Iannis Xenakis (1922-2001)

Started by gomro, May 10, 2007, 01:54:54 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

greg

QuoteXENAKIS Tracées
XENAKIS Anastenaria
XENAKIS Sea-Nymphs
XENAKIS Mists
XENAKIS Nuits
XENAKIS Troorkh
XENAKIS Antikhthon

BBC Symphony Orchestra
Martyn Brabbins conductor
Christian Lindberg trombone
Rolf Hind piano
BBC Singers
Sounds like a great night!  0:)


greg

Well, it's good to see one of Xenakis' most unapproachable works, Mycanae Alpha, has 87,000 views and an average rating of 5 stars after 110 votes... and he has other videos around the 70,000 view mark, too.  :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yztoaNakKok

bhodges

The International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) is heavily involved in a three-concert Xenakis project (Boston last April, Chicago in June and New York in October), and invited me to post on their blog about something related to the composer, so I did:D

--Bruce

CRCulver

I've been thinking of the suggestion that Xenakis retired due to progressing Alzheimer's. While James Harley has said that late works like O-Mega bear signs of the composer's failing health, a mid-90s interview with the composer in Dansk Musik Tidskrift and reproduced in English in Anders Beyer's The Voice of Music has the composer still sounding sharp as a tack. The only foreboding passage is when Xenakis claims that he has no memory of Jonchaies, but with an oeuvre as large as his and a desire to always move onward, that's understandable.

bhodges

Happy Birthday, Iannis Xenakis, who would have been 87 today.  PS, this site has probably been mentioned, but I stumbled across it today, Les Amis de Xenakis.

--Bruce

bhodges

A fine review in the Chicago Classical Review of last night's all-Xenakis concert by the International Contemporary Ensemble.  They are repeating the program in New York in October, and I can't wait.

--Bruce

greg

That's interesting, they even performed O-Mega...

now, only if they'd come to Florida.... ::)

snyprrr

No Xenakis recordings looming on the horizon???

Haven't gotten the JACK Qrt. yet. Anyone?

bhodges

Wow, I didn't even realize the Jack Quartet had released a recording, but here it is, all four quartets--and on DVD, too.  I will certainly get this very soon. 

--Bruce

bhodges

Thanks for that great news about the new Xenakis DVD, which I see also has the JACK Quartet again.  Their performance of the four string quartets on Friday night was just mind-blowing, and if anything, better than their concert two years ago.  The venue--the 250-seat concert hall in the Morgan Library (below)--offered even better sound.  As one friend put it, "I heard things I may have missed in the earlier performance."

Of the four, my two favorites remain ST/4 (1962) and Tetras (1983), each showing off the JACK musicians' virtuosity to the hilt.  Their explosive reading of Tetras ended the program and got them huge cheers--the audience brought them out four or five times.  (No encore, but I have no idea what could follow that quartet.) 

Interestingly, neither Tetora (1990) nor Ergma (1994) has any glissando, one of the composer's often-used devices.  The friend with me thought Ergma especially interesting, with its thick chords played fff sounding like an out-of-tune concertina. 

We were sitting fairly close, in the fifth or six row, and were able to get glimpses of the scores, all fairly terrifying.  It's a real testament to the abilities of these young musicians (all in their 20s, I believe) that they can play these pieces with such utter confidence and authority.

--Bruce

greg

Quote from: James on February 07, 2010, 10:23:30 PM
Still have that Xenakis String Quartet DVD on my list, have to get that eventually.

A new Xenakis Chamber Music DVD "Works with Piano" is being released Jan. 26, 2010 ...



Eonta, for 2 trumpets, 3 trombones and piano (1963–64)
Morsima-Amorsima for piano, violin, cello & double-bass (1956-1962)
Akea, for piano and string quartet (1986)
Paille in the Wind, for cello and piano (1992)
Awesome!  :o


Quote from: bhodges on February 08, 2010, 11:19:02 AM
Thanks for that great news about the new Xenakis DVD, which I see also has the JACK Quartet again.  Their performance of the four string quartets on Friday night was just mind-blowing, and if anything, better than their concert two years ago.  The venue--the 250-seat concert hall in the Morgan Library (below)--offered even better sound.  As one friend put it, "I heard things I may have missed in the earlier performance."

