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Kraanerg

April 11, 2024

Kraanerg is a composition for 23 instruments and 4-channel analog tape composed by Iannis Xenakis in 1968, as ballet, with choreography by Roland Petit and set design by Victor Vasarely. It was created for the grand opening of the Canadian National Arts Centre in Ottawa, intended to coincide with Expo 67. However, it was delayed to 1969.[1]

History edit

The title, by Xenakis, is an imaginary compound of the Greek-originating stems kraan (κρααν) and erg (εργ), meaning accomplished action. According to the composer's program note, the title also refers to the "current youth movements" of that time, and his vision of the imminent "biological struggle between generations unfurling all over the planet, destroying existing political, social, urban, scientific, artistic, and ideological frameworks on a scale never before attempted by humanity." Xenakis chose to avoid any narrative or story. The abstract modernistic character of the ballet was to be underscored by Vasarely's Op Art set design. Xenakis had previously written the soundtrack for a 1960 film about Vasarely.[1]

The 75-minute composition is not divided into movements but includes twenty-two periods of silence of varying lengths (three of them more than twenty seconds) which are integral to the work's development. It has three phases of roughly equal duration: the first contains more or less, equal portions of both orchestra and tape; the second (beginning after 23 minutes), primarily instruments; and the third (beginning after 52 minutes) primarily tape. The sounds on the tape are derived from instrumental material.

Richard Toop described it as:

... the most overpowering, and yet one of the least known. It is one of the few works of Xenakis to place two media that he normally prefers to explore separately-electroacoustic music and the orchestra-in a situation of juxtaposition and confrontation ... In Kraanerg the musicians are in open combat with an electronic orchestra in absentia- a pre-recorded tape consisting mainly of transformed orchestral sounds which seem to evoke both antiquity and the future, thus hemming in the presence of the live orchestra.[2]

The choreography by Petit (who was in charge of the premiere, and divided the work at its midpoint with an intermission) was a critical failure, but the music was widely praised; it was conducted at the premiere by Lukas Foss, who like Vasarely was invited to the project by Xenakis.

After a tour of the original ballet that ended in 1972, Kraanerg was largely forgotten until 1988 when a new choreography was created the Australian choreographer Graeme Murphy with Roger Woodward directing twenty-five performances at the Sydney Opera House. This performance was highly considered[3][4] abroad and attracted attention to the composition again. The music has usually been performed without the ballet.[1]

Discography edit

  • 1969: Iannis Xenakis: Syrmos; Polytope; Medea; Kraanerg; Terretektorh; Nomos gamma; Bohor I; Diamorphoses II; Orient-occident III; Concret P-H II. Ensemble Ars Nova de l'O.R.T.F., Marius Constant (cond.) (Syrmos; Polytope; Medea; Kraanerg); Choeur d'Hommes de l'O.R.T.F. (Medea); Orchestre Philharmonique de l'O.R.T.F., Charles Bruck (cond.) (Terretektorh; Nomos gamma). The remainder are for tape alone. Terretektorh recorded at the Gymnase de Drancy on 24 January 1968; Nomos gamma recorded at the Festival de Royan in April 1969. LP recording, 5 audio discs: analog, 33⅓ rpm, stereo, 30 cm. Erato STU 70526/70527/70528/70529/70530. [France]: Erato.
  • 1989: Iannis Xenakis: Kraanerg. Alpha Centauri Ensemble, Roger Woodward (cond.), with tape. Recorded in the Opera Theatre of the Sydney Opera House, 24 November 1988. 1 compact disc: digital, stereo, 12 cm. Etcetera KTC 1075. [Amsterdam]: Etcetera.[5]
  • 1997: Iannis Xenakis: Kraanerg. ST-X Ensemble, Charles Zacharie Bornstein (cond.), with tape (Paul D. Miller, quadraphonic ADAT). Recorded live in New York City at the Great Hall in Cooper Union on 12 November 1996, with the composer present. 1 compact disc: digital, stereo, 12 cm. Asphodel/Sombient 0975. New York: Asphobel/Sombient.
  • 2003: Iannis Xenakis: Kraanerg. Sinfonieorchester Basel, Alexander Winterson (cond.), with tape. Recorded in the Casino Basel Music Hall, 29–31 May 2001. 1 compact disc: digital, stereo, 12 cm. Col Legno WWE 1CD 20217. [Munich]: Col Legno.
  • 2008: Iannis Xenakis: Kraanerg. Callithumpian Consort, Stephen Drury (cond), with tape. Recorded at Jordan Hall, New England Conservatory, Boston, Massachusetts, on 7 March 2006. Xenakis Edition 8. 1 compact disc: digital, stereo, 12 cm. Mode 196. New York: Mode Records. Also issued on Surround DVD.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Harley, James (2008). Liner notes for Mode Records CD 196, Kraanerg, performed by the Callithumpian Consort; Xenakis Edition Volume 8.
  2. ^ Toop, Richard (1988). Kraanerg CD notes. Etcetera Records. pp. 2–3.
  3. ^ Whittall, Arnold. "Xenakis Kraanerg". Gramophone. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  4. ^ "Xenakis: Kraanerg". BBC Music Magazine. 20 January 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  5. ^ Iannis Xenakis, Alpha Centauri Ensemble, Roger Woodward – Kraanerg at Discogs

Further reading edit

  • Harley, James (2004). Xenakis: His Life in Music; Routledge.

