Xenakis, Iannis

Xenakis, Iannis, eminent Greek-born French composer, music theorist, and teacher; b. Bräila, Romania (of Greek parents), May 29, 1922. At the age of 10, he was taken to Greece by his parents, where he began his music studies at 12 with Aristotle Koundourov. In 1938 he enrolled in a preparatory course in engineering at the Athens Polytechnic but then abandoned his studies when he became active in the Greek resistance movement against the Nazi occupation forces. He was severely wounded in a skirmish, and lost an eye. Shortly after, he was captured but managed to escape a death sentence by fleeing the country. He settled in France in 1947 and in 1965 became a naturalized French citizen. From 1947 to 1960 he worked as an architect in collaboration with Le Corbusier. In the meantime, he studied composition in Paris with Honegger and Milhaud at the École Normale de Musique, and with Messiaen at the Cons. (1950-52). He then pursued studies with Scherchen in Gravesano, Switzerland. While working with Le Corbusier on the Philips Pavillion at the 1958 World’s Fair in Brussels, he met Várese, who was then working on his Poème électronique for the exhibit; Xenakis received from him some stimulating advice on the creative potentialities of the electronic medium. In 1966 he founded and became director of the Centre d’Études Mathematics et Automatiques Musicales in Paris. He also was founder-director of the Center for Mathematical and Automated Music at Ind. Univ. in Bloomington, where he served on its faculty from 1967 to 1972. From 1972 to 1974 he was associated with the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique in Paris. He was a prof. at the Univ. of Paris from 1972 to 1989. He publ. the book Musiques formelles (Paris, 1963; Eng. tr., 1971, as Formalized Music; 2nd ed., rev. 1992). For his doctorat es lettres from the Sorbonne in Paris in 1976, he wrote the thesis Art/Sciences: Alliages (Paris, 1979; Eng. tr., N.Y., 1985). Among his subsequent writings were Kéleütha: Écrits (Paris, 1994) and II faut être constamment un immigré (Paris, 1997). In 1974 he received the Ravel Medal of France. In 1975 he was elected an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He received the Grand Prix National de la Musique of France in 1976. Xenakis was made a member of the Académie des Beaux-arts of France in 1983. In 1987 he received the Grand Prix for music of Paris, and in 1999 he was awarded the Polar Music Prize. His hardships and sufferings during his participation in the Greek resistance movement, and his pursuit of a career in engineering and architecture, profoundly influenced him as a composer. Early in his career he moved beyond dogmatic serialism by connecting mathematical concepts to the organization of a musical composition, particularly set theory, symbolic logic, and probabalistic calculus. He promulgated the stochastic method, which is teleologi-cally directed and deterministic. His use of the computer led him to develop the computer drawing board UPIC, which he used for both compositional and educational purposes.

