On Minimalism

"A gust of fresh air blowing across a stage. . . . As a compilation of source texts, On Minimalism is unparalleled, containing prescient, critical writings from many commentators and participants. . . . Organized in 21 accessible chunks (not only the expected ones, but also others covering spirituality, multimedia and altered states), each headed by an introduction that synthesizes the coming information, this is a breeze to navigate and, for all its scholarly chops, relaxed in its learning."

* The Wire *
"An array of voices and perspectives kept from being bewildering by the editors’ clear and sensible organization. . . . . On Minimalism, with its contradictory array of opinions, assertions and recollections shows us how musicians, critics, the listening public and the larger cultural machine experienced, thought about and grappled with one of the more unlikely success stories in the American avant-garde." * Spectrum Culture *
"A glorious compendium of loosely grouped reviews, album sleeve and liner notes, articles and interviews. Its remit is wide and inclusive and all the better for that." * International Times *
"With passion and some style, the collected writings of On Minimalism invite the side-stepping of origin stories and the dismantling of a minimalist cannon. Instead, it invites a deeper and wider immersion in a radical music that continues to divide and entrance in equal measure." * All About Jazz *
"Through the sources carefully collected and organized in On Minimalism, O’Brien and Robin present a rich tapestry of the musical movement, which can be appreciated by novices, students, instructors, and experts alike and will serve as mandatory reading for minimalist scholars moving forward as we continue to explore the stories that minimalism can tell." * Notes: the Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association *
"A special book in which we get a wonderful insight into the history of this movement. . . . Beautiful and instructive." * Nieuwe Noten *
"You might come to this book for Reich, Glass and Riley, but it’s definitely worth staying for O’Brien and Robin’s inspiring accounts of musicians, many not achieving anything like mainstream success, who delight in keeping the minimalist instinct pure. . . . Everything you could want to know about minimalism—from its pre-history to its pioneering go-getters piecing together a music that had yet to solidify into a genre—is surveyed and assessed." * Prospect Magazi