Composer

:

Iannis Xenakis

Genre

:

Chamber

Style

:

Quartet

Compose Date

:

1956 - 1962

Average_duration

:

11:10

ST/4 is a composition by the Greek-French composer Iannis Xenakis. It was composed in 1962 and premiered on May 16, 1963, at the Donaueschingen Festival in Germany. The piece is divided into four movements, each with its own unique characteristics. The first movement, titled "Concret PH," is characterized by its use of concrete sounds. Xenakis recorded various sounds, such as the sound of a train, and manipulated them to create a rhythmic and percussive texture. The movement is marked by its intense energy and driving rhythm. The second movement, "Nomos Alpha," is a solo for cello. The cello plays a series of complex and virtuosic lines, accompanied by a tape of electronic sounds. The movement is marked by its intense and dramatic character, with the cello and electronics creating a sense of tension and release. The third movement, "Metastasis," is perhaps the most famous of the four. It is a piece for orchestra and features a complex and intricate web of sound. The piece is characterized by its use of glissandi, or sliding pitches, which create a sense of movement and fluidity. The movement is marked by its intense and dramatic character, with the orchestra building to a powerful climax. The final movement, "Pithoprakta," is a piece for orchestra and two percussionists. The percussionists play a series of complex rhythms, while the orchestra creates a dense and intricate texture. The movement is marked by its use of complex rhythms and its intense energy. Overall, ST/4 is a complex and challenging work that showcases Xenakis's unique approach to composition. The piece is marked by its use of complex rhythms, intricate textures, and intense energy, and it remains a landmark work in the history of contemporary music.

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