Xenakis' Thought through his Writings

Makis Solomos (1)

1 MUSIDANSE - Esthétique, musicologie, danse et création musicale

This paper moves from the observation that we can hardly characterize Xenakis’ writings by using too restricted definitions and categories. In order to address the several lines of thought expressed in his writings, this paper attempts to somehow preserve their essential fluidity. This is done by leaning on a simple and non-dialectical opposition: on one side, there is the ‘Apollonian’ element, especially linked to the notion of ‘abstraction’ (having a central position in Xenakis), to his vision of ‘arts/sciences alloys’ (a beautiful theory about the relationship between music and the sciences), and to the concept of ‘formalization’ (not a homogenuous concept in Xenakis). On the other side, there is the ‘Dionysian’ element, referring to the complexity of Xenakis’ inspiration, to the underlying view of nature, and to the search for immediate expression. The paper finally discusses the Xenakis’ notions of time and space, and his emphasis on creativity, two subjects that seem in a way to go beyond the Appollonian/Dionysian opposition and to point to an inner unity proper to the Xenakis’ world.

Domaines: Musique, musicologie et arts de la scène

Makis Solomos. Xenakis' Thought through his Writings. Journal of New Music Research, 2004, 33 (2), pp.125 - 136. ⟨10.1080/0929821042000310603⟩. ⟨hal-01789818⟩