post-minimalism

A term for composers who emerged from the minimalist tradition of Reich, Glass, and Riley but moved beyond its strictest processes — reintroducing dramatic climaxes, narrative arc, harmonic progression, and Romantic expression. Adams is the central figure of post-minimalism: his music retains the repetitive pulse and diatonic harmony of minimalism while embracing the large-scale structure and emotional range of Romantic orchestral music. The result is a style he sometimes calls 'maximalist minimalism'.