Search - Iannis Xenakis, Les Percussions de Strasbourg :: Xénakis: Pléïdes

Can stochastic music sound pleasant to the ear?

G. Camara | Sao Jose dos Campos, SP Brazil | 10/31/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Iannis Xenakis's music is quite unlike any other 20th century composer. With a background in mathematics, he has written theoretical works which describe how chaos and probability can be applied to music. He writes in the liner notes: "The sole source of this polyrhythmic composition is the idea of periodicity, repetition, duplication, faithful, pseudo-faithful, unfaithful copy...". However daunting his mindset may seem to be, "Pleiades" is a wonderful work and can be enjoyed without conscious perception of the "clouds, nebulas and galaxies of the fragmented dust of beats organized by the rhythm (Xenakis)". Composed in 1978 and dedicated to the famous ensemble "Les Percussions de Strasbourg" (which premiered the piece and play it on this CD), it features a new metal percussion instrument: the "sixxen" (SIX intrumentists + XENakis). Aware of the demands placed on his audience, Xenakis architected the piece in four parts: Metaux (for metal instruments), Claviers (malleted percussion), Peaux (drums) and Melanges (mixture). Each part brings about its own sound world, which is more timbre-oriented than pulse-oriented. By following each rhythmic beat by a slightly different beat (in duration and timbre) on a similar-sounding instrument, Xenakis creates an aural impression closer to a "fugue for six percussions" than to a "european version of african drumming". Although the timbre changes constantly, it does so on a controlled way (due to Xenakis' conception of "sound clusters"). The whole composition is at the same time challenging and pleasing to the ear. Given that this record has a very reasonable price, it is a not to be missed opportunity of broadening one's musical horizons."

Xenakis a la france

gdb74@hotmail.com | australia | 12/23/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"this is one of very few recordings available of this true masterpiece by the greecian/french composer Iannis Xenakis. Les Percussions de Strasbourg have long held a strong collaborative relationship with Xenakis and they have often been first to record and perform many of his works. This particular work runs for approximately 45 minutes and takes the listener through a very complex array of formal structures and grouping of the percussion instruments. Each movement deals with a different group ie. 'Peux' is for the 'skin' instruments such as bogos, congas, drums, bass drums and timpani. The movement titled 'Metaux' is written for the 'metal' instruments such as tam-tams, gongs, metal bars and sixens. Xenakis is responsible for most of the great percussion music written this century. His background in mathematics and architecture has found its way in to the way he structures his compositions. There are many ways to interpret and perform his works, but it is important to remember that many of the deeper issues of inspiration and realisation for Xenakis in his use of percussion stem from his expereicnes in the Second World War. This is an awesome piece of music. Its brutal rhythms and rigid structure will satisfy from the first time listener through to the most ardent specialist."