Customer Reviews

Iannis Xenakis: Electronic Works, Vol. 2 - Polytope de Cluny/Hibiki Hana Ma/Der Chaud

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I own the CD and the DVD versions of electronic works vol 1 and 2 by Xenakis. Why? The DVD versions are closer to the multi-channel realization that Xenakis had in mind when these pieces were originally presented. The CDs are nice to have for listening in the car or the ipod but the DVD versions are certainly more definitive and sound considerably better than the CD versions.

Since I don't agree with the 1 star-rating at all, I would like to warmly recommend this DVD. It's true, there is no film accompanying neither "Polytope de Cluny" nor "Hibiki Hana Ma". However, I very much love the short piece "Neg-Ale", that comes with the film "Vasarely". It's only 8 minutes long, but the music is very rewarding. I'd love to listen to other short pieces Xenakis composed for commercials: one for the German toothpaste "Odol", one for the Dutch aftershave "Pitrell" etc. I have looked around the net to find these, but so far no luck. Hopefully the great mode records is going to dig them up and present them. Thumbs up!

If you love Xenakis's music, buy the CD. If you plunk down nearly $27.00 for the DVD, what you get is the same Hibiki Hana Ma on the CD (of course) but no visuals at all. Eighteen minutes of black screen. For the Polytope, there are various camera approaches to the playbill and a few still photographs. Otherrwise nothing. Material that should be in the CD booklet but which couldn't justify a DVD, much less one at this price. This is robbery.