Iannis Xenakis _ "Jonchaies" for 109 musicians (1977)

Nouvelle Orchestre Philarmonique_Gilbert Amy, conductor

[@rembeadgc]

Now, who didn't think "Psycho" at 0:10? I saw the knife coming down!

[@merriman53]

One of Xenakis's greatest works.

[@goatlps]

Oh dear then.

[@pawdaw]

Completely agree. The violence of the language, the dizzying overlay of meters, the textural density - nothing like it.

[@merriman53]

I'm curious to know which pieces you refer to as "quiet stuff", and I don't agree that there's anything "bombastic" about "Jonchaies". There are two amazing works for piano and orchestra that you might like: "Synaphai" and "Keqrops"... But why not just listen to everything of his that's on KZbin?

[@alexg7554]

Absolutely stunning, both the composition and this recording of it. Fairly accessible piece as far as Xenakis goes. This man was the epitomy of modern. Daring, inventive, and just bloody fascinating.

[@gerryweil8656]

Xenakis tiene " Cojones" ! Su obra es emocionante y toca partes ocultas de mi ser ! Gerry Weil

[@66AUD6]

I feel blessed to reach a point in which I can listen to this with pleasure. I don't get why people are so compelled to compare music in terms of better/worse, true/bullshit...and let the discussion end there. I love pop music, and experimental. Sure, I don't find every music as pleasing as another, and I find some more shallow than others, but then I just agree with myself that I either have yet to understand what is being transmitted under the surface, or I just don't socially connect to it yet. So, I think connection to a music is relative (dependent on our individual history). But the thing about relativity is that we can influence the point from which we experience something once we become aware of it. And why close ourselves off to that possibility, as artists? Music may be relative, but it's also universally necessary. Which means to me that there is always some potential connection.

[@lexmedved]

i like this too, but i keep hearing the rite of spring. kinda like you can never avoid that bo didly riff.

[@alexreik424]

........madman....justify this bo didly riff idiotic bullshit

[@mirandac8712]

Very well said! I feel the same way. I have never understood personal claims on art. To hear the melody finally emerge out of the gray mass about a minute into the piece is such a gift. The inadvertent (?) Bartok quote at 1:59. Xenakis was a clever, clever man -- as well as being totally serious.

[@66AUD6]

I wouldn't have gotten that Bartok reference. I have horrible recall when it comes to linking names and titles.

[@66AUD6]

what riff?

[@kokokuvat5310]

Good background score for the "Mary Poppins" movie.

[@e.conboy4286]

Or ‘Psycho’. it sounds like music for the unreal, don’t you think?

[@drale75]

:D

[@calculatrguy]

🤣

[@calculatrguy]

One night I played it to me girl and now me girls me wife

[@jacksonbriggs8626]

this came up in my spotify playlist and i thought satan hacked my phone

[@anaccount8228]

+Tiago Morais Morgado wot?

[@wattd6602]

I'm glad to see an above-average number of intelligent comments to this piece. Mr. Briggs, If you haven't learned to read, you can call a printed page an ugly bunch of scribbles. I'm not calling you, or anyone with negative opinions, stupid or illiterate. This is music you have to work at appreciating, learning its associated history, its technique, etc. Art is not the same as entertainment. Good art is not always comforting or beautiful... even if modern culture reducing everything to profit and consumption believes it is.

[@DeanWang11235]

xkcd.com/915/

[@jacksonbriggs8626]

Watt deFalk well, Mr deFalk, I am actually a musician myself. and I good one at it. I have taken multiple years of music theory, made the Georgia Allstate orchestra 3 years in a row now. So I know how to read, both music and "ugly bunches of scribbles" . Obviously music is taken in many different ways depending on the perspective. I'm in orchestra so I know about violins, and the way they "run" up the fingerboard to that high note, it sounded satanic . my reasons have evidence

[@wattd6602]

Thanks for replying, Mr. Briggs. I hope you realize I wasn't calling you illiterate. I was making an analogy: to an illiterate person, writing looks like meaningless scribbles. I'm glad to know you're a dedicated music student. Of course everyone has personal tastes, but to dismiss unfamiliar music as "sounding Satanic" is not worthy of you. Do you regard everyone who enjoys studying and performing such music Satanists too? Unfortunately we have a presidential candidate and many other public figures who proudly proclaim their ignorance. I hope you're not following his example.

[@4piecechickenmcnuggets]

IDK HOW DID I GET HERE BUT IT IS HAUNTINGLY BEAUTIFUL

[@brancepethbob]

there's an elemental quality about much of xenakis' best work which makes for a very visceral listening experience. this is very fine!