Works

dramatic: Oresteïa, incidental music (1965-66; Ypsilanti, Mich., June 14, 1966); Medea, theater music (Paris, March 29, 1967); Kraanerg, ballet (1968-69; Ottawa, June 2, 1969); Antikhthon, ballet (1971; Bonn, Sept. 21, 1974); Les Bacchantes, theater music (1992-93). ORCH.: Metastasis (1953-54; Donaueschingen, Oct. 15, 1955); Pithoprakta (1955-56; Munich, March 8, 1957); Achorripsis (1956-57; Brussels, July 20, 1958); Syrmos for 18 or 36 Strings (1959); Duel, game for 2 “antagonistic” Orchs., mathematically based on game theory, with the audience determining the winning orch. (1959; Radio Hilversum, Oct. 18,1971); ST/48-1,240162 (ST = stochastic; 48 = number of players; 1 = 1st work for this contingent; 240162 = 24 January 1962, date of the work) (1959-62; Paris, 1968); Stratégie, game for 2 Orchs. (1959-62; Venice, April 25, 1963); Akrata (Pure) for 16 Winds (1964-65; Oxford, June 28, 1966); Terrêtek-torh for 88 Players scattered among the audience (1965-66; Royan, April 3, 1966); Polytope de Montréal, light- and-sound spectacle for 4 Small (identical) Orchs. (1967); Nomos gamma for 98 Players scattered among the audience (1967-68; Royan, April 4, 1969); Synaphai for Piano and Orch. (1969; Royan, April 6, 1971); Eriadnos for 8 Brasses and 10 String Instruments or their multiples (1973); Erikhthon for Piano and Orch. (Paris, May 21, 1974); Noomena (Paris, Oct. 16, 1974); Empreintes (La Rochelle, June 29, 1975); Jonchaies (Paris, Dec. 21, 1977); Pour les Baleines for Strings (1982; Orléans, Dec. 2, 1983); Shaar for Strings (Tel Aviv, Feb. 3, 1983); Lichens (1983; Liège, April 16, 1984); Alax (Cologne, Sept. 15, 1985); Hows (Tokyo, Oct. 24, 1986); Kegrops for Piano and Orch. (N.Y., Nov. 13,1986); Tracées (Paris, Sept. 17, 1987); Ata (1987; Donaueschingen, May 3, 1988); Tuorakemsu (Tokyo, Oct. 9,1990); Kyania (Montpellier, Dec. 7,1990); Krinoi’di (1991; Parma, May 1992); Dox-Orkh for Violin and Orch. (Strasbourg, Oct. 6, 1991); Roai (1991; Berlin, March 24, 1992); Trookh for Trombone and Orch. (1991; Stockholm, March 26, 1993); Dämmerschein (1993-94; Lisbon, June 9, 1994); Koïranoï (1994; Hamburg, March 1, 1996); Voile for Strings (Munich, Nov. 16, 1995); Ioolkos (1995; Donaueschingen, Oct. 20,1996); Sea-Change (London, July 23, 1997). CHAMBER: Achorripsis for 21 Players (1956-57; Buenos Aires, July 20, 1958); ST/4 for String Quartet (1956-62); ST/10-1,080262 (ST = stochastic; 10 = number of players; 1 = 1st work of this contingent; 080262 = 8 February 1962, date of the work) for Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, 2 Horns, Harp, Percussion, and String Quartet (1956-62; Paris, May 1962); Mor sima- Amor sima for Piano, Violin, Cello, and Double Bass (1956-62; Athens, Dec. 6, 1962); Analogiques for 9 Strings and Tape (Gravesano,1959); Airees for 11 Players (1960; Paris, June 28, 1962); Amorisma- Morsiama for Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, 2 Horns, Trumpet, Harps, Trombone, 2 Percussion, Violin, and Cello (1962); Eonta for 2 Trumpets, 3 Trombones, and Piano (1963-64; Paris, Dec. 16,1964); Hiketides Les Suppliantes d’Eschyle for Brass and Strings (Epidarus, 1964); Akrata for 16 Wind Instruments (1964-65; Oxford, June 28, 1966); Nomos Alpha for Cello (Bremen, May 5, 1966); Anaktoria for Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quintet, and Double Bass (Avignon, July 3, 1969); Persephassa for 6 Percussionists (Persepolis, Sept. 9, 1969); Charisma for Clarinet and Cello (Royan, April 6, 1971); Aroma for 12 Strings (Lucerne, Aug. 24, 1971); Mikka for Violin (1971; Paris, Oct. 27,1972); Linaia-Agon for Horn, Trombone, and Tuba (London, April 26, 1972); Phlegra for 11 Instruments (1975; London, Jan. 26, 1976); Psappha for Percussion (1975; London, May 5, 1976); Theraps for Double Bass (1975-76; Royan, March 26,1976); Retours-Windungen for 12 Cellos (Bonn, Feb. 20,1976); Epeï for English Horn, Clarinet, Trumpet, 2 Trombones, and Double Bass (Montreal, Dec. 9, 1976); Mikka “S” for Violin (Orléans, March 11, 1976); Dmaathen for Oboe and Percussion (1976; N.Y., May 1977); Kottos for Cello (La Rochelle, June 28, 1977); Moor for String Trio (Paris, April 2, 1978); Pleiades for 6 Percussion (1978; Strasbourg, May 17, 1979); Palimpsest for Piano and Percussion (Aquila, March 3, 1979); Dikhthas for Violin and Piano (1979; Bonn, June 4, 1980); Komboi for Harpsichord and Percussion (Metz, Nov. 22,1981); Embellie for Viola (Paris, March 30, 1981); Khal Pen for Brass Quintet and Percussion (Beaune, July 15, 1983); Tetras for String Quartet (Lisbon, June 8, 1983); Thalleïn for 14 Players (London, Feb. 4, 1984); A l’île de Gorée for Amplified