Iannis Xenakis (1922- )
Iannis
Xenakis was born in Brăila, Romania, and studied architecture in
Athens, Greece. He participated in the Greek Resistance during the
World War II and the first phase of Greek Civil War as a member of the
students company Lord Byron of ELAS (Greek Peoples Liberation Army). He
received a severe face wound and escaped a death sentence. In the '50s
he fled to Paris and worked with Le Corbusier. While his assistant,
Xenakis designed the Philips Pavilion, home of the première of Edgar
Varèse's Poème Électronique at the 1958 Brussels International Fair. He
is particularly remembered for his pioneering electronic and computer
music, and for the use of stochastic mathematical techniques in his
compositions, including probability (Maxwell-Boltzmann kynetic theory
of gasses in Pithoprakta, aleatory distribution of points on a plane in
Diamorphoses, minimal constraints in Achorripsis, Gaussian distribution
in ST/10 and Atrées, Markovian chains in Analogiques), game theory (in
Duel and Stratégie), group theory (Nomos Alpha), and Boolean algebra
(in Herma and Eonta). In keeping with his use of probabilistic
theories, many of Xenakis' pieces are, in his own words, "a form of
composition which is not the object in itself, but an idea in itself,
that is to say, the beginnings of a family of compositions". In 1962 he
published Musique Formelles—later revised, expanded and translated into
Formalized Music: Thought and Mathematics in Composition in 1971—a
collection of essays on his musical ideas and composition techniques,
regarded as one of the most important theoretical works of 20th century
music.- Biography Base
COMPOSITIONS Xenakis Links ~ ~ ~ Works by Genre ~ ~ ~ Xenakis on Xenakis
Seven untitled pieces (Menuet, Air populaire, Allegro molto, Mélodie, Andante), piano (1949-50; unpublished)
Six Chansons, piano (1951)
Dhipli Zyia, violin and cello (1952)
Zyia, soprano, men’s chorus and flute and piano, or soprano, flute and piano (1952)
Trois poèmes, narrator and piano (1952; unpublished)
La colombe de la paix, alto and 4-voice mixed chorus (1953; unpublished)
Anastenaria. Procession aux eaux claires, chorus, men’s chorus and orchestra (1953)
Anastenaria. Le Sacrifice, orchestra (1953)
Stamatis Katotakis, chanson de table, voice and 3-voice men chorus (1953; unpublished)
Metastasis, orchestra (1953-54) (60)
Pithoprakta, string orchestra, 2 trombones and percussion (1955-56)
Achorripsis, orchestra (1956-57)
Diamorphoses, electro-acoustic tape (1957-58)
Concret PH, electro-acoustic tape (1958)
Analogiques A & B, string ensemble and electro-acoustic tape (1958-59)
Syrmos, string ensemble (1959)
Duel, 2 orchestras and 2 conductors (1959) [variable duration]
Orient-Occident, electro-acoustic tape (1960)
NEG-ALE, piccolo, horn, cello and percussion, film score (1960) [for P. Kassovitz's "Vasarely"]
Herma, piano (1961)
ST/48,1-240162, orchestra (1956-62)
ST/10, 1-080262, ensemble (1956-62)
ST/4, 1-080262, string quartet (1956-62)
Morsima - Amorsima (ST/4, 2-030762), piano, violin cello and double bass (1956-62)
Atrées (ST/10, 3-060962), ensemble (1956-62)
Stratégie, 2 orchestras and 2 conductors (1962) [variable duration]
Polla ta dhina, children's chorus and orchestra (1962)
Bohor, electro-acoustic tape (1962)
Eonta, piano and brass quintet (1963-64)
Hiketides, brass quartet and string ensembles (1964)
Akrata, wind ensemble (1964-65)
Terretektorh, orchestra (1965-66)
Oresteïa, children’s chorus, chorus and ensemble (1965-66)
Nomos Alpha, cello (1965-66)
Polytope de Montreal, 4 ensembles (14 players each) (1967)
Medea Senecae, men's chorus, clarinet, bassoon, trombone, cello and percussion (1967)
Nuits, chorus (1967-68)
