Iannis Xenakis, In Memoriam

[Nightscape]

No, this isn't an actual Xenakis piece, so I'm not violating copyright.  This is my own piece, but I was inspired by the listening to the music of this most fascinating composer.  In the piece, you will notice that the note "A" is repeated many, many times.  This repetition against a canvas of chaos, in my mind is symbolic of the many struggles that Xenakis faced throughout his lifetime.  The end of this is my favorite part.  At that point, the "A" can no longer be heard (in fact it is difficult to hear any one single pitch near the very end), as it has been consumed in a total sea of noise.

[ted]

I didn't think I was going to like it but in fact I found it rather interesting - interesting enough to look for Xenakis works in future. Peculiar thing though - I couldn't get the mp3 to play in my audio CD recorder. It is my habit to download the Audition room mp3s, copy them onto a CD which I then play using the superior audio system in the lounge. The NAD CD recorder usually plays mp3s beautifully but for some reason it just didn't like this one. It plays in the computer but the speakers there are pretty crude.

[Skeptopotamus]

arg... I don't even know what to say to this without getting myself banned besides poor Xenakis -.-

[Nightscape]

Hmmm.... I take it that my piece induced unpleasant feelings in you, Skeptopotamus!

However, I will not lie in saying that your response is indeed the greatest compliment anybody could have given me considering the work in question.  And I'm being totally serious!

[Skeptopotamus]

OMG *hugs*  sorry for that ><  I was really curious to see what would happen on here if someone got purely negative feedback.  I expected a bloodbath XD

Oh...... nvm.  I see..... you take it as a compliment because your work is supposed to be atonal and avante-garde and therefore you want someone to dislike it.  nuuuuuuu XD



hun... Avante-Garde is not only my favorite genre of music, Iannis Xenakis is my favorite composer; not to mention I play "Herma"- Musique Symbolique.  I disliked this because it doesn't have anything to do with Xenakis, as it doesn't resemble his music in any way, shape or form.  I would have probably almost not hated it if you hadn't put the name "Xenakis" in there.  If you were to compose a homage to Xenakis, I advise you read his book "Formalated Music" for starters (this book takes a LONG time to read I promise ><)  Xenakis wrote using mathematical formulas, boulean rulings, tone sets and all sorts of crazy stuff that were not apparent at all in this piece.  I didn't hate this because it's crazy or ugly; hell, some of my favorite music is Stockhausen and Nono and Boulez, but I hated it because in my mind this felt like a little kid who woke up one day, listened to Herma and Evryali and said to himself "This guy is cool!  I think I'm going to go hit a bunch of random keys on the piano and say it's a Homage to Xenakis cause all Xenakis is is a bunch of random notes!  Plus I'll look cool and savvy and smart by knowing about Xenakis!" and that kind of thinking is an insult to the deep mathematical genius of his works; in fact in your cute little story where you were talking about the troubles he faced in his life, this type of thinking from the public was exactly the type of trouble he had with his music.


Your piece is an insult to Iannis Xenakis.

[Nightscape]

First off, I never said ANYWHERE it was meant to sound like Xenakis or resemble his music in any fashion.  I was "inspired" to create this as for example Ravel was "inspired" to write the "Valses Nobles et Sentimentales" by hearing the work of Schubert.  Furthermore, this was improvised, and therefore of course included no mathematics.  Did you really think I am so arrogant as to believe myself capable of imitating Xenakis?  Sorry, bud, but some of us don't have the ego you do.  Judge me on the standard of my peers - not by the great masters.

From this, the logic of your conclusion is utterly stupid and moronic.  If you follow your argument through, you might as well say Ravel's "Le Tombeau de Couperin" is an insult to French music, because it doesn't resemble Couperin or Rameau or whatever.

And last, I took your comment as a compliment not because I intended people to dislike my piece because it was atonal or chaotic, but instead I simply indulging myself in a bit of elitism, knowing that the analytical side of your mind had failed you and caused you to jump to conclusions, and predicting this in advance with a sense of certainty.

[mikeyg]

Nightscape 1, Skepto 0

[JCarey]

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[steinwayguy]

I think this was very harsh. But, Skeptopotamus, coming from an excellent (and respected) pianist like yourself, nobody would dare step in to tell you so, since you are, as we all know, the God of the Piano, are you not?

