Iannis Xenakis (1922-2001)

[snyprrr]

Much to my surprise, Sea Nymphs has turned up on YouTube without the benefit of a cd. So, I was delighted to hear some "new" Xenakis.

Perhaps I had been expecting something bubblier (from reviews), but what I got was a very chordal treatment, perhaps sounding slightly like Voile, with its fanned out chords. It also sounds a bit like the previous choral piece, Knephas, which is on that Hyperion disc (now, having heard Sea Nymphs, I can say that it is no super loss that it wasn't composed in time for that cd). Ultimately, Sea Nymphs wasn't all that impressive, but I will surely be listening to it a lot (obsessive?,...me???) to try to wring some satisfaction out of it.







Also, the Roland A. performance of O-Mega is on YouTube, so we are able to compare it to the recording on Bvhaast. Wow!,... it's amazing sometimes the difference in Xenakis performances. The RA performance is so much more nuanced than JF (Johan Faber, Bvhaast). RA uses dynamics in the endless drum rolls, whereas JF simply bludgeons the piece out. However, the Bvhaast performance (3'30) has a certain incisiveness which eludes the RA performance. RA, though, sculps the final "exhaustion" (a la Rebonds) much more convincingly than JF. JF totally misses the mechanics of it all, and, this being IX's final word on anything musical, I do find it a bit important to get those last few notes down.

Anyway, the piece is as enigmatic as ever,... it's baffling that IX chose to end his career on this piece, but, we love it as only adoptive parents can!







On another note, new Xenakis recordings have been a giant let down. We have some Finnish or Norwegian chamber orchestra tackling Thallein (oy, another???), which seems to be becoming IX's warhorse, and we have a 2 Volume set of some Milan Music Festival, or something (on Stradivarius), where we have the Quatuor Danel playing Tetras and Ergma, and the chamber works Waarg, Zyia?, Phlegra, and maybe one other.

So, no Premieres. C'mon guys, you work for US!!! Shore up the discography so we can move on with our lives already! Important pieces awaiting their cd Premiere include:

Alax (for 3 instrumental groups; @22mins)

Koiroanoi & Sea-Change (two last orchestral works; Sea-Change is apparently on some 'lost' Greek cd (w/Psathas, Adami, Plakidis, Lapidakis)

Kai & Kulleinn (desperately need new recordings)

Zythos (Lindberg & Kroumata,... why no recording?)

Linea-Agon ('game' for tuba, t-bone, and trumpet)


taptaptap,...taptaptap,...taptaptap,...

[greg]

Listening to O-Mega for the first time...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwmQTKGJhxw

the look on his face says it all. It's almost as if the music is trying to sound as confident as it can be, even though it sounds weak overall. I can almost picture Xenakis swinging his fist on his deathbed confidently even though his body barely lets him. (maybe he wasn't like that when he was dying, but it's just want it makes me think of when listening to the music) Still, there is the underlying, unshakable confidence that you can hear in the music.

[snyprrr]

Listening to O-Mega for the first time...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwmQTKGJhxw

the look on his face says it all. It's almost as if the music is trying to sound as confident as it can be, even though it sounds weak overall. I can almost picture Xenakis swinging his fist on his deathbed confidently even though his body barely lets him. (maybe he wasn't like that when he was dying, but it's just want it makes me think of when listening to the music) Still, there is the underlying, unshakable confidence that you can hear in the music.

i can see that.

[snyprrr]

I think that set a top-shelf rec.

PLEIADES
Like Varèse, Xenakis was particularly drawn to the sonic possibilities of percussion. Of several works for percussion ensemble, Pleiades, a strikingly beautiful quartet of pieces which evokes the richness of Balinese gamelan, is the most exciting and aurally seductive. Written in 1978, it is divided into four sections, which group the percussion timbres by family - keyboards, metallophones, skins. The Claviers section is particularly rich, utilizing Indonesian scales and the bright timbres of vibraphone, xylophone and marimba to produce a fascinating ethno-minimalist concoction.



This disc from Harmonia Mundi features the ensemble for which Pleiades was written, and was recorded in the presence of the composer (who provides a sleevenote analysis of the piece), so it's not surprising that the performances are first-rate.

Finally got the Kroumata on BIS playing Pleiades (w/Gert Mortenson's Psappha). Wow!, the sonics on this one are out-stand-ing!! I am going to be comparing to the Strasbourg/DENON later today. This could be all out!

