Max Richter spent three years composing his eight-hour magnum opus, Sleep, which was completed in 2015.
Compositional Technique
The low-pulsed piano music in Sleep is designed to match a perfect sleep cycle, reflecting the low-frequency spectrum heard by an unborn child.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Max Richter conceived Sleep as an 'alternative landscape' or 'roadblock to the information superhighway' to help people rest from the flood of real-time information.
Notable Performances
Max Richter has performed the entire eight-hour Sleep cycle for audiences lying in beds, creating a unique shared experience of falling asleep together.
Album & Artwork
This album, Sleep Circle, is a newly recorded, abridged 90-minute version of Sleep, informed by concert experiences and focusing on more foregrounded movements.
Cultural Impact
Max Richter's Sleep has become one of the most streamed classical compositions, heard nightly by millions globally, offering an invitation to meditate on falling asleep.
Compositional Technique
Max Richter consulted neuroscientist David Eagleman, who suggested that slowly repetitive tones could support slow-wave sleep, where memories consolidate.