Of the four, my two favorites remain ST/4 (1962) and Tetras (1983), each showing off the JACK musicians' virtuosity to the hilt.  Their explosive reading of Tetras ended the program and got them huge cheers--the audience brought them out four or five times.  (No encore, but I have no idea what could follow that quartet.) 

Interestingly, neither Tetora (1990) nor Ergma (1994) has any glissando, one of the composer's often-used devices.  The friend with me thought Ergma especially interesting, with its thick chords played fff sounding like an out-of-tune concertina. 

We were sitting fairly close, in the fifth or six row, and were able to get glimpses of the scores, all fairly terrifying.  It's a real testament to the abilities of these young musicians (all in their 20s, I believe) that they can play these pieces with such utter confidence and authority.

--Bruce
Lucky guy...

bhodges

Quote from: Greg on February 08, 2010, 11:48:25 AM
Lucky guy...

If you don't have that DVD yet, get it immediately!  Truly, these guys are giving the Arditti's a run for their money, and that's saying something.

--Bruce

snyprrr

Quote from: James on February 07, 2010, 10:23:30 PM
Still have that Xenakis String Quartet DVD on my list, have to get that eventually.

A new Xenakis Chamber Music DVD "Works with Piano" is being released Jan. 26, 2010 ...



Eonta, for 2 trumpets, 3 trombones and piano (1963–64)
Morsima-Amorsima for piano, violin, cello & double-bass (1956-1962)
Akea, for piano and string quartet (1986)
Paille in the Wind, for cello and piano (1992)

This is madness! ::)Again, I have to get a whole cd of Eonta and Akrata just to get a 3min new piece. MADNESS! >:DWhen? When will Mode release reasonable recitals for this series? NEVER! obviously!

Ok, the 4 SQs, ok, I understand that,... though why they could've added...well, nevermind, that's fine, but practically every other release in their series is a big mixed up mish mash, IMHO. And NOW, Takahashi releases a second volume, seemingly gathering together the most head scratching Xenakis recital EVER, IMO. Ugh ugh ugh :-\ :-X >:D.

Whew, I just gotta vent. I got a big boner when I saw your post, but then went limp.

I thought the first Takahashi disc was a bit odd, adding Palimpsest and all, but why they couldn't have put Paille on that one,... I don't know, honestly I'm not really looking forward to any more of these Mode discs. I personally think they've done a baffling job here documenting Xenakis,... simply adding new recordings of pieces we already have heard, while things like the great orchestral/choral trilogy (Cendrees, Anemoessa, Nekuia) remain undone.

Can I get a witness?

Quote from: bhodges on February 08, 2010, 11:19:02 AM
Thanks for that great news about the new Xenakis DVD, which I see also has the JACK Quartet again.  Their performance of the four string quartets on Friday night was just mind-blowing, and if anything, better than their concert two years ago.  The venue--the 250-seat concert hall in the Morgan Library (below)--offered even better sound.  As one friend put it, "I heard things I may have missed in the earlier performance."

Of the four, my two favorites remain ST/4 (1962) and Tetras (1983), each showing off the JACK musicians' virtuosity to the hilt.  Their explosive reading of Tetras ended the program and got them huge cheers--the audience brought them out four or five times.  (No encore, but I have no idea what could follow that quartet.) 

Interestingly, neither Tetora (1990) nor Ergma (1994) has any glissando, one of the composer's often-used devices.  The friend with me thought Ergma especially interesting, with its thick chords played fff sounding like an out-of-tune concertina. 

We were sitting fairly close, in the fifth or six row, and were able to get glimpses of the scores, all fairly terrifying.  It's a real testament to the abilities of these young musicians (all in their 20s, I believe) that they can play these pieces with such utter confidence and authority.

--Bruce

oh, someone has some good news! ;D THAT I would like to see!

Quote from: James on February 08, 2010, 02:58:04 PM
2 other new X items recent to the market ...

Feb. 23rd this EMI issue ...>> LINK

&

back in Nov. 09 ..
all the Timpani releases were issued under one roof ...


http://www.timpani-records.com/xenakisbox.php

And,... more depressing news :'(.

ok, I'm sure I will have to dutifully get the EMI, though, aren't many of those performances on the RZ Edition 2-cd? I'm so jaded now, I'm just not even that excited,...oh, what has become of my Xenakis mania? :'(

And, the MOST DEPRESSING HINT of all is that Timpani has wrapped up their Xenakis series. Why else offer the five? Why not have offered the choral/orchestral trilogy also? :'( :'( :'( Why why why??



ok, here I wallow in my misery. Will I ever be satisfied with a Xenakis release again? Will the choral trilogy go unrecorded (a suspect not)? Will someone record good versions of the stuff that Mode fluffed (Plekto, others...)?

