Steve Reich to perform Radiohead-inspired piece

Called America’s “greatest living composer” by us, and Alex Ross of the New Yorker, a new work by Steve Reich is big news to music fans of any genre. Now, fascinatingly, it’s been revealed that the 70-year-old New Yorker will compose a piece based on the Radiohead songs Everything In Its Right Place and Jigsaw Falling Into Place. The piece will open on the 5th March 2013, and will be performed by 13 musicians from the London Sinfonietta. The band met the composer in Poland and spoke at length while both appearing at a Polish festival this September, the Guardian reports.

Andrew Burke, chief executive of the London Sinfonietta: “It was the first time he’d met them as musicians and spoken to them at length. Jonny Greenwood played [Reich composition] Electric Counterpoint – Steve saw this guy was seriously interested in his music and Steve became seriously interested in theirs.”

“I don’t think Steve will be quoting these songs directly – I don’t think that’s his style,” Burke went on to say about the project literally no-one is calling “Reichdiohead.” “How he uses the songs as a starting point for what he does is going to be part of the excitement. But ultimately I’m most excited by the fact that we’ve got a new work by Steve Reich.”