Evryali (1973) is apparently impossible to play in full, and each interpreter has to decide how much of the piece they are able to take on. Packed with gamelan influences, "stochastic clouds" and "polyphonic arborescences", it probably takes a PhD to fully understand, but is a blast to just listen to in its typically Xenakian insanity. This is complemented by Herma (1962), dating from Takahashi's time with Xenakis, who dedicated it to him, and is based on set operations from Boolean algebra... nope, me neither. Still great.
Olivier Messiaen's Four Rhythmic Studies date from 1949-50, with the 'Island Of Fire' pieces at the bookends inspired by melodies from Papua New Guinea. In between, Messiaen experiments with numerical organisations of pitch, duration & timbre, and with Gregorian neumes, in a fascinating break from his usual concerns of naturalistic and spiritual wonder. Takahashi excels again at this beautifully odd music, and the whole album sounds as pristine as you'd expect from a digital recording from 1976. Yep, Denon had been pioneering PCM recording onto videotape for a full five years at this point.
link
pw: sgtg
Iannis Xenakis at SGTG:
Phlegra, Jalons etc
Oresteïa
Synaphaï
Persephassa
Ata, Jonchaies etc
Pléiades/Psappha
Bohor etc
Kraanerg
Terretektorh/Nomos Gamma
La Légende D'Eer
Persepolis
Olivier Messiaen at SGTG:
Des Canyons Aux Étoiles
Turangalîla Symphony / L'ascension
Et Exspecto Resurrectionem Mortuorum, etc