And, WHY??, if they've got two cds of Takahashi now, did they not re-record Plekto with her??

MADNESS, I tell you. Madness.



ok, the only silver lining I see is this. Remember how this series got started on Vandenberg, which released "Xenakis in N.Y.", and "Iannissimo!", and then folded, and then the same group continued with two cds for Mode, which then became that label's Vols 1-2?

Well, it appears that Mode is duplicating Eonta from the Vandenberg disc, so maybe they will also re-record Kai, Kuillenn, and other late Xenakis that, frankly, was horribly recorded.

ok,...now I have a headache. Please, someone soothe my fractured Xenakis nerves. ???


petrarch

Quote from: James on February 08, 2010, 10:26:58 PM
Oh well, guess their efforts can't please everyone especially hardcore buffs like yourself.  :D

Just picked up the Mode 2 volumes of electronic music ...  La Legende d'Eer, Hibiki Hana Ma, Polytope de Cluny



I was at the La Légende d'Eer concert in NYC a few years back with sound projection by Gérard Pape and got the Mode DVD of that work then just for the video track. Sonically, I think the Montaigne recording is better, but perhaps that is colored by my not liking at all what Pape did during the concert (essentially moving all faders up and down with rates of 0.1-2 Hz), plus the sound was too loud throughout.
//p
The music collection.
The hi-fi system: Esoteric X-03SE -> Pathos Logos -> Analysis Audio Amphitryon.
A view of the whole

snyprrr

Here are other "new" recordings that I haven't seen here yet:

1) "Plekto" on a various artists cd... can't remember the label or artists.

2)Computer Realizations of X's Piano/Harpsichord Music (NEOS)

3) "Dikthas" on a new ECM release (w/Feldman, Zimmermann,...)

4) more percussion on a new cd (seen on Amazon; no details)

5) the "Lutoslawski in Memoriam" on some Czech-type various cd

6) "Sea-Change" (his last orchestral work) on some strange Greek label (they have a website; I just haven't been able to find it again after I accidentally found it)



Hey, I should just be thankful for what we've got, right?



Either way, Timpani OWES us recordings of "Sea-Change", "Korinoioi(?)", the choral trilogy, "Alax", and a few others.... arrrgh >:D ;D



I just want what I want,...when I want it! That's all! :D


Get me a bag,... I'm hyperventilating!! :P

petrarch

I have the NEOS disc with the computer realizations. It is interesting; however the same pieces have a lot more "power" and "authority" when played by a human (as in e.g. the Arditti/Helffer disc).
//p
The music collection.
The hi-fi system: Esoteric X-03SE -> Pathos Logos -> Analysis Audio Amphitryon.
A view of the whole

greg

Snyprr, you say the funniest things...

I would like to see a few more works of his that aren't on completely obscure labels, but at least it seems they are putting out more of his more obscure works, little by little. It'd be nice to be able to collect all of his stuff from less obscure sources.



QuoteEither way, Timpani OWES us recordings of "Sea-Change", "Korinoioi(?)", the choral trilogy, "Alax", and a few others.... arrrgh >:D ;D
I agree. They need to do another CD (or however many it takes) and sell them as a complete orchestral works set. If someone wrote an e-mail to them requesting this, I would do the same just so they know there's more than 2 or 3 people actually into this stuff (halfway surprised this much is even recorded).

petrarch

Quote from: James on February 09, 2010, 10:30:37 AM
Really? I have that one but I haven't listened to the Mode one yet to compare sound quality so.

What's your opinion of the Percussion Works set (if you have it)...



I don't have that one; I don't find Xenakis' percussion works very interesting (yet ;)).
//p
The music collection.
The hi-fi system: Esoteric X-03SE -> Pathos Logos -> Analysis Audio Amphitryon.
A view of the whole

greg

Quote from: James on February 09, 2010, 05:21:52 PM
You're probably not going to like this but ... those bastards at Mode are also releasing (Feb.23rd) another DVD, a documentary on him called Charisma X.
Found some of it on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFD7onAYlDg

oh... how dare they make this!  :D