Yes, yes, we've heard it all before, you play Herma, right, right, of course. But, you have yet to share a recording of yourself with us. Yes, yourself... not Gregory Brown. With the Audition Room open, I expected to see many recordings from you. But alas, there are none! Now why is that? Surely a pianist of your level would be quite eager to share you recordings with us!

So, before you criticize the works of others, why don't you prove to us that you, yourself, actually can play worth a d@mn. Sure, we know that you can rip CDs and pass off the recordings as others as your own. Most of us here can do that. But we want to hear you play, since apparently, you are, indeed, the greatest pianist to ever grace this forum with your presence.

Also, if you don't feel like hosting your recordings in the audition room, I'd be more than happy to host them on my webspace!

what? IYou are always looking to chastize someone for being arrogant and boastful. Yet in your nice "my experience with the opus clavicembullshitalisticum" topic, you tell us how you read through "the oc" that afternoon. Now I'll take a move from your book- why don't you make a recording? Surely it will be better than Madge, as you say.

So Skeptopotamus happens to state his honest opinion, that Nightscape's recording was an insult to Xenakis. Is there anything wrong with that?

Hmmm, Jim.


No.

[mikeyg]

Chopin is overrated

You're overrated.

I state my opinion, and you insult me.  Skepto states his opinion, John insults him, and you chastice him.  Hipocracy, anyone?

"I, stienwayguy, can criticize anyone's opinion that I wish, but is anyone else does that, I'll skin you're ass"

sh*t like this makes me love your egotistical ass.

[Nightscape]

what? IYou are always looking to chastize someone for being arrogant and boastful. Yet in your nice "my experience with the opus clavicembullshitalisticum" topic, you tell us how you read through "the oc" that afternoon. Now I'll take a move from your book- why don't you make a recording? Surely it will be better than Madge, as you say.

So Skeptopotamus happens to state his honest opinion, that Nightscape's recording was an insult to Xenakis. Is there anything wrong with that?

Hmmm, Jim.


No.

Well, I think it is wrong in at least the way he stated it - he was unnecessarily harsh and it certainly wasn't constructive criticism.  And saying my recording is an insult to Xenakis doesn't make much sense either.... Xenakis himself might find my piece to be of poor quality by his own standards, but likewise Rameau would most certainly find Debussy's "Hommage to Rameau" to be appalling and insulting since Rameau would likely judge it by his own standards.  And since I wasn't trying to compose in the style of Xenakis (of whom I've only heard snippets of on Amazon), you might as well say other absurd things, like "Electrafinger's recording of Ondine is an insult to Berlioz".

Nobody likes to unjustly accused of fraud... especially by those who have a spotty reputation at best!  

I'm fine with everyone having an opinion.... but if your opinion makes no sense and only causes trouble, expect it to be met with strong opposition.

[Derek]

Thank goodness I learned my lesson from being a part of a few flame wars when I was 15, I can't imagine anything that could cause me to enter one in music. Thank GOD.

[JCarey]

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[Skeptopotamus]

OMG.....   firstly, thank you very much steinwayguy I appreciate what you said very much =)

XD  This is absolutely hilarious.....  this couldn't have turned out any better.  If I was wearing pants I would be pissing them from laughing so hard.  Instead I'm just making a smelly mess on my carpet.

There are sooo many hypocritical statements made by just about everyone here and so many things I feel that need to be addressed I dont even know where to start.  Really I should be sleeping/have already packed for my vacation tomorrow but this is too entertaining to pass up =D

First I just want to say that the only reason I was so harsh was because, LIKE I SAID IN THIS POST, I was curious to see what would happen if a piece got a very bad review.  From now on I will remember to love every single thing I hear.  You know, when a person posts a piece on a forum and ASKS FOR FEEDBACK they should be able to take the negative feedback.  Or at least this is what mature people do.  Actually Nightscape was pretty calm and collected, unlike a couple others, which is funny because Nightscape was the one who wrote the piece ^^

Not even I expected this much BS, and certainly not from a member like you Rachabji.  I know it's of no consequence to you but you've just lost the very high amount of respect I had for you.  If ANYONE acted like a 4 year old, it was you.  Personal attacks, unwarranted, beligerant and semi-incoherent, rage-driven personal attacks, are very very immature.  I'm really tempted to explain the whole Bowen thing but I'm still having fun with it so maybe another time ^^  And I don't think I've called myself the god of the piano anywhere on this forum; those are words that other people have put into my mouth; other people like you =)  Thanks for the compliment; since you're apparently the God of all Wisdom and you say I'm the God of the Piano I guess I am.  Also Rachabji, I DO have a recording in here; in fact you even replied to it.  And I quote from Rachabji:

Beautiful! Absolutely beautiful! I thought that it was absolutely amazing from beginning to end! Technically, I've never heard it played so accurately, and I am completely in awe of your interpretation!

