ABSTRACT
The term minimalism, often used to refer to the styles, was defined by composer La Monte Young as “that which is created with a minimum of means.” The term “minimalism” originated in the visual arts, in reference to paintings and sculptures by artists in the 1960s (such as Frank Stella, Tony Smith, Donald Judd, or Richard Serra) consisting of elemental, simple forms, normally used in repetitive and symmetrical geometric patterns. Detractors of minimalism criticize its simplicity and its apparent stasis and lack of direction, whereas its supporters praise its accessibility and clarity and its capacity to re-establish a connection between contemporary music and audiences (it is indeed undeniable that minimalism has enjoyed a remarkable level of public and commercial success). Violin Phase is neither static nor devoid of linear direction: both motion and direction are provided by the combined designs of transpositional regions and attack-point density.
