Performers: Aki Takahashi (piano), Rohan de Saram (cello), JACK Quartet [Ari Streisfeld (violin), Christopher Otto (violin), John Pickford Richards (viola), Kevin McFarland (cello)], Callithumpian Consort [Stephen Drury (conductor), Mark Emery (trumpet), Christopher Scanlon (trumpet), Wesley Hopper (trombone), Daniel Linden (trombone), Scott Bean (trombone), Gabriela Diaz (violin), Benjamin Schwarz (cello), Akiko Kikuchi (bass)]
Playing time: 53'
Recording dates: October 2007, June 2008, June 2009
At the time I did a major revision of the Xenakis page, this was the most recent release in Mode's Xenakis series, so it made sense to create a file for it here. Of course, Aki Takahashi and others continue to be devoted interpreters of Xenakis' music.
The longest piece here is the noisy Eonta, one I've never really liked that much, perhaps because it relies on spatial effects that aren't really available on recording. This is a less raw, more detailed rendition. The piece obviously continues to draw interest. Morsima-Amorsima is a more pensive stochastic piece using strings, vaguely of the same sort as his ST/4. Akea is a smoother and more "lyrical" piece, done so well by Helffer and the Arditti Quartet. Paille in the Wind is a piece I discovered on Arne Deforce's album. It's a somewhat simple piece for Xenakis, in some ways, but his duos for different types of instruments seem to come out so well, and I particularly like this piece.
To purchasing information for this disc.
To Xenakis list.
Todd M. McComb