a mosque,
Unitarian," he says.
which is still there today. The
At 37, Reich began study-
history of the stones, the ar-
ing Hebrew and Torah at an
cheology, is the history of the
adult education program at
place and is in the history of
Lincoln Square Synagogue in
the situation, the religious
New York City. "When I was
conflict. That will be the basic
studying Hebrew I saw what
metaphor for the theater."
the tamim were, the accent
The music/video project will
marks. I wanted to pursue
not show modern Jews and
that and that led to cantilla-
Arabs in conflict, will not
tion studies?'
show Palestinians throwing
rocks, but will have relevance
Reich's desire to know what
to the conflict, says Reich.
music sounded like in biblical
Reich and his wife, a video
times led him to the closest
artist, will go to the Middle
modern equivalent, the can-
East this summer to
tors in the Jewish com-
videotape the archeology and
munities of Baghdad, Yemen
to interview Israeli and Arab
and Kurdistan, whom he
archeologists, historians,
recorded in 1976-1977. The
scholars, religious and
recordings inspired Reich's
secular people, soldiers,
1981 composition, "Tehel-
students, etc. "Not so much
lim," originally written for
from a political level today
Reich's ensemble, "Steve
but as they see the triangular
Reich and Musicians," and a
conflicting relationship bet-
small chorus. Reich expanded
ween Abraham and the two
"Tehellim" into a work for
sons, on the one hand Isaac
full orchestra and chorus
and on the other hand
which Zubin Mehta pre-
miered as part of the opening ' Ishmael," says Reich.
Reich was influenced in his
concert of the New York
teens by such diverse musical
Philharmonic's 1982-1983
talents as Bach and Charlie
season.
Parker. He studied to be a jazz
Reich and his family, wife
drummer, attended the
Beryl Korot and son Ezra, 10,
Juilliard school and has made
live in an observant home in
his living as a composer and
New York. "I am devoted to
performer since the early
traditional Judaism," he says.
1960s.
"We do have to play concerts,
I found, on Friday nights, but
Reich's compositions have
been played by orchestras and
chamber groups, string
'I'm among the
quartets and percussion out-
very fortunate few
fits. His musical influences
are early classical, contem-
who can make a
porary
and "not much music
living with his own
in the middle."
music.
In concert Reich plays
keyboard and percussion,
though he defers to his more
generally when I'm home we
talented performing col-
do observe the Sabbath; we
leagues on some of his more
leave the phones on answer-
difficult pieces. Still, he enjoys
ing machine, I don't compose
performing. "Most composers
from sundown Friday to sun-
in America teach for a living"
down Saturday and more or
he notes. "So I'm among the
less observe the dietray rules.
very fortunate few who can
It has come to play an impor-
make a living with his own
tant part in my life and the
music. Because, I guess, I
life of my wife and son."
decided to become involved in
Reich and his wife will col-
the performance of it."
laborate on his next project,
Reich refuses to label
an extension of the work he
himself as a musician. "Peo-
did on "Different Trains," but
ple call me various things .. .
with different documentry
I think that's an unhealthy
source material.
preoccupation for a composer
Reich's piece has the work-
to have because my job is to
ing title "The Cave," meaning
do the next piece, which wil
the cave of Machpelah where
not necessarily at all be like
Abraham is buried, near
the last one. And if I had a lit-
Hebron on the West Bank.
tle category for myself I might
"This is one of the hottest
just decide that once I've done
spots on the globe," says
one thing I might as well
Reich. "One of the reasons it
keep on doing it. And that
is so dangerous and full of
would be a disastrous frame
conflict is because The Cave
of mind to be in."
is there . . . You really don't
Reich's next project, "The
see a cave. You set a wall that
Cave," is foremost on his mind
was built by Herod, on top of
now. "The video project was
which was put a Byzantine
far and away the thing that I
church, on top of which was
feel I was born to do, just like
put, briefly, a synagogue, on
`Different Trains.' These are
top of which, somewhere bet-
rather unique projects." ❑
ween the seventh and 12th
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