The Kroumata's SIXXENs also sound as good as the DENON recording, which is always a consideration.

The Claviers section in particular is so bubbly as to make one giddy! Melanges comes off spectacularly, with all the instruments swirling around each other.

Kroumata also boast the quickest timings out there, though this is really no consideration; however, the RedFishBlueFish/MODE recording is about a full 5mins. longer. I think I have a handle on all the recordings now, and I would recommend this BIS recording now simply for the Great Performance of Psappha, though, like I said, the sonics might just be too good to pass up here. I'll give an update on 'KroumataVSStrasbourg'.

[snyprrr]

PSAPPHA

Also on the BIS disc is Gert Mortenson's Psappha (rec. 1981), which may be thee reference recording. The actual sonics are different than the discmate, but not distracting. The main feature of this performance is the fact that it may be the quickest to date recording. At 11mins., that's a full 5-6mins. shorter than the universally panned Pugliese/MODE recording, or 3mins. quicker than Schick/MODE.

The speed is important, for GM is the only performer who seems to 'get it right'. Only by playing at this speed do all the hyper fast parts make sense. In comparison, Peter Sadlo/TELDEC, who takes @14mins., sounds completely different. The buildups have a completely different character. Only GM refers all these buildups to actual, real, drummer-type music. GM actually sounds like he's playing a drum solo, not working things out in a lab. I've heard that Schick's MODE recording is curiously academic (and I'm not too fond of his choice of instruments).

I also went back and checked out the plethora of Psappha vids on YouTube. There are some great performances there, too. Check out the Schick, and you will see how his choice of instruments tends to be kind of dinky compared with the big booms of the Europeans.

GM also has a pretty good choice of instruments, but I do have to hand it to Sadlo/TELDEC here. Only Sadlo uses a can filled with nails, which produces a nice big, flat sound, perfect for this piece.

If anyone is in the market for Psappha, this GM version is really the first, the standard. The real premiere, by Gualda, has never made it onto cd, soooo,... unless justjeff here has it ,...

[snyprrr]

The Xenakis Files: 2011



Well, I've been in touch with a few of the 'in' companies (not Warner Classics yet), and I believe we have a certain situation on our hands. It could well be that we may not be getting too many more Orchestral Works (and, especially, Orchestra & Chorus (the only classic works not recorded in the Digital Age)) out of the Recording Industry for the simple reason that the financing has dried up,... worldwide! Imagine the cost of staging a recording of The 3 Great Choral/Orchestral Works (Cendrees, Anemoessa, Nekuia), with like 100 musicians and 60-80 singers,... yea, not unless Boulez says yes (like Jack Says Yes!, haha).

I can surely see that ANY creatively and thoughtfully arranged Xenakis Chamber Recital would be any potential investor's 'go to', simply because duh. I mean, there's a glut of percussion ensembles. Let's see what happens when we see Mode nearing completion of their Cycle.

Since we can't expect new recordings of practically the only Xenakis pieces NOT to have appeared on cd, my urgent need to contact Warner Classics has been reignited. I will try the above mentioned Facebook page, and I do have a friend... Anyhow, they theoretically have the Erato tapes of Cendrees & Nekuia, and, I just don't see any fiscal reason why they couldn't just slap a cd together (shouldn't the sales numbers from that EMI 2cd set be justification?) and just sell 10,000 copies (that IS the outer limits, no??)!!

So, anyhow,... I cover the waterfront looking for new Xenakis recordings, and have seen no signs since the last time we collectively wet our pants (was it the Aki/JACK Mode recording last summer?). I imagine 1-3 Mode releases this year, and I can see a few releases in the Bvhaast mold, but, beyond that (and the ubiquitous Rebonds), I can't see any new Orchestral Premieres (oh how I hope I'm wrong,... practically anything would be appreciated!), which is sad. Maybe Boulez will have a dream?

I guess I get all pissy because all the OTHER Composers of the Great Generation seem to have their Complete Works available,... waaah !!! Do you have any soothing consolations, or do I brave..ly,... hold... back...snff...tears ,...waaaah ?

[just Jeff]

The Xenakis Files: 2011

my urgent need to contact Warner Classics has been reignited. I will try the above mentioned Facebook page??

