Spearheaded and developed by Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Terry Riley and La Monte Young in 1960s New York, minimalism was born from the hypnotic repetition of tiny musical phrases in different rhythmic and harmonic states. Its influences soon spread far and wide, with many composers adopting its techniques as a natural component of their music, including “holy minimalist” Arvo Pärt and, more recently, Max Richter. Steve Reich is perhaps minimalism’s most famous champion, his Music for 18 Musicians, from 1976, a mesmerising tapestry of rhythm and sound.