The Music Of Iannis Xenakis’ Estranged Kassandra

Abstract Iannis Xenakis (1922–2001) was a radically innovative composer. Violently persecuted for his leftist activism in the Greek Civil War that followed Second World War, he fled Greece to live rest of life Paris. One most explicit expressions resultant feelings trauma, guilt, and displacement can be found vocal piece called Kassandra (1987). This demanding work requires its two performers enact explore alienation experienced by prophet Cassandra Aeschylus’ Agamemnon. Xenakis’ is defined symbiotic relationship between percussionist vocalist, simultaneously controlled improvisatory score based on extracts from Agamemnon, striking use baritone singer’s falsetto as well chest voice. These features mark out ‘other’ her origins, sex, language, while also hinting characteristics are not entirely foreign, but fact understood or even shared very communities initially seemed exclude her.