Different Trains, composed and recorded in 1988, was Steve Reich’s first composition to draw on his Jewish heritage, inspired by a childhood memory.

Last night as I was about to go to bed I had BBC 6Music on and was about to turn it off when I was captivated by this powerfully emotional piece by Steve Reich.

Intense and immersive, it dates back to 1988 and comes from a three-piece suite called Different Trains; this is the first movement, America – Before The War.

It was inspired by Reich’s experience, as a small child, of travelling on trains between New York, where his father lived, and Los Angeles, where his mother moved after they separated.

Years later he pondered the realisation that, as a Jew, had he been born and raised in Europe rather than the USA he might well have been travelling at that same time on different trains – transporting Jews to concentration camps.

Played by a string quartet, it incorporates the recorded voices of Reich’s childhood governess Virginia and a railway porter called Lawrence Davis, reminiscing about rail journeys over the sound of trains.

It’s an extraordinary piece of work, and deserves to be listened to in full, alongside the other two movements (Europe – During The War and After The War). And I shall be forever grateful to Georgia Ellery of Jockstrap and Black Country, New Road for introducing me to it.