Steve Reich's Eight Lines (1983) is an orchestrated and slightly reworked version of the composer's Octet (1979). This reinstrumentation, undertaken by flautist/conductor Ransom Wilson, features a string section expanded by several players—thus reducing the difficulty of the double-stop passages in Reich's original version. In order to emphasize key melodies, the wind forces are increased from four to six players; the new version also features a double bass, providing a more solid harmonic footing.

Long lines comprised of shorter figures extracted from the textural web of the pianos constitute the melodic content of this work. This technique, which Reich had already essayed in Music for a Large Ensemble (1979), bears certain resemblances to Hebrew scriptural chant, one of Reich's important influences. Eight Lines is cast in a five-part form; a fuzziness at the edges of each part, however, lends an air of ambiguity to the work's formal flow. The first and third sections emphasize rapid figurations, while the second and fourth highlight longer tones suspended above the contrapuntal web. The final movement consolidates these complementary textures into a colorful conclusion.

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