Harpsichord and 12 Players (Amsterdam, July 4,1986); Akea for Piano and String Quartet (Paris, Dec. 14, 1986); Keren for Trombone (Strasbourg, Sept. 19, 1986); Jalons for 15 Players (1986; Paris, Jan. 26, 1987); XAS for Saxophone Quartet (Lille, Nov. 17, 1987); Rebonds A (1987-88; Rome, July 1, 1988) and B (Avignon, July 24, 1989) for Percussion; Waarg for 13 Players (London, May 6, 1988); Echange for Bass Clarinet and 13 Players (Amsterdam, April 26, 1989); Oophaa for Harpsichord and Percussion (Warsaw, Sept. 17, 1989); Okho for 3 Djembes (Paris, Oct. 20, 1989); Epicycle for Cello and 12 Players (London, May 18, 1989); Tetora for String Quartet (1990; Witten, April 27,1992); Paille in the Wind for Cello and Piano (Milan, Dec. 14, 1992); Plektó (Flechte) for 6 Players (1993; Witten, April 24, 1994); Mnamas Xapin Witoldwi Luto-slavskiemu (In Memory of Witold Lutoslawski) for 2 Horns and 2 Trumpets (Warsaw, Sept. 21, 1994); Ergma for String Quartet (The Hague, Dec. 17, 1994); Kai for 9 Players (Oldenburg, Nov. 12,1995); Kuilenn for 9 Winds (1995; Amsterdam, June 10,1996); lttidra for String Sextet (Frankfurt am Main, Oct. 4, 1996); Hunem-Iduhey for Violin and Cello (N.Y., Aug. 9, 1996); Roscobeck for Cello and Double Bass (Cologne, Dec. 6, 1996); Zythos for Trombone and 6 Percussion (1996; Birmingham, April 4, 1997). KEYBOARD: Piano: Herma (1960-61; Tokyo, Feb. 2, 1962); Evryali (N.Y., Oct. 23, 1973); Mists (Edinburgh, 1981); À r. (Hommage à Ravel) (Montpellier, Aug. 2,1987). Organ: Gmeeoorh (Hartford, 1974). Harpsichord: Khoa’i (Cologne, May 5, 1976); Naama (Luxembourg, May 20, 1984). VOCAL: Zyia for Soprano, Men’s Chorus, Flute, and Piano (1952; Evreux, April 5,1994); Polla ta dhina (Many Are the Wonders) for Children’s Chorus, Winds, and Percussion (Stuttgart, Oct. 25, 1962); Hiketides for Women’s Chorus and 10 Instruments or Orch. (1964); Nuits for 12 Voices (1967; Royan, April 7, 1968); Cendrées for Chorus and Orch. (1973-74; Lisbon, June 20, 1974); N’Shima for 2 Mezzo-sopranos, Horns, 2 Trombones, and Cello (1975; Jerusalem, Feb. 1976); Akanthos for Soprano, Flute, Clarinet, 2 Violins, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, and Piano (Strasbourg, June 17, 1977); Â Colone for Men’s Chorus, Horn, Trombone, and Double Bass (Metz, Nov. 19, 1977; also for Men’s or Women’s Chorus, 3 Horns, 3 Trombones, 3 Cellos, and 3 Double Basses); À Hélène for Mezzo- soprano, Women’s Chorus, and 2 Clarinets (Epidarus, July 1977); Anemoessa for Chorus and Orch. (Amsterdam, June 21, 1979); Aïs for Baritone, Percussion Soloist, and Orch. (1980; Munich, Feb. 13,1981); Nekuia for Chorus and Orch. (Cologne, March 26, 1981); Serment-Orkos for Chorus (Athens, Sept. 6, 1981); Pour la Paix for Chorus and Tape (1981; Paris, April 23, 1982); Pour Maurice for Baritone and Piano (Brussels, Oct. 18, 1982); Chant des Soleils for Chorus, Children’s Chorus, Brass, and Percussion (1983); Idmen A for Chorus and 4 Percussion and B for Chorus and 6 Percussion (Strasbourg, July 24, 1985); Nyuyo (Soleil couchant) for Voice, Skakuhachi, and 2 Kotos (Angers, June 30, 1985); Kassandra for Amplified Baritone and Percussion (Gibel-lina, Italy, Aug. 21,1987); Knephas for Chorus (London, June 24, 1990); La Deesse Athena for Baritone and Instruments (Athens, May 3, 1992); Pu wijnuej we fyp for Children’s Chorus (Paris, Dec. 5, 1992); Bakxai Evrvpidov for Baritone, Women’s Chorus, and 9 Instruments (London, Sept. 1, 1993); Sea Nymphs for Chorus (London, Oct. 23, 1994). Tape: Diamorphoses (1957; Brussels, Oct. 5,1978); Concret PH (Brussels, 1958); Analogique B (1958-59; Gravesano, 1959); Orient-Occident (Cannes, May 1960); The Thessaloniki World Fair (1961); Bohor I (Paris, Dec. 15, 1962) and II (1975); Hibiki Hana Ma (1969-70; Osaka, 1970; in versions for 12 or 4 channels); Persepolis (Persepolis, Aug. 26, 1971); Polytope de Cluny (Paris, Oct. 13,1972); Polytope II (1974); La Légende d’Er (1977; Paris, Feb. 11, 1978); Mycenes Alpha (Mycènes, Aug. 2,1978); Pour la Paix (1981); Taurtriphanie (Aries, July 13, 1987); Voyage absolu des Unari vers Andromède (Osaka, Jan. 4, 1989); Gendy3 (Metz, Nov. 17, 1991).

Bibliography

M. Bois, I. X.: The Man and His Music: A Conversation with the Composer and a Description of His Works (Westport, Conn., 1980); Regards sur I. X.(Paris, 1981); N. Matossian, Í. X. (Paris, 1981; Eng. tr., 1986; 2nd ed., 1990); E. Restagno, ed., X. (Turin, 1988); A. Baltensperger, I. X. und die stochastische Musik: Komposition im Spannungsfeld von Architektur und Mathematik (Bern, 1996); M. Solomos, I. X.(Mercuès, 1996).

— Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn /Dennis McIntire