Editor’s Message

[1] On February 4, 2001, Iannis Xenakis died in Paris.  An engineer, mathematician, architect, and author, Xenakis the composer developed an idiosyncratic style that reflected his interdisciplinary interests, in his sensitivity to physical spaces and his use of stochastic compositional processes.  Among some 150 works in his catalog are works for orchestra, solo instruments, chamber ensembles, voice, chorus, and for tape.  In this issue, Robert Wannamaker examines the 1961 composition, Herma, Xenakis’ first published work for solo instrument (three works written around 1950 were not published). Xenakis wrote about this work in his Formalized Music, where he described the model on which the work was based. Wannamaker carefully compares the work to the model, noting discrepancies, and then examines critically Xenakis’ claims about listeners’ perception of the piece. 

[2] Reactions to Wannamaker’s article can be shared in two ways. The mto-talk email list is available to MTO subscribers (subscription is free) for online discussion of any MTO-related topic. (This link will help you determine if you are a subscriber.)  To post to mto-talk, simply send an email message to mto-talk@societymusictheory.org. Longer responses may be submitted for publication in the Commentary section of the next issue. These should be formatted and submitted according to MTO’s Author Guidelines.

Eric J. Isaacson, General Editor
Music Theory Online
School of Music
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47405
U.S.A.

mto-editor@societymusictheory.org
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Updated 03 July 2013
Brent Yorgason