Nomos gamma, orchestra (1967-68)
Kraanerg, electro-acoustic tape and ensemble (1968-69)
Anaktoria, octet (cl, bsn, horn, 2 vln, vla, vlc, db) (1969)
Persephassa, 6 percussionists (1969)
Synaphaï, piano and orchestra (1969)
Hibiki-Hana-Ma, electro-acoustic tape (1969-70)
Charisma, clarinet and cello (1971)
Persepolis, electro-acoustic tape (1971)
Aroura, string ensemble (1971)
Mikka, violin (1971)
Antikhthon, orchestra (1971)
Polytope de Cluny, electro-acoustic tape (1972)
Linaia-Agon, trio (horn, trombone and tuba) (1972) [variable duration]
Eridanos, orchestra (1972)
Evryali, piano (1973)
Cendrées, chorus and orchestra (1973)
Erikthon, piano and orchestra (1974)
Gmeeoorh, organ (1974)
Noomena, orchestra (1974)
Empreintes, orchestra (1975)
Phlegra, ensemble (1975)
Psappha, percussion (1975)
N'shima, 2 mezzo-sopranos and quintet (2 horns, 2 trombone and cello) (1975)
Theraps, double bass (1975-76)
Khoaï, harpsichord (1976)
Retours-Windungen, 12 cellos (1976)
Epéï, sextet (oboe, clarinet, trumpet, 2 trombones, double bass) (1976)
Mikka-S, violin (1976)
Dmaathen, duo (oboe and percussion) (1976)
La Légende d’Eer, electro-acoustic tape (1977)
À Hélène, women’s or men’s chorus (1977)
Akanthos, soprano and octet (fl, cl, pno, 2 vln, vla, vlc, db) (1977)
À Colone, men's or women’s chorus and ensemble (1977)
Kottos, cello (1977)
Jonchaies, orchestra (1977)
Ikhoor, string trio (1978)
Mycenae Alpha, electro-acoustic tape (1978)
Pléïades, 6 percussionists (1978)
Palimpsest, ensemble (1979)
Anémoessa, orchestra and chorus (1979)
Dikhthas, duo (violin and piano) (1979)
Aïs, baritone, percussion and orchestra (1980)
Mists, piano (1981)
Embellie, viola (1981)
Serment-Orkos, chorus (1981)
Komboi, duo (harpsichord and percussion) (1981)
Nekuïa, chorus and orchestra (1981)
Pour la Paix, chorus; or chorus, electro-acoustic tape, 4 narrators; or 4 narrators and tape (pre-recorded
chorus plus tape); or electro-acoustic tape (pre-recorded narrators and chorus plus tape) (1981)
Pour Maurice, baritone and piano (1982)
Pour les Baleines, string orchestra (1982)
Shaar, string orchestra (1982)
Tetras, string quartet (1983)
Chant des Soleils, chorus, children's choir, brass and percussion (1983)
Khal Perr, brass quintet and 2 percussionists (1983)
Lichens, orchestra (1983-84)
Thalleïn, ensemble (1984)
Naama, harpsichord (1984)
Nyûyô, quartet of Japanese instruments (shakuhachi, sanger, and 2 kotos) (1985)
Idmen A, chorus and 4 percussionists (1985)
Idmen B, 6 percussionists (1985)
Alax, 3 ensembles (30 total) (1985)
À l’île de Gorée, harpsichord and ensemble (1986)
Keren, trombone (1986)
Horos, orchestra (1986)
Keqrops, piano and orchestra (1986)
Akea, piano and string quartet (1986)
Jalons, ensemble (1986)
À R. (Hommage à Ravel), piano (1987)
Kassandra, baritone and percussion (1987)
Tracées, orchestra (1987)
XAS, saxophone quartet (1987)
ATA, orchestra (1987)
Taurhiphanie, electro-acoustic tape (1987)
Rebonds (Rebounds), percussion (1987-88)
Waarg, ensemble (1988)
Échange, bass clarinet and ensemble (1989)
Epicycle, cello ensemble (1989)
Voyage absolu des Unari vers Andromède, electro-acoustic tape (1989)
Oophaa, duo (harpsichord and percussion) (1989)
Okho, percussion trio (1989)
Knephas, chorus (1990)
Tuorakemsu, orchestra (1990)
Kyania, orchestra (1990)
Tetora, string quartet (1990)
Dox-orkh, violin and orchestra (1991)
Roáï, orchestra (1991)
Krinoïdi, orchestra (1991)
Gendy3, electro-acoustic tape (1991)
Troorkh, trombone and orchestra (1991)
La Déesse Athéna, baritone and ensemble (1992)
Pu Wijnuej We Fyp, children’s chorus (1992)
Paille in the Wind, duo (cello and piano) (1992)
Les Bacchantes, baritone, women’s chorus and ensemble (1993)
Mosaïques, orchestra (1993)
