Iannis Xenakis - Metastasis
jarkkkoo2 HN recommenders · recommended in 2 months, 2010–2022
music · intermediate · evergreen · 2010–2022 on HN
A score-following video of Iannis Xenakis's 1950s orchestral piece Metastasis, showing his graphic, mathematically derived notation as the music plays. It is a landmark of post-war modernist composition.
HN uses it as an example of radically different musical notation and as a favorite, if challenging, modernist piece that anticipates sounds like the THX Deep Note.
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4 comments from Hacker News
here are some of the better known 'inhumane' pieces, all from the post-war European modernists, which I all like a lot: link (Klavierstueck ix by Stockhausen) link (Pli selon pli by Boulez) link (Athmosphere by Ligeti) link (Sinfonia by Berio) ▶ this video (Metastasis by Xenakis) And a more recent work: link (La commedia by Andriessen)
Iannis Xenakis' song Metastasis got there first as far as I know, in 1953 with a full orchestra. It has a slightly different (less harmonic) end: ▶ this video (mostly the first minute) It's one of my favorite songs, mostly for when I want to be left alone in a room.
Western musical notation has been continuously evolving. It is far from being 'largely unchanged for hundreds of years'. For example, look at the notation for this piece by Iannis Xenakis. (Shows the sheet music in the video). ▶ this video Compare to this gregorian chant: link Or to this piece by his teacher oliver messiaen link There are some important things that are the same between the chant and the piece by Messian, but the notations are very very different, and have accumulated some really important stuff over the years. Saying that musical notation has been largely unchanged for hundreds of years is kind of like saying that English has remained largely unchanged for hundreds of years.... in that it is incorrect.
This made me curious to check his actual work. It seems like math and music is not always a winning combination: ▶ this video (Metastasis) link (Psappha) link (Terretektorh)