interwound

Interwound is a short electroacoustic work composed by American minimalist composer Steve Reich in 1976. The piece is written for a live ensemble comprising a soprano vocal part and a processed tape part, and it serves as a companion piece to Reich's earlier composition, *Different Trains*. Interwound is notable for its use of recorded speech, specifically the spoken narrative of a former police chief describing his demeanor and a policeman's mutter, and for the way these recordings are treated and woven into the live performance.

Reich's compositional technique in Interwound involves a process of phasing and looping, where the same phrase is repeated at slightly different tempos creating overlapping rhythmic patterns. By employing delay effects and tape manipulation, the recorded speech fragments are transformed into rhythmic material that interacts with the live soprano vocal line. The piece explores textual clarity and the relationship between natural speech rhythms and musical time.

The structure of Interwound is built around two basic segments that alternate. The first segment presents a short tape sequence, followed by the soprano’s vocal entry. The second segment inverses this order, emphasizing the dynamic between the recorded and live elements. Throughout the work, Reich manipulates tempo, pitch, and timbre, creating a subtle sonic palimpsest that encourages close listening.

Interwound has been performed by various ensembles and is frequently used in academic settings to illustrate Reich's early experimentation with tape technology and synchronizing spoken word with musical improvisation. The work exemplifies Reich's broader aesthetic concerns, such as minimal repetition, processual development, and the integration of everyday sounds into a structured musical framework. It remains a valuable example of the transition from conventional composition into the realm of experimental electronic music.