[@DavidGuion1948]

I took part in a performance of Eonta when I was in graduate school--and hated it and everything else I heard by Xenakis at the time. I found this video on Reddit. Someone called Xenakis his favorite composer, so I decided I had to give it a listen. I'm surprised how much I'm enjoying it. We had a world-famous avant grade pianist for Eonta, and the page turner said he wasn't even trying to play the notes as written, just the gestures. So we brass players decided to do the same. Is this piece impossible to play as written, too?

[@johnatwell2753]

Nope it isn't impossible. Just *very* challenging. Eonta is a great piece, but sincerity is KEY. That's what Xenakis said, anyway. You don't need the score to figure out when the pianist is not playing the music right. On the other hand, a few wrong notes doesn't erase the "pattern" that Xenakis sets up (like Herma, he used set theory to compose this piano part.. read that somewhere... and knowing how to listen to Herma, I can enjoy Eonta that much more). Xenakis' craft is audible. It's meant to be heard.

[@fryingwiththeantidote2486]

Honestly who would have thought a fucking architect/mathematician could directly apply his field knowledge to music and make something so amazing. This piece is proof that anything is possible. it's like he designed a building out of my thoughts

[@kokokuvat5310]

Remind me not to move into your thoughts.

[@MF-dz1gi]

So many mathematicians are musicians though.

[@wattd6602]

"Music IS math. Anything in music that is not math is a bow tie... or big hair and torn jeans if you're mentally guitar-ded. (And even a bow tie is mathematically structured.)" - Reverend Watt deFalk

[@fryingwiththeantidote2486]

@@kokokuvat5310 my thoughts are pretty good so long as you have heroin for the depression.

[@srogamina]

Discovering grooves in Xenakis' music. This is priceless.

[@Ibiracatu]

Xenakis is one of the Geniuses of this genre.

[@udol.4612]

To heare this in Hamburg, Elbphilharmonie... was a shattering emotion!! I was sitted near a real colleague of him ....talk friendly to her... a very intellectual, serious und friedly woman. I synchronizised my breath totally to the music ... eyes closed... get deeep into the music, the rhythm... intensity... and cry for a long, long time ------ cause of the deep sadness of this music. Peoples beneath me ask me, if a feel right... ... Yes! I feel right! I have a bit understand the excessive power und cruelty of this music. It seems like a natural event! without advance warning.... not a nice concert event. Xenaxis hearing is for shocks, , disturbations, and tears.... THX for this extraordinary music!

[@carlospacini7765]

Beautiful. Deep. Strong.

[@Bashkii]

I think it is great terror music for film scoring!!! It even begins with the Psycho shower theme! Bravo!!

[@beckoning-chasm]

I like the graphic you've chosen to accompany this. Somehow it fits very well.

[@Maldoror500]

Masterpiece! Great interpretation too! - Xenakis offers an universe for those who are interested in having ears to listen.

[@user-cp5ky2gt5s]

I love this piece so much

[@spyros2nov79]

Jonchaies can be translated as rushes, reeds or strewn branches. According to the Iannis Xenakis official site the title has no botanical allusions but refers to the structure of the piece and its densely interwoven polyphony which fluctuates like rushes spread out upon the ground.

[@alexgabriel5423]

Thank You for clip and explanations. There s a presentation on Xenakis as a Demiurge on KZbin. He studied Pythagoras and designed a house using Pythagorean ratios..Brancusi studied Plato and sculpted the Eternal Forms...as though a Spirit is there in Greece and Ancient Thrace. Xenakis was born in Braila, Romania. His parents took him to Greece later....the Myth of Er is another curious work of Xenakis...Orpheus and heroes of the Illiad appear in this story by Plato.

[@pinkasarp2250]

known as STUF in his birthplace

[@johnatwell2753]

I take it back, *Jonchaies* is definitely a balls-out uncompromising piece of music!

[@Squidward_Tikiland]

its like, a different theory. like sweet consonance, but more natural. like roots of sound. the sound is alive!

[@jorgegarzaelli6238]

Un universo sónico nuevo? Tan antiguo como el mismo sonido, pero actualizado con notable profundidad. Gracias desde R. Argentina.

[@starlodear2987]

You could fill an entire horror movie with this piece. Excellent!

[@MSchultheis]

Really great, Xenakis' music is still so refreshing after some decades, and that's probably always the case when someone really thinks their stuff through and goes all in!

[@Marchawc]

I shared this to my Facebook a couple of weeks ago. I described it as "a brutal, 15-minute, drunken orgy in sound and rhythm"; I love the shear power and drive of this piece!