Don't waste your time on facebook, get the phone number and call, and then when you speak to the right person ask for their email address, and that you will follow up with more detail exactly what is needed.  I can get the dept. phone number if you need me to.

But, truth be told, the record indusrty is pretty much over.  The bread and butter acts, think Zeppelin, Stones, Who, and Elton are not moving the numbers anymore.

Warners has just had a brutal 3 years with stock slipping south by the month.  So if they can't move their everygreens, and the paid for downloads not working out, new acts not breaking big, I don't think Zenakissss wil going to help their balance sheet.

Think of it like this, you are in Burbank in charge of catalog developement, and you job is on the line, if your choices of reissues from Erato do not more than break even, you will be fired.  They will pick two weeks before Christmas to fire you.  You must put together reissues that sell.  And CDs are just not selling.  Downloads are not doing well, itunes does not make enough to cover the losses.

You best bet is t0o not worry about what has been recorded in digital or not, and be glad it was recorded at all.  Learn to make CDs from LPs like I did, and you life will be saved by the magic of music.

It's been a long ride, and now we are deep into the sunset.  Sit back and reflect and listen to the great things that are out there to be heard, and forget about what mya have been.  Sorry to be so gloomy.

[snyprrr]

Don't waste your time on facebook, get the phone number and call, and then when you speak to the right person ask for their email address, and that you will follow up with more detail exactly what is needed.  I can get the dept. phone number if you need me to.

But, truth be told, the record indusrty is pretty much over.  The bread and butter acts, think Zeppelin, Stones, Who, and Elton are not moving the numbers anymore.

Warners has just had a brutal 3 years with stock slipping south by the month.  So if they can't move their everygreens, and the paid for downloads not working out, new acts not breaking big, I don't think Zenakissss wil going to help their balance sheet.

Think of it like this, you are in Burbank in charge of catalog developement, and you job is on the line, if your choices of reissues from Erato do not more than break even, you will be fired.  They will pick two weeks before Christmas to fire you.  You must put together reissues that sell.  And CDs are just not selling.  Downloads are not doing well, itunes does not make enough to cover the losses.

You best bet is t0o not worry about what has been recorded in digital or not, and be glad it was recorded at all.  Learn to make CDs from LPs like I did, and you life will be saved by the magic of music.

It's been a long ride, and now we are deep into the sunset.  Sit back and reflect and listen to the great things that are out there to be heard, and forget about what mya have been.  Sorry to be so gloomy.

Yea,... I know.

Sure, PM with the phone number. It's still worth a shot.

Youuu don't have the Erato LP with Nekuia, do you (came with N'Shima)? Really, it's the only piece left (Cendrees is on YouTube, from the LP).

Gotterdammerung, yes.

[snyprrr]

Yea, nothing to report. Just listening to a lot of X, as I seem to have to take at least one piece with me each day for the drive.

For some reason, I've grown quite fond of the Orchestral Works from 1990-91, namely, Kyania, Krinoidi, and Roai. Their kaleidoscopic colors (iridescent in Krinoidi, dark and threatening in Roai) and constantly changing parts flow from beginning to end as if in a magma flow. Kyania, and the vocal work Knephas, most exhibit these tapestry like patterns.

These pieces have little of the classic X sound, other than the relentless science of it all, but one senses here going beyond conquered lands and charting new explorations in what seems like the microscopic world.

Ever since Jonchaies, I have heard the cries of a dying world in Xenakis. In Lichens, we hear continents coming together and tearing apart, worlds being born. In these works from the '90s, we have inner explorations of these new lands. Krinoidi is based on those chalice shaped sea creatures, and one can hear the shimmers of sunlight on the top of the water as one can peer down into a deep and varied sea bed. This is one of X's most luminous scores.

[Sid]

I acquired the two disc set below of some of Xenakis' chamber and solo instrumental music in December and have been getting into it bit by bit since. Morsima-Amorsima For Piano, Violin, Cello & Double-Bass & ST 4 For String Quartet are the two works I've been mainly listening to, as they are closest in instrumentation to the more traditional repertoire. The structure of his music seems to be based on a series of crescendos, peaks and troughs, so it's high in contrast. Funny how the strings are played pizzicato in the string quartet, which reminds me a bit of Beethoven's Harp Quartet. I plan to listen to this more bit by bit, because it's quite intense stuff. I usually listen to a disc straight through on the same day on which I buy it, but with this it's been different because it's more difficult to absorb fully in that way. The works for 10 and 16 instruments on the disc seem quite complex, so I'm beginning with the smaller scale works...

