| Just one? Let me haul out the Xenakis stack...
"Xenakis: Electronic Music", EMF CD 003
For Electronic stuff, you want to get the older works, which have only been
recently re-released on this CD. Bohor, Diamorphoses and Concret PH are from
1958-60 and reflect working with simple materials. Concret PH is the piece
also played in LeCorbusier's structure that Varese's Poeme was played in.
"Iannis Xenakis 2: La Legende d'Eer", Montaigne MO 782058
This was already mentioned, but between these two CDs you get the full
compass of Xenakis' electronic work. This latter work was composed using a
sort of graphing tablet that IX had developed for him.
"Iannis Xenakis: Phlegra, Jalons, Keren, Nomos Alpha", Erato 2292-45770-2
A representative CD of the smaller chamber works. I find Phlegra a real
masterpiece: raucous, brash and obnoxious. The EnsembleIntercontemporain are
the featured performers. This may be out of print.
"Iannis Xenakis: Musique de Chambre", Montaigne MO 782005
Also already mentioned, but this completes a survey of the smaller chamber
works, though the emphasis is on strings and piano only. Herma is a crucial
IX work 'cause of the set theory behind it. ST/4 is one of those stochasitic
works generated by computer for traditional instruments.
Kraanerg was already mentioned too, but I find the better recording to be on
Etcetera (KTC 1075) with Alpha Centuri Ensemble and Roger Woodward (he plays
a lot of piano stuff like Xenakis and Feldman). There's more ambient
denseness in the interaction between tape and instruments in this.
Xenakis' percussion writing is also crucial: Okho is accessible and recorded
rather frequently, but Pleiades is the one to seek out. Les Percussions de
Strasbourg is the definitive ensemble on Denon 81757 3678 2. I think their
Harmonia Mundi release is still in print too.
Historically, Xenakis' first compositions for orchestra , Metastasis and
Pithropratka are worth seeking, but they're on LPs or in big bulky bricks
that cover retrospectives of the major contemporary music festivals
(Metastatsis is on a 4CD brick on Col Legno, 40 Jahre Donaueschinger
Musiktage 1950-1990, Col Legno AU-031800).
And if completeness (obsession) is what you're after, Jonchaies for
orchestra is on another 5CD brick from Col Legno: 20 ans de musique
contemporaine a Metz, Col Legno AU 31830. There is also a work for piano and
orchestra, Keqrops, on Wien Modern III featuring Woodward again, and Claudio
Abbado on DG 447115-2.
While I applaud the two series now out there on Mode and Vandenburg, I'm not
that excited by the performances or the actual IX works. IX vocal music
loses me: you can see my bias is for electronic, orchestral and percussion.
Essentially, he handles all very much the same.
And if you have to get just one, get the one on Erato. For two add the EMF
one. For three, add a percussion one.
Grant.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Hans Mikelson [mailto:hljmm@werewolf.net]
> Sent: Monday, April 26, 1999 8:42 PM
> To: Csound
> Subject: Recommended Xenakis?
>
>
> Hi,
>
> Can someone recommend a good representative Xenakis recording?
>
> Thanks,
> Hans Mikelson |