[@dreamlast-oc7vf]

😍 Masterpiece

[@michaelberridge1934]

This is the second performance of this that I have listened to this evening, and I must say that this is a super recording. It must be a nightmare to record all of the thunderous features, and with this one I hear details that are not clear in other recordings. Thanks for the upload! BRAVO!!!

[@liakara2668]

listening to iannis music is like solving a mathematical riddle

[@MrRegnskur]

So simple and powerful! It clears my brain out) I don't know why, but His music gives kinda feeling of concentration.

[@e.g.1218]

I rather feel like a cat fully engaged with its environment when I listen, like there is some extra stimulus within this music.

[@giovannismartini479]

Jean-Ferry Rebel to Iannis Xenakis !!!

[@noriemeha]

Was at Prom 19 and heard the BBC Symph (augmented to well over 100 players) do this. I still haven't recovered two days later. Still trying to rebuild my old ideas on music after it. This will remain a high point in music experience for the rest of my life.

[@blakedegraw7958]

I love how prolific Xenakis was. He's been my favorite for years, and I'm still discovering new pieces by him all the time (well, new to me). Never even heard of this piece prior to today, and it's an absolute masterpiece! WTF?

[@goatlps]

Masterpiece? LOL. Any idiot can spew out loads of 'music' (this is not actually music) if the notes require no logical progression.

[@blakedegraw7958]

The chief difference between artists and idiots: artists do things, while idiots speculate about what idiots could have done.

[@zachguo6372]

Goatlips the notes require no logical progression? this is literally the opposite of no logical progression, it’s done through math xd

[@carlosluis1970]

i'm really addicted to xenakis music.... dont want any one to help me.... :)

[@alejandrosotomartin9720]

Amazing work.

[@alejandrosotomartin9720]

That mastodontic crescendo reminds me a bit of the one that Thomas Adès later composed in the third movement of Asyla. An authentic ecstasy of rhythm.

[@heehee2626]

This makes me so anxious in good way I love it

[@NEGYESEK]

Bartók is alive....good music...powerful

[@andromediane]

Never heard this before...so interesting! Would have been a fun piece to play as French horn. This song makes you feel so uncomfortable, I love it.

[@spyros2nov79]

@MegaDocalex It has the violence and beauty of a natural force... Thank you for visiting.

[@FUNKINETIK]

@3:50 that is some dark deep techno. Just discovered Xenakis via a documentary about Bob Moog.

[@juanpeirotti]

0:30 sounds like the movie "UNDER THE SKIN"'s ost

[@andrut]

+PoLLásQuE Thank you! I was wondering where I heard that before. I knew I liked it, probably a movie and not Xenakis, but just could connect the dots.

[@MikelGCinema]

+PoLLásQuE I am sure Mica Levy was inspired by it.

[@juanpeirotti]

+Kino Cineasta "inspired"

[@MikelGCinema]

+PoLLásQuE No. Inspired.

[@00Dakka]

bit late, but that theme is actually a heavily processed sample of britney spear's 'toxic' lol

[@michaelberridge1934]

Thanks for these interesting details.

[@grahamepinnell367]

To me, this is the audio rendition of Picasso's 'Guernica'. It also works to evoke the invasion of Ukraine - especially the screech of the 'harpies' of war progressing to the columns of tanks and the grad and howitzer volleys.

[@calibansss]

Try playing Xenakis's music at twice normal speed - it becomes much more musical. No I am not kidding. Played at that speed, this piece becomes quite amazing after (approximately) the seven minute mark. More emotional potency. (And less listening time.)

[@sueward5308]

This just came up on my Spotify, too .. I love it! Nice comment on the Satan hack, though! :)

[@didierschein7198]

Very interesting music. It's sounds like romanian contemporary music, like Aurel Stroe, for exemple.

[@gerardbegni2806]

The orchestral scores by Xenakis are quite unknown., if we except the stochastic scores for large string orzechestra of his beginnings. It is a pity, since they were written in the sevond half if not athre end of his musical career. He has a lot of musical experiments in gis mind, knows precisely what he can wait or not from rach of them, and attempts to apply allof them to the orchestral colors, if not creating new stylistic idioms to take these colors into account. So, they are both experienced and exploratory works, which are quite exciting ro explore. .

[@onoskelis8462]

i love this beaut

[@gerardbegni2806]

Jonchaies is probably the best known (even if poorly known) pieces for orchestra of Xenakis.

[@kraka2oanIner]

This gave me goose bumps. It also "loosened" (for lack of a better term) my brain. An exquisite environment was created; marvelous.

