Terry Riley composed and performed the musical piece In C. It is considered one of the first minimalist compositions and a masterpiece of its genre. Created in 1968, it was a response to the modern music that was prevalent at the time.
In C has inspired many famous composers, including Philip Glass and Steve Reich. The composition consists of repeating cells and different rhythms, which are loosely based on the musical structures Riley had heard and loved in North African music. The piece is made up of 53 short musical phrases.
