In C
| In C | |
|---|---|
| by Terry Riley | |
Incipit of In C | |
| Key | C major |
| Genre | minimalism |
| Form | open |
| Composed | March 1964 |
| Performed | 4 November 1964: San Francisco Tape Music Center |
| Scoring | open |
In C is a composition by Terry Riley from 1964. It is one of the most successful works by an American composer and a seminal example of minimalism. The score directs any number of musicians to repeat a series of 53 melodic fragments in a guided improvisation.
Terry Riley's 1968 recording of In C was added to the National Recording Registry in 2022. The piece inspired countless other composers, including Philip Glass, Steve Reich, John Adams, and Julius Eastman.