Terry Riley
In C changed musical history. Composer Terry Riley so influenced The Who’s Pete Townsend so deeply that he titled his highly experimental rock classic Baba O’Riley came from a mashup of the names of Riley and Indian mystic Meher Baba.
Riley’s heavily-improvised work had a profound impact not just on Townsend, but on a generation of musicians including John Adams, Morton Subotnick, Philip Glass and Steve Reich.
At 8 tonight, Riley celebrates the work’s 45th anniversary at Carnegie Hall in a performance the brings together the original performers and a host of guests — including Kronos Quartet, rocker Dan Zanes, and One Ring Zero co-conspirator Michael Hearst. Some tickets are still available. Click here for more information.
Riley, who is 73 years old, remains quite active performing and composing. But tonight’s show will be a rare opportunity to hear In C performed by the musicians who were there at the beginning along with many whose lives were changed by the piece.
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