[asin]B002ZBTWMY[/asin]

[petrarch]

The structure of his music seems to be based on a series of crescendos, peaks and troughs, so it's high in contrast. Funny how the strings are played pizzicato in the string quartet, which reminds me a bit of Beethoven's Harp Quartet.

ST/4 and Morsima-Amorsima are stochastic music, composed with probability functions governing durations of sequences, density of sounds, instrumentation (including whether the instrument should produce a glissando) and the finer-grained details of the event produced by each instrument (pitch, pitch curve, duration and dynamics). I like ST/4 a lot (even though my favourite SQ is Tetras), and it is interesting to compare with the other ST pieces--especially ST/48 since it is for much larger forces (48 instruments, as indicated by its name).

[petrarch]

There is this X docu ..

[asin]B002VRNJTY[/asin]

...which I heartily recommend . It is a good way of getting a sense of Xenakis the person and see footage of some places he's been along with some of the buildings he designed, which you can't really get from books and articles, however extensive your library may be.

[snyprrr]

New 10th Anniversary 4 disc box ..



CD1
1 Metastasis (1953-54)
2 Diamorphoses (1957)
3 Concret PH (1958)
4 Analogique A and B (1958-59)
5 Orient - Occident (1960)
6 Morsima amorsima (1956-62)
7 Nomos Alpha (1965)
8 Anaktoria (1969)

Rosbaud Hans (conductor), Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra (1)
Shefaru Pierre (conductor), French music research group (2-5)
Jacqueline Mefano (piano) (6)
Siegfried Palm (cello) (7)
Paris Quintet eight (6,8)

CD2
1 Nuits (1967-68)
2 Persephassa (1969)
3 Synaphaï (1969)
4 Aroura (1971)

Marcel Kuro (conductor), French National Radio Chorus members (1)
Strasbourg Percussion Ensemble (2)
Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano) (3,4)
Elgar Howarth (Conductor), New Philharmonia Orchestra (3,4)

CD3
1 Antikhthon (1971)
2 Persepolis (1971)

Elgar Howarth (conductor) New Philharmonia Orchestra (1)
Iannis Xenakis (2)

CD4
1 Charisma (1971)
2 Mikka (1972) - Mikka "S" (1975)
3 Mists (1981)
4 Keren (1986)
5 Keqrops (1986)
6 Oophaa (1989)
7 O-mega (1997)

Alan Damien (clarinet) (1)
Stroke Pierre (cello) (1)
Richard Le Dizesu Marivonnu (violin) (2)
Claude Helffer (piano) (3)
Benny Surachin (trombone) (4)
Roger Woodward (piano) (5)
Claudio Abbado (Conductor), Gustav Mahler Jugend Orchestra (5)
Elisabeth Chojnacka (harpsichord) (6)
Silvio Gualda (percussion) (6)
Oze Laurent (percussion) (7)
Dominique mi (Conductor), Ensemble FA (7)

Just saw that on Amazon.fr. As one can see, it is the culling of the old Accord cd, the Benny Sluchin Accord cd, the Howarth cd available elsewhere, the Abbado DG cd, and so forth. The only piece I can't place is the O-Mega with D. My.

I wasn't as disappointed as I could have been. Was I really going to believe that anyone would record four discs of brand new stuff? You should SEE the way I wait with baited breath for ANY new Xenakis recording, no matter how lame! I really NEED to hear some unheard Xenakis,... NOW!!!

I've been bugging Mode Records as to when the next installment of their series will be available,... to no avail.

Ahhh,... how about a recording of Alax, for three instrumental groups? Or Sea-Change? Or Koiroanoi? Or Kai? Or Kullienn?

It's Obama's fault.

[MingusMonk]

Can anyone tell me where this set is available to be purchased?  I can't find it anywhere.  Thanks in advance.

[snyprrr]

Can anyone tell me where this set is available to be purchased?  I can't find it anywhere.  Thanks in advance.

I thought I saw it on amazon.uk or amazon.fr.

[snyprrr]

Kraanerg (1968) @75mins.

for 23 instruments and 4-channel tape


There are now five recordings of this most uncompromising, noisy, and... I'm at a loss, it's a behemoth, that's for sure! Instrumental sections are separated by tape sections (comprised of manipulated instrumental sounds (possibly from the recording of the rehearsals)), but that is of little use to the listener, who is merely swept up by the maelstrom and carried through as if in a tornado. Implacable would be a good word.

