IANNIS XENAKIS (IU faculty: 1967-1972)
Biography
Iannis Xenakis (May 29, 1922 – February 4, 2001) was an ethnic Greek, naturalized French composer, and music theorist, and architect-engineer. He is commonly recognized as one of the most important post-war avant-garde composers. Xenakis pioneered the use of mathematical models such as applications of set theory, varied use of stochastic processes, game theory, etc., in music, and was also an important influence on the development of electronic music.
Among his most important works are Metastaseis (1953–4) for orchestra, which introduced independent parts for every musician of the orchestra; percussion works such as Psappha(1975) and Pléïades (1979); compositions that introduced spatialization by dispersing musicians among the audience, such as Terretektorh (1966); electronic works created using Xenakis's UPIC system; and the massive multimedia performances Xenakis calledpolytopes. Among the numerous theoretical writings he authored, the book Formalized Music: Thought and Mathematics in Composition (1971) is regarded as one of his most important. As an architect, Xenakis is primarily known for his early work under Le Corbusier: the Sainte Marie de La Tourette, on which the two architects collaborated, and the Phillips Pavillion at Expo 58, which Xenakis designed alone.
Selected Compositions
Stage Works
Kraanerg (1968)
Antikhthon (1971)
Vocal Music with Orchestra
Anastenaria: Procession aux eaux claires (1953)
Aïs (1980)
Cendrées (1973-74)
Pour la Paix (1981)
Idmen A/Idmen B (1985)
Sea–Nymphs (1994)
Orchestral
Metastaseis (1953-54)
Akrata (1964-65)
Ata (1987)
Sea-Change (1997)
O-Mega (1997)
Chamber Music
Eonta (1963-64)
Akea (1986)
Tetras (1983)
Erama (1994)
Pleiades (1979)
Okho (1989)
Echange (1989)
Solo Music
Herma (1961)
Mists (1981)
A r. (Hommage à Ravel) (1987)
Naama (1984)
Tape Music
Concret PH (1958)
Persépolis (1971)
Polytope II (1974)
La légende d'Eer (Diatope) (1977)