In the late 1960s, the composer Michael Nyman coined the term “minimalism” to describe a new musical aesthetic characterized by a certain simplicity and economy of means. One of the composers associated with this movement, La Monte Young, embraced the term with enthusiasm, while others like Steve Reich and Philip Glass nuanced it with terms such as “music without intention” or “music with a repetitive structure”. The term “hypnotic music” might also be appropriate for some works by Simeon ten Holt or Arvo Pärt, provided we are attuned to the monotonous hum of rain, have a fondness for grey—the languid greys of overcast days—or appreciate a certain suspension of the world.

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