[@emmanuellecurtil7069]

hello yannis where are you , thou shall know that your spirit touched my soul for ever god bless you ..............................................(^///^)😂😂😂😂❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@mavronic1903]

Powerfully and sensitively effective

[@fernandopalomar3279]

No pos una riata, el piche Xenakis.

[@romualdlenclen2916]

Me I love kayak de mer and Michaud s dessins, quoique ça dépend du courant.

[@joethelionjoethelion]

Unfathomable !

[@buttclef]

I totally agree with how you feel about this music.

[@silviopastorini6]

Ogni musica "contemporanea" ha sempre faticato per imporsi.

[@xeraph02]

So good.

[@VOLKHVORONOVICH]

Very strange. And a strange offering to come up on the "Up Next," after Bax's Tintagel. But that's all right. Different, but I think it's quite good. Never heard of this composer before. So thank you, KZbin algorithm.

[@finosuilleabhain7781]

That's no doubt because Xenakis was known to be a great admirer of Bax, 'Tintagel' in particular. (Just kidding.)

[@luisbernabe6594]

me cagué de miedo

[@krugagitana]

grandiose

[@miguelnistalrodriguez6151]

ENORME!

[@chicojcf]

109 Musicians!!

[@mostafabinali7109]

it's weird but i like it

[@moshekotzin723]

this is just like john luther adams become river

[@felipejferreira11]

Panta Rhei!

[@clairelenoir]

en fait c'est beau ...

[@ericc1902]

We stan

[@Protonixum]

EX-CEL-LENT !

[@thegodieinafire]

what percussion instruments are being used in this piece?

[@OpenendsProductions]

thnx great.yeah. like it.:)

[@sannhetiblodet2813]

I tried to click on the link given to find out more about the image on the video and couldn’t get it to respond. What is the name of this image and who created it?

[@slab_bulkhead_]

A particularly tonal interpretation

[@fernandav9088]

Frozen brought me here

[@paullangford3131]

Intense

[@captainbeastazoid7084]

That picture is so cool. Anyone know where it's from...?

[@jacquesguiod4510]

I heard the wind in the reeds

[@watermanOIT]

Who is the photographer?

[@starlodear2987]

How do you even start rehearsing this piece?

[@lasmluclasm3781]

where da orescuzzla bruvva i need ta see da orescay mayte

[@spyros2nov79]

I really liked your comment...

[@Cosmicprog2012]

A selfconcentration camp - or a bonfire for our automations.

[@a.whatfish8217]

Anyone know what the title 'Jonchaies' means?

[@derferneklang4473]

A. Whatfish Hi - I think, the english word is „reed“ (german „Schilf“) Greetings from Austria!

[@zamarioijean4736]

Why 109 musicians ?

[@lightyagami1058]

7:18 Steve Reich lawl. Or polyrhythm 🤔.

[@Combinebobnt]

dank

[@SantiagoQuinto]

Beethoven en el siglo XX.

[@djeronimo7981]

l entrée ressemble a psychose avec norman bates , des aspects flippants de l oeuvre de xenakis tant attirent tantôt répugnent ,,

[@luisbdo65]

Psychosis theme...the whole version.

[@artoffugue333]

η βαθμολογία; επιτρέψτε μου να έχουν το σκορ!

[@Instrybutor94]

3:50 4x4

[@DimaKats2]

Does anyone know what the name Jonchaies means?

[@munnpaul]

French for "rushes." Other connotations possible.

[@cesars8090]

this is true music, not like the easy and stupid music of the news pop artist

[@IepsyI]

everything has it's place. the significance of one shouldn't diminish something that doesn't attempt to occupy the same corner of the universe.

[@celestealfaro6403]

trueee

[@TheBoinaman1]

In my understanding, this "noise" music is as stupid as the easy and commercial pop you criticize. The only difference is that it is much more complex and pretentious. Both leaves me equally indifferent.

[@romanmakarevych4483]

1,5/10 points, you failed your sarcasm test, try again kiddo

[@MegaDocalex]

This music freeze me....

[@aaronsmyth7943]

Was this tune in The Shining?

[@oceanmachine1906]

No that was Penderecki

[@progrockplaylists]

prog

[@guardsdepot]

I heard a few wrong notes in there..................................................................

[@jsabuilds2404]

At least better than Stockhausen.

[@untitled6578]

Both this and Stockhausen are amazing!

[@boschblue]

Sacre -> Ameriques -> Jonchaies

[@oceanmachine1906]

[@vaadhsiao8645]

哦这吊诡的波斯音节！…