ArtistInfo

Iannis Xenakis
Charisma X

Single US 2010 on Mode label
Classical (Contemporary)

Made & Printed in USA Charisma X follows the life of Iannis Xenakis from childhood through his final composition, Omega. Musicologist Makis Solomos guides us through Xenakis’ key periods and accomplishments interspersed with musical performances and comments from those who knew or worked with Xenakis, giving an overview of his personal life and careers in music and architecture. Xenakis appears in historical footage: - Talking about his multimedia electronic work La Legende d’Eer, with film of the performance and the Diatope in front of the Pompidou Centre. - Demonstrating the UPIC, the computer which he designed that allows music to be drawn on a computer screen. - Speaking about his opera Oresteia and various Greek legends which influenced his work. It explores the relationship between his music and architecture, including working for Le Corbusier. Charisma X explores his architectural achievements of the Philips Pavilion at Expo 58, the convent of La Tourette, his home in Corsica, and the houses he designed for his daughter Makhi and composer Mache are shown. Synopsis: This is a documentary film on the life and work of the composer Iannis Xenakis, the “architect of sound”,whose visionary work reconciles art with science.The film develops in such a way to show how Xenakis’s philosophy, architectural experience, mathematics and political background morph into music and how physical phenomena are transformed into musical expression. Iannis Xenakis’ multidimensional work is presented through excerpts of his musical compositions, his architectural work, his interviews and archive material from “Oresteia” and “Polytopes”, the grand spectacles of sound and light. The camera follows musicians who perform, specifically for this film, Xenakis’s works such as “Nomos”,“Alpha”, “Charisma”, “Naama” and “Keren” at Delphoi, La Tourette Convent and his house in Paris.

Musicians

	Iannis Xenakis voc, 1922-2001 RO composed by, interviewee, speech, album by
	Christophe Roy vc, cello
	Frances-Marie Uitti vc, FR cello, interviewee
	Lori Freedman cl, bcl, *1958 CA clarinet
	Elisabeth Chojnacka hps, *1939 PL harpsichord, interviewee
	Curtis Roads , *1951 US interviewee
	François-Bernard Mâche voc, p, *1935 FR interviewee
	Françoise Xenakis , *1930 FR interviewee
	Georges Aperghis , *1945 FR interviewee
	Gérard Pape voc, vc, *1955 US interviewee
	Makis Solomis , *1962 interviewee
	Mâkhi Xenakis , FR interviewee
	Roviros Manthoulis interviewee
	Sharon Kanach , FR interviewee
	Γιώργος Κουμεντάκης , *1959 GR interviewee
	Sylvio Gualda perc, *1939 FR percussion
	Benny Sluchin tb, *1948 FR trombone
	Spyros Sakkas voc, *1938 voice

Producers

Composers

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