In this bespoke programme, Les Percussions de Strasbourg forge a link between the seminal works of the repertoire – notably those of Iannis Xenakis – and contemporary compositions. A delicate bridge where the work of the young composer Jaouen Rudolf extends and reinvents this legacy.
Program
Iannis Xenakis Okho
Jaouen Rudolf Extensions 110
Iannis Xenakis Pléiades
About Extensions 110
Extensions is a cycle of algorithmic music compositions, based on processes of expansion and gradual transformation of the musical material. Each piece in the cycle explores a specific variation on the same generative principle and a similar overall form, thus offering aesthetic continuity whilst renewing the forms and sonic textures.
The first works in the cycle, Extensions 1 (for solo percussion) and Extensions 10 (for percussion duo), share a common structure based on an evolving numerical series organised into three groups. This system is based on a logic of differentiated incrementation: the first digit changes every three iterations, the second every two iterations, and the third at every iteration:
111
112
123
224
235
236
347…
This seemingly simple process generates, through accumulation and shifting, complex and constantly changing rhythmic forms.
In these pieces, the instrumental ensemble is conceived in a hybrid manner: on the one hand as a single melodic instrument, where the entire percussion section functions like an extended keyboard, and on the other hand as a constellation of autonomous entities, with each instrument carrying its own melodic or rhythmic line. This dual approach allows for the superimposition of multiple musical layers and the emergence of dense polyrhythms, where horizontal (melodic) and vertical (rhythmic) perception merge.
The Extensions cycle is set to expand through new pieces exploring a variety of instrumental combinations. With this in mind, the