Excellent, excellent!

Do you deny saying this about one of my posts in the Audition Room?  XD  And anyways, your main point about why I don't have the right to criticize his work is because you don't think I can play well.  Now let's just play along here for a moment shall we, honeybuns?  Supposed I could not play a single note on the piano.  I am obviously an avid listener of classical music, more specifically avante-garde, and again more specifically Xenakis.  Even if I can't play at all I still have the right to say whether or not I like a piece.  This is like me telling you "You're not allowed to like Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji's Opus Clavicembalisticum because you can't play it (gawd I hope i spelled that right)".  That is your "logic".  Whether I can play or not doesn't effect my ability to decide if I think a piece of music is garbage or a masterpiece.  Again, if someone asks for feedback they should expect to get some nasty stuff.

Now to my very favorite thing ^^

and I once again quote from rachabji:

"Now, sir, if I were to make a recording (I won't give you the satisfaction after your petty attempt to attack me)"


HYPOCRITE!!  Oh my god rachabji.  You attack me and tell me to throw a bunch of recordings onto here and now you're all like, "well you hurt my feelings so I'm gonna be a little two year old about it and not post anything waah waah".  Why shouldn't I just be like "Ok rachabji.  I'm not going to give you the satisfaction after your petty attempt to attack me".  Actually if you ever came into the chat rooms you would know that I was planning on putting my recital round for a competition up in here soon, but now I'm not so sure.  Maybe I wanna be a little immature brat too.


"If Skepto wasn't always lying about how well he plays, this argument wouldn't have happened."

You don't know how well I play, so again, unjustified, unwarranted petty attacks.  The same kind of BS attacks you bitched and moaned about getting from steinwayguy.  And why did you turn this whole thing into some spiteful vendetta between you and me?  What give you that right?  This should have been between me and Nightscape about his recording, not about you.  Rachabji, YOU AND YOU ALONE started this argument.  It is completely your fault.  I didn't provoke you; you just felt like getting a grudge off your chest and this seemed like a good place to strike at me.


And by the way, you claim you're playing Sorabji's Pastiche on your website but we've never heard it, therefor you're a liar.  Or at least this seems to be your general mentality so I dont see why you're immune.  Saying I play Herma isn't much of a step up from you saying you play Sorabji sweetheart =)




Well I'm off for my two week cruise with my boyfriend which will be full of mai-tais and really hawt sex.  Bet you wish you were me rachabji ^^



(PS Nightscape I have Xenakis's complete published works in MP3 and alot of his sheets too so if you want anything give me a PM hun.  and sorry for using your post as the guinea pig ^^)

[JCarey]

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[mikeyg]

Oh captian, my captain!

*Salutes*

You'll come back, if only for the reasons I did, which I'm sure you'll see in about a month.

[Skeptopotamus]

I'm sure you'll pop in from time to time and read this eventually so I figured I might as well write it.

Firstly, my thread in here was a joke.  Ligeti 0'00" is another silent piece.

Secondly, I'm pretty insulted you consider the fact that your friend is gay this terrible tragedy, being gay myself.

And finally, coming onto here, starting a fight and then complaining and looking for sympathy because you're having troubles at home or w/e is pretty low.  You started the fight and you know good and well I'm not the type to take it sitting down so if you didn't want to deal with any hostility you shouldn't have started anything.


anyways bye bye johnny-boi.  we'll miss ya.

[quantum]

I like it. 

[nanabush]

Very Very Very Strange.....It was actually kinda cool

[lostinidlewonder]

Sounds like a dying DOG that has its foot superglued to the A note and its squirming around around randomly at the keyboard until it just twists itself into a bloody mess of confusion and finally explodes.

[Etude]

........ That's an interesting comparison.

[Skeptopotamus]

I bet John Cage did that at some point and thought it was really great too.