Xenakis: Paille in the Wind

'Music is like a crystal ball that is nothing in itself, but in which one can see things.' Not representing the world in music but creating a world: it is the creative act of Iannis Xenakis, 'bringing into being something out of nothing. Engendering the unengendered'. This CD brings together, for the very first time, the complete works that Xenakis composed for solo cello '+ 1'. They illustrate the evolution of a unique compositional trajectory, underpinned by energeia, the active creative force of Greek thought, which shapes a thing up until it happens: a proof of sound force in which energetic currents and dynamic surfaces are confronted. Æon hereby continues its collaboration with cellist Arne Deforce whose inspiration and weight of artistic evidence reach new peaks with this disc.

Pianist Aki Takahashi’s follows up her acclaimed first disc of Xenakis piano works (which won a “Diapason d’or” in France, mode80) with this second volume — this time works for piano with instruments.

She is joined by an all-star cast of players: Rohan de Saram (formerly of the Arditti Quartet), The JACK Quartet, and the Callithumpian Consort conducted by Stephen Drury.

All works are underrepresented in current recordings or difficult to find at all.

Includes the first new recording in over 10 years of Xenakis’ landmark EONTA (1963) for piano, 2 trumpets & 3 trombones — a blistering work which rates among the most difficult solo piano pieces ever written. Unique effects include requiring the brass players to move about the stage for spatialised effects, and to point the bells of the brass instruments into the piano and play to create resonance.

AKEA (1986), written for Claude Helffer and the Arditti Quartet, is not a typical addition to the romantic tradition of the piano quintet. It signaled the beginning of a more inward, reflective phase of Xenakis’ output.

MORISIMA/AMORSIMA, was composed with the aid of a computer in 1962. This is the only readily available recording

PAILLE IN THE WIND (1992) for piano & cello performed with Rohan de Saram. This is the only available recording

Original hi-definition 96khz/24-bit recording.

Also available on 5.1 surround DVD with full HD video (MODE217DVD)