The first recording, made at the time, ended up on that five Lp Erato set of Xenakis's music, that one can find in abundance on Ebay. The secord recording, made twenty years later, helmed by Roger Woodward (Etcetera label; with the red cover!), is the recording I've been familiar with now for about ten years (of course, I rarely,... rarely listen to it, as it's one, unbroken, 75min., track).

And recently, we've been given the ST-X Ensemble (Bornstein) on Asphodel, the Basel something on ColLegno, and the Callithumpian Consort (Drury) on Mode. The Asphodel and Mode releases band the piece at every tape entry, which is why I finally plunked down the change to have something to compare with the Etcetera.

Now, the Etcetera release has always suffered from a curiously low wattage recording. The piece begins with the same signal rhythms that start off Akrata, and on the Etcetera recording, one immediately hears the lack of impact. I must admit to having listened to this piece very very... ok, maybe 2-4 times, simply because it's 75mins. of brutality, unbroken. So, having read some Amazon reviews, I chose the Mode recording.

Immediately, one hears the full impact of the opening (the orange cd says, PLAY LOUD). I only made it to track 11 (out of 21) before I had to "turn it OFF!! " (teehee ), but, already I had more of the piece than I ever had with the Etcetera. I didn't even know there were silences in this piece! Track 9, in particular, had a lot of bits going on that had my attention. I must admit, that, still, this piece is a marathon. It really does sound like a maelstrom, a tornado of sound that never really lets up; however, there aaare islands that really sound like the heart of the piece. There are definitely 'moments'. For such grey, industrial sounding music, the piece begins to reveal hidden peace. It does make me feel like 1968: the protests, the smog, the utter Newness.

I get the feeling a few of you will say this is your favorite Xenakis piece. For some reason, it reminds me of Planet of the Apes, or some other forbidding Futurist Saga. Xenakis was such a Utopian, but to the layman, his must most certainly reflect the 'sound' of Dystopia. Maybe this would have been a good alternative soundtrack to Blade Runner? I certainly feel more the Philip K. Dick whilst listening to this (I keep wanting to say chaotic) music.

Anyhow, what we have here is (in the Mode recording) almost 78mins. of uber uncompromising music for ensemble and 4-channel tape, that plays without a break. That's 25 words or less, no?

Who amongst you is worthy?

[petrarch]

Kraanerg (1968) @75mins.

for 23 instruments and 4-channel tape

(...)

And recently, we've been given the ST-X Ensemble (Bornstein) on Asphodel, the Basel something on ColLegno, and the Callithumpian Consort (Drury) on Mode. The Asphodel and Mode releases band the piece at every tape entry, which is why I finally plunked down the change to have something to compare with the Etcetera.

Now, the Etcetera release has always suffered from a curiously low wattage recording. (...) So, having read some Amazon reviews, I chose the Mode recording.

Thanks for the write-up. Kraanerg is probably the only one of the "widely" available Xenakis pieces that I don't have yet, precisely because my initial impressions of the Etcetera haven't been that great (from a CD sound point of view). Your description of the Mode will make me order that one.

[Sylph]

How about Jonchaies?

[snyprrr]

How about Jonchaies?

It's Xenakis's Freebird!!

I'd say it reminds me of Cape Canaveral. The reeds... the rockets...

Certainly, it has one of the most recognizable Xenakis openings: the Pelog scale in all its glory. And then... the Thunderstorm!! Yes, after this piece, it certainly feels like after a spring thunderstorm.

The Timpani recording really is nice. And, Lichens does make the perfect follow-up.

[snyprrr]

Thanks for the write-up. Kraanerg is probably the only one of the "widely" available Xenakis pieces that I don't have yet, precisely because my initial impressions of the Etcetera haven't been that great (from a CD sound point of view). Your description of the Mode will make me order that one.

Watch your speakers on this one,... wow!! , or the bass response'll getcha!! I thought I was having car problems!

I really like the banding on the Mode. Today I listened to tracks 12-19 in the car, and there are lots of nice little pools of things going on. I especially like the silences, haha: no, they really are strategic. Seriously, there are a lot of notes in this music!

Why would this piece remind me of Stockhausen? James? Maybe I shouldn't?