Arcane Candy

The cover of Iannis Xenakis’ Le Diatope program, circa late 1970s.

Here we have a few visual treats from a program published on the occasion of avant-garde Greek composer Iannis Xenakis’ Le Diatope, a spectacle of architecture, light and sound to celebrate the opening of The Pompou Center in Paris in 1978. “Made of red vinyl stretched over a metal frame, the Diatope’s curvilinear form recalls the famous Philips Pavilion designed by Xenakis and Le Corbusier for the Brussels World Fair in 1958, which housed the Poème Electronique of Edgard Varèse. Indeed, the immersive multimedia plan of the Philips Pavilion was the model for a number of later works Xenakis called Polytopes. He created four of these prior to the Diatope: the Polytope de Montreal in 1967, an open-air spectacle in Persepolis in 1971, and two Polytopes in the Parisian Abby of Cluny in 1972 and 1973. Inside the Diatope, Xenakis arranged a light show involving 1600 flashbulbs and four lasers guided by four hundred adjustable mirrors. Both abstract and representational figures were meticulously choreographed and traced by light. Xenakis’ sketches for the light show mention shapes such as lotuses, galaxies and wheels.”–Socks Studio

The accompanying music–the 45-minute La Legende d’Eer (Diatope)–is an all-time masterpiece of massive, timeless sound. Listen to it below.

Audio stream of La Legende d’Eer by Iannis Xenakis.

Artwork by Iannis Xenakis in Le Diatope program, circa late 1970s.

Iannis Xenakis’ mans the mixing board, circa late 1970s.

Also included are a few images of–and a documentary on–the Polytope of Cluny. “Opening in October 1972 in the Baths of Cluny (near the Sorbonne) the Polytope de Cluny consisted of a 24-minute eight-channel tape containing computer-generated electro-acoustic music, several hundred flashbulbs placed on scaffolding throughout the underground chambers (individually triggered to create vivid patterns of light), and three lasers of different colors that could be projected throughout the vault by means of a network of adjustable mirrors.”–Socks Studio

Columns of Stars in Iannis Xenakis’ Le Diatope program, circa late 1970s.

Artwork for the Polytope de Cluny in Iannis Xenakis’ Le Diatope program, circa late 1970s.

Polytope de Cluny documentary by Mode Records.

Artwork for the Polytope de Cluny in Iannis Xenakis’ Le Diatope program, circa late 1970s.

Iannis Xenakis Electro-Acoustic Music Discography

• Electro-Acoustic Music – LP, CD, LP (reissue)
• Persepolis – LP, CD, LP (reissue)
• Ais – Gendy 3 – Taurhiphanie – Thallen – CD
• La Legende de E’er – CD, LP
• Musique Électro-Acoustique – 2-CD
• Kraanerg – CD
• Electronic Works 2: Hibiki Hana Ma – Polytope De Cluny – CD

Words ©2017 Arcane Candy.

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