Masterpieces of Minimal Music | Including Lesser-Known Works
One of the indispensable genres when discussing contemporary music is minimal music.
Even if you’ve heard the name, many people may not be quite sure about its definition.
Surprisingly, the definition of minimal music is simple: it primarily involves the persistent repetition of similar melodic patterns.
In terms of atmosphere, it generally feels close to ambient music.
This time, we’ve selected some classic tracks of minimal music.
There are some lesser-known works included as well, so even those who already love minimal music should definitely check them out.
Masterpieces of Minimal Music | Lesser-Known Works Also Featured (1–10)
Phrygian gatesADAMS
An impressive piece structured around the piano, Phrygian Gates.
Minimal music often features piano-centered instrumentals like this, but this work in particular is crafted with a strikingly surreal atmosphere.
It’s neither a melody akin to relaxing healing music nor an overtly serious one.
What stands out is its uniquely hard-to-describe character.
The track is fairly long, making it a great recommendation for those who want to fully immerse themselves in minimal music.
SatyagrahaPhilip Glass
Various styles of minimal music have been established, but isn’t the style that lets you experience its essence most purely the piano performance? This piece, “Satyagraha,” is one of the most famous examples of minimal music for piano.
It’s music that keeps you relaxed throughout, yet occasionally reveals a more serious melodic side.
With its outstanding structure, it could well serve as an ideal gateway into the genre.
Music for 18 MusiciansSteve Reich
Due to its nature of repeating sounds, minimal music tends to develop slowly.
That’s why it can be surprisingly difficult to appreciate minimal music in a short time.
For those listeners, I recommend trying a suite-like work made up of connected pieces.
Steve Reich’s “Music for 18 Musicians” is one such work.
It unfolds gradually, and before you know it, you’ll notice the atmosphere has changed quite a bit from the beginning.
That subtle transformation is part of minimal music’s appeal, so be sure to check it out.
Sogno ad Occhi ApertiGiovanni Sollima
A very lyrical yet weighty work that seems to sharpen the elegance of Bach’s style to its utmost.
As the cello layers its sound in multiple voices, it moves back and forth on a knife-edge between major and minor, unfolding a fantastical image that is both dark and bright.
The title includes the word “Daydream,” but even if you listen at night, it feels as though you might trip into a world of dreams.
Despite the absence of any showy turns, the arrangement is masterful, conjuring a variety of landscapes with each new scene of the piece.
Icebreaker Trance Part 4Michael Gordon
Michael Gordon’s “Icebreaker Trance Part 4” by the American composer is a striking piece whose structure gradually builds toward the latter half while repeating similar motifs.
Its energetic sound—bolstered by percussion and more—may come as a surprise to those who associate minimal or ambient music with quietness.
It’s also a style that listeners who enjoy rock or pop might find accessible.
Ambient 1Brian Eno
Musician Brian Eno, known as a former member of the rock band Roxy Music that was active from the 1970s to the 1980s.
After turning to a solo career, while remaining involved in rock by producing artists such as Talking Heads and David Bowie, he has also devoted himself to creating ambient music.
In the album we’re introducing today, Ambient 1, the quiet piano melodies—completely different from rock—leave a strong impression!
andataRyuichi Sakamoto
Ryuichi Sakamoto, a composer who enjoyed immense popularity in the 1980s as part of YMO, is an artist every Japanese person knows.
However, I think few people realize that he is also highly acclaimed worldwide in the minimal music scene.
His piece “andata” lets you savor that side of his work.
The repeated keyboard motif paired with gradually intensifying noise creates a subtle, exquisite sense of melancholy.
Be sure to check it out.