Psappha (1975, excerpt) by Iannis Xenakis performed by Steven Schick found on You Tube by The Rambler.
The title pays homage to the ancient Greek poetess, Sappho, whom the composer credits with introducing “metabolae” (shifts of meter or pattern) into the rhythmic structure of her poetry.
In approaching Psappha, his first solo work for percussion, Xenakis decided to forego any peripheral effects and concentrate solely on rhythm. Xenakis does not specify any particular instruments (with the exception of the bass drum). Rather, he defines categories of timbre, including skin, wood, and metal, each meant to fill three registral zones, each of these zones being comprised of three distinct instruments.
Psappha is organized in five main sections, each being distinguished by shifts of tempo, timbre, and texture. There are passages in which the pulse continues as a regular beat, colored with patterns of accents and shifting instruments. Set against these are the rarer moments in which the pulse is dispersed through widely varying rhythmic durations or much sparser densities.
You can buy Psappha on various recordings: cd1 cd2 cd3 cd4
Un estratto da Psappha (1975) di Iannis Xenakis eseguita dal bravissimo Steven Schick scovata su You Tube da The Rambler.
Psappha è la versione arcaica del nome di Saffo (Sappho), poetessa dell’antichità (VII sec. ac), che inventò il principio astratto di variazione (metabole) su unità metriche (ritmiche) dette saffiche.
Nella sua prima composizione per percussioni sole, Xenakis decide di concentrarsi unicamente sul ritmo. Soltanto la cassa, infatti, è esplicitamente specificata in partitura, mentre gli altri strumenti sono indicati soltanto come diverse classi di timbri (pelli, legno, metallo, ogni zona deve essere disponibile in 3 registri).
A partire da questa organizzazione, Xenakis sovrappone diversi moduli ritmici, a strati, fino a livelli di complessità molto elevata.
Psappha è suddivisa in 5 sezioni, ognuna caratterizzata da diversi moduli di tempi, timbri e tessiture. Vi sono passaggi in cui la pulsazione continua in modo regolare, colorata da accenti timbricamente diversi. Altri in cui, per contrasto, la pulsazione apparentemente scompare e le frasi si dissolvono in gruppi di suoni di densità variabile.
Psappha (1975, excerpt) by Iannis Xenakis performed by Steven Schick found on You Tube by The Rambler. The title pays homage to the ancient Greek poetess, Sappho, whom the composer credits with introducing “metabolae” (shifts of meter or pattern) into the rhythmic structure of her poetry. In approaching Psappha, his […]
Psappha (1975, excerpt) by Iannis Xenakis performed by Steven Schick found on You Tube by The Rambler. The title pays homage to the ancient Greek poetess, Sappho, whom the composer credits with introducing “metabolae” (shifts of meter or pattern) into the rhythmic structure of her poetry. In approaching Psappha, his […]
Psappha (1975, excerpt) by Iannis Xenakis performed by Steven Schick found on You Tube by The Rambler. The title pays homage to the ancient Greek poetess, Sappho, whom the composer credits with introducing “metabolae” (shifts of meter or pattern) into the rhythmic structure of her poetry. In approaching Psappha, his […]
Psappha (1975, excerpt) by Iannis Xenakis performed by Steven Schick found on You Tube by The Rambler. The title pays homage to the ancient Greek poetess, Sappho, whom the composer credits with introducing “metabolae” (shifts of meter or pattern) into the rhythmic structure of her poetry. In approaching Psappha, his […]
Psappha (1975, excerpt) by Iannis Xenakis performed by Steven Schick found on You Tube by The Rambler. The title pays homage to the ancient Greek poetess, Sappho, whom the composer credits with introducing “metabolae” (shifts of meter or pattern) into the rhythmic structure of her poetry. In approaching Psappha, his […]
Psappha (1975, excerpt) by Iannis Xenakis performed by Steven Schick found on You Tube by The Rambler. The title pays homage to the ancient Greek poetess, Sappho, whom the composer credits with introducing “metabolae” (shifts of meter or pattern) into the rhythmic structure of her poetry. In approaching Psappha, his […]
Psappha (1975, excerpt) by Iannis Xenakis performed by Steven Schick found on You Tube by The Rambler. The title pays homage to the ancient Greek poetess, Sappho, whom the composer credits with introducing “metabolae” (shifts of meter or pattern) into the rhythmic structure of her poetry. In approaching Psappha, his […]
Psappha (1975, excerpt) by Iannis Xenakis performed by Steven Schick found on You Tube by The Rambler. The title pays homage to the ancient Greek poetess, Sappho, whom the composer credits with introducing “metabolae” (shifts of meter or pattern) into the rhythmic structure of her poetry. In approaching Psappha, his […]
Psappha (1975, excerpt) by Iannis Xenakis performed by Steven Schick found on You Tube by The Rambler. The title pays homage to the ancient Greek poetess, Sappho, whom the composer credits with introducing “metabolae” (shifts of meter or pattern) into the rhythmic structure of her poetry. In approaching Psappha, his […]
Psappha (1975, excerpt) by Iannis Xenakis performed by Steven Schick found on You Tube by The Rambler. The title pays homage to the ancient Greek poetess, Sappho, whom the composer credits with introducing “metabolae” (shifts of meter or pattern) into the rhythmic structure of her poetry. In approaching Psappha, his […]
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