Composer: Iannis Xenakis
Works: Aïs for baritone, solo percussion and orchestra (1980), Tracées (1987), Empreintes (1975), Noomena (1974), Roáï (1991), Jonchaies (1977), Shaar (1983), Lichens (1983), Antikhthon (1971)
Performers: Spyros Sakkas (baritone), Béatrice Daudin (percussion solo), Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra, Arturo Tamayo
Recording: Recorded in Luxembourg Conservatoire, April 2000 and March-April 2001
Label: Timpani
Iannis Xenakis stands as a colossus of 20th-century music, a figure whose radical compositional techniques and architectural sensibilities continue to resonate in contemporary discourse. His orchestral output, however, remains starkly underrepresented in recorded form, making Timpani’s recent releases of Xenakis’s works for large orchestra both a significant and timely contribution to the catalog. This two-volume set presents a compelling survey of his oeuvre, revealing the visceral power and intellectual rigor that define his music.
The opening work, Aïs, is a harrowing tour de force for baritone and orchestra, inspired by fragments from Homer. Spyros Sakkas embodies the anguished protagonist, delivering lines that evoke the visceral rawness of human suffering with a ferocity that transcends mere vocalization. The piece eschews traditional melodic structure in favor of a complex interplay of tone and texture, where Sakkas’s vocal techniques—howls, chants, and the use of sprechtstimme—create a soundscape as vivid as it is disturbing. The aggressive percussion of Béatrice Daudin further amplifies the piece’s dramatic intensity, making it a striking entry into Xenakis’s exploration of violence and mortality.
The subsequent works, including Empreintes and Noomena, delve into Xenakis’s fascination with sound itself. Noomena, in particular, showcases his ability to manipulate a singular pitch, transforming it through orchestral color and dynamism. This exploration of sound as an evolving entity resonates deeply within the listener’s psyche, and the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra, under Arturo Tamayo’s astute direction, navigates these complexities with remarkable precision. The orchestra’s commitment to Xenakis’s challenging score allows for a robust realization of his sound world, where the familiar becomes alien, and chaos emerges from order.
Recording quality is exceptional across both volumes, capturing the intricate sonorities of the orchestra with clarity and depth. The engineering ensures that the nuances of Xenakis’s orchestration, from the subtle shifts in dynamics to the explosive clusters of sound, are vividly rendered. The acoustic environment of the Luxembourg Conservatoire contributes to a rich aural palette, allowing each instrument to assert its identity while blending harmoniously into the larger ensemble.
When compared to other notable recordings of Xenakis’s works, these discs stand out for their interpretative vigor and fidelity to the composer’s intentions. While recordings by other ensembles may offer a polished surface, the raw energy and commitment of the Luxembourg Philharmonic breathe life into these compositions, making them feel immediate and urgent. The presence of authoritative notes from Nouritza Matossian adds an invaluable scholarly layer, framing the music within Xenakis’s historical context and personal narrative.
The synthesis of Xenakis’s architectural vision and visceral soundscapes is impeccably realized in these recordings. They demand not only the listener’s attention but also their intellectual engagement, inviting repeated hearings to unravel the intricate layers of meaning embedded within the music. Timpani’s release of Xenakis’s orchestral works is, without a doubt, a monumental addition to the classical recording landscape, deserving a place in the collection of every serious music aficionado. This exploration of his orchestral language is not for the faint of heart, but for those who dare to engage, it offers profound rewards.
