Steve Reich on music history

In an interview given last September 27 during the Beethovenfest in Germany, here is what Steve Reich had to say about the history of music:

But for me, music history basically begins with Gregorian chant then goes to the end of 1750 with the death of Johann Sebastian Bach. Then it goes on without me paying much attention until Debussy, Ravel, Stravinsky, Bartok and so on. The entire classical and Romantic period is filled with geniuses that I don't listen to and from whom I've learned absolutely nothing.

I've learned the most from medieval music, from Bartok and Stravinsky, from John Coltrane, the jazz musician, and from Perotin in the 12th century in Paris.

Read the whole interview here

Interesting. I thought the only music Reich was in reaction to was serial music...