EMS Proceedings and Other Publications

Research on the First Musique Concrète: The Case of Xenakis’s First Electroacoustic Pieces

Benoît Gibson, Makis Solomos

Benoît Gibson, University of Evora (Portugal)
gibsonbenoit@gmail.com
Makis Solomos, EMD, University of Paris 8 (France)
Makis.Solomos@univ-paris8.fr

Article

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Abstract

Xenakis’s first electroacoustic pieces (Diamorphoses, 1957; Concret PH, 1958; Analogique B, 1959; Orient-Occident, 1960; and Bohor, 1962) can be called musique concrète. Indeed, these works use the concrète musique tape techniques. But their spirit and aesthetic is very different from those set forth in Pierre Schaeffer’s theories. In fact, these works are quite particular in their whole conception. The two authors of this article are researching this period of Xenakis’s electroacoustic music. In this article, they offer a brief survey of the issues these works raised. To illustrate some of these issues, they use Diamorphoses and Bohor as examples.

EMS13 Proceedings