External links edit

April 11, 2024
kraanerg, composition, instruments, channel, analog, tape, composed, iannis, xenakis, 1968, ballet, with, choreography, roland, petit, design, victor, vasarely, created, grand, opening, canadian, national, arts, centre, ottawa, intended, coincide, with, expo, . Kraanerg is a composition for 23 instruments and 4 channel analog tape composed by Iannis Xenakis in 1968 as ballet with choreography by Roland Petit and set design by Victor Vasarely It was created for the grand opening of the Canadian National Arts Centre in Ottawa intended to coincide with Expo 67 However it was delayed to 1969 1 Contents 1 History 2 Discography 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksHistory editThe title by Xenakis is an imaginary compound of the Greek originating stems kraan kraan and erg erg meaning accomplished action According to the composer s program note the title also refers to the current youth movements of that time and his vision of the imminent biological struggle between generations unfurling all over the planet destroying existing political social urban scientific artistic and ideological frameworks on a scale never before attempted by humanity Xenakis chose to avoid any narrative or story The abstract modernistic character of the ballet was to be underscored by Vasarely s Op Art set design Xenakis had previously written the soundtrack for a 1960 film about Vasarely 1 The 75 minute composition is not divided into movements but includes twenty two periods of silence of varying lengths three of them more than twenty seconds which are integral to the work s development It has three phases of roughly equal duration the first contains more or less equal portions of both orchestra and tape the second beginning after 23 minutes primarily instruments and the third beginning after 52 minutes primarily tape The sounds on the tape are derived from instrumental material Richard Toop described it as the most overpowering and yet one of the least known It is one of the few works of Xenakis to place two media that he normally prefers to explore separately electroacoustic music and the orchestra in a situation of juxtaposition and confrontation In Kraanerg the musicians are in open combat with an electronic orchestra in absentia a pre recorded tape consisting mainly of transformed orchestral sounds which seem to evoke both antiquity and the future thus hemming in the presence of the live orchestra 2 The choreography by Petit who was in charge of the premiere and divided the work at its midpoint with an intermission was a critical failure but the music was widely praised it was conducted at the premiere by Lukas Foss who like Vasarely was invited to the project by Xenakis After a tour of the original ballet that ended in 1972 Kraanerg was largely forgotten until 1988 when a new choreography was created the Australian choreographer Graeme Murphy with Roger Woodward directing twenty five performances at the Sydney Opera House This performance was highly considered 3 4 abroad and attracted attention to the composition again The music has usually been performed without the ballet 1 Discography edit1969 Iannis Xenakis Syrmos Polytope Medea Kraanerg Terretektorh Nomos gamma Bohor I Diamorphoses II Orient occident III Concret P H II Ensemble Ars Nova de l O R T F Marius Constant cond Syrmos Polytope Medea Kraanerg Choeur d Hommes de l O R T F Medea Orchestre Philharmonique de l O R T F Charles Bruck cond Terretektorh Nomos gamma The remainder are for tape alone Terretektorh recorded at the Gymnase de Drancy on 24 January 1968 Nomos gamma recorded at the Festival de Royan in April 1969 LP recording 5 audio discs analog 33 rpm stereo 30 cm Erato STU 70526 70527 70528 70529 70530 France Erato 1989 Iannis Xenakis Kraanerg Alpha Centauri Ensemble Roger Woodward cond with tape Recorded in the Opera Theatre of the Sydney Opera House 24 November 1988 1 compact disc digital stereo 12 cm Etcetera KTC 1075 Amsterdam Etcetera 5 1997 Iannis Xenakis Kraanerg ST X Ensemble Charles Zacharie Bornstein cond with tape Paul D Miller quadraphonic ADAT Recorded live in New York City at the Great Hall in Cooper Union on 12 November 1996 with the composer present 1 compact disc digital stereo 12 cm Asphodel Sombient 0975 New York Asphobel Sombient 2003 Iannis Xenakis Kraanerg Sinfonieorchester Basel Alexander Winterson cond with tape Recorded in the Casino Basel Music Hall 29 31 May 2001 1 compact disc digital stereo 12 cm Col Legno WWE 1CD 20217 Munich Col Legno 2008 Iannis Xenakis Kraanerg Callithumpian Consort Stephen Drury cond with tape Recorded at Jordan Hall New England Conservatory Boston Massachusetts on 7 March 2006 Xenakis Edition 8 1 compact disc digital stereo 12 cm Mode 196 New York Mode Records Also issued on Surround DVD See also editPolytope de Montreal 1967 media installation by Xenakis in OttawaReferences edit a b c Harley James 2008 Liner notes for Mode Records CD 196 Kraanerg performed by the Callithumpian Consort Xenakis Edition Volume 8 Toop Richard 1988 KraanergCD notes Etcetera Records pp 2 3 Whittall Arnold Xenakis Kraanerg Gramophone Retrieved 16 May 2022 Xenakis Kraanerg BBC Music Magazine 20 January 2012 Retrieved 16 May 2022 Iannis Xenakis Alpha Centauri Ensemble Roger Woodward Kraanerg at DiscogsFurther reading editHarley James 2004 Xenakis His Life in Music Routledge External links editKraanerg 1969 details Boosey amp Hawkes Kraanerg 1988 video excerpts Graeme Murphy Portal nbsp Classical music Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kraanerg amp oldid 1167828600, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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