Plekto, sextet (flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin and cello) (1993)
Dämmerschein, orchestra (1993-94)
Sea Nymphs, chorus (1994)
Mnamas Xapin Witoldowi Lutoslawskiemu, brass quartet (1994)
S. 709, electro-acoustic tape (1994)
Ergma, string quartet (1994)
Koïranoï, orchestra (1995)
Kaï, ensemble (1995)
Voile, string ensemble (1995)
Kuïlenn, wind ensemble (1995)
Ioolkos, orchestra (1996)
Hunem-Iduhey, duo (violin and cello) (1996)
Roscobeck, duo (cello and double bass) (1996)
Ittidra, string sextet (1996)
Zythos, trombone and 6 percussionists (1996)
Sea-Change, orchestra (1997)
O-Mega, percussion and ensemble (1997)
WORKS BY GENRE Xenakis Links ~ top of page ~
[under construction]
Dramatic/Theater
Orchestra
Band
Soloist(s) w/Orchestra
Chorus w/Orchestra
Choral
Chamber
Solo Instrument
Piano
Vocal
Incidental/Film
NEG-ALE, piccolo, horn, cello and percussion, film score (1960) [for P. Kassovitz's "Vasarely"]
Fer chaud, film score (1957)
Orient-Occident, film score (1960)
Centro de calculo electronico, film score (1970)
L'illusion comique, TV film score (1970)
Radiotileskopio - spoudi, film score (1976)
Nyhtes (Nights), film score (1976)
Polytopo Mykinon 1978, film score (1980)
For the Whales, TV film score (1989)
Um Filme Sem História, film score (2002)
Electronic
XENAKIS LINKS Works by Genre ~ top of page ~
How Iannis Xenakis Turned His Back on Architecture for Classical Music (Tom Service, The Guardian)
Iannis Xenakis: The Aesthetics of His Early Works (Markos Zografos, Perfect Sound Forever)
Iannis Xenakis - Obiturary (Ivan Hewett, The Guardian)
Iannis Xenakis: Persepolis + Remixes (Edition One) (Ed Howard, Stylus Magazine)
Iannis Xenakisis' "Bohor" (1962) (Masterpiece's of 20th-Century Multi-channel Tape Music)
Iannis Xenakisis' "Polytopes" (Philipp Oswalt; translated by Tas Skorupa)
The Musical Mind of Iannis Xenakis (Justin Mariner, La Scena musicale)
Structure and Perception in Herma by Iannis Xenakis (Wannamaker, Society of Music Theory)
Two Greek Composers At Their Diamond Jubilees (Don Mager, Making Time)
Watt Eez Dee-Zhay? (Kyle Gann)
Xenakis, Reynolds, Lansky and Mâche Discuss Computer Music (Delphi Computer Music Conference/Festival)
Composer's website
Composer website (site by André Chaudron)
List of compositions (Wikipedia)
Xenakis @ Wikipedia
Xenakis @ Answers.com
Xenakis @ Art and Popular Culture
Xenakis @ Avant Music News
Xenakis @ BBC Music
Xenakis @ BBC 3/Music Matters
Xenakis @ CDeMUSIC
Xenakis @ Classical Archives
Xenakis @ Classical Composers Database
Xenakis @ Classical Music Pages
Xenakis @ Classical Net
Xenakis @ ClassicsToday
Xenakis @ composition:today
Xenakis @ Dilettante Music
Xenakis @ EMF Media
Xenakis @ Ensemble Sospeso
Xenakis @ Eric Bumstead's Web Page
Xenakis @ Dr. Estrella's Incredibly Abridged Dictionary of Composers
Xenakis @ The Drawing Center
Xenakis @ ICE/Xenakis
Xenakis @ IMDb (Internet Movie Database)
Xenakis @ Karadar Classical Music
Xenakis @ Leonardo Online (translated from french by google)
Xenakis @ Libra Ensemble
Xenakis @ Medieval Music & Arts Foundation
Xenakis @ Mode Records
Xenakis @ MSN Music
Xenakis @ Music & Vision
Xenakis @ MusicWeb International
Xenakis @ musicianguide.com
Xenakis @ MySpaceMusic
Xenakis @ Naxos
Xenakis @ The New York Times
Xenakis @ NNDB
Xenakis @ spock.com
Streaming Audio
Xenakis @ Classical Archives
Xenakis @ Internet Archive
Xenakis @ last.fm
Xenakis @ Rhapsody
Recordings
Xenakis @ ArkivMusic
Xenakis @ CDeMUSIC
Xenakis @ ClassicsOnline
Xenakis @ Discogs
Xenakis @ Forced Exposure
Xenakis @ Mode Records
Xenakis @ YouTube
Xenakis on Xenakis: An Interview with Harry Halbreich
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