Iannis Xenakis - Dmaathen

SeT Duo
Zofia Kęsy - saxophone
Te-Ping Teng - percussion

Sound and video - Tibor Szilveszter
Live recording took place in Amare, The Hague in May 2024.

Iannis Xenakis was a Romanian-born Greek-French avant-garde composer, music theorist, architect, performance director, and engineer. Xenakis was a pioneer in using mathematical models in music, such as set theory, stochastic processes, and game theory. He had a major influence on electronic and computer music. Xenakis also combined music with architecture, designing compositions for specific spaces and creating spaces for particular musical performances.
The word ”Dmaathen" originates from the Doric Greek dialect, meaning to conquer, crush, or defeat. Though abstract, the piece carries a sense of familiarity. It begins with dance-like motifs from ancient times, followed by playful passages on both instruments. The piece was written for oboe and percussion originally. Instead of oboe we’ll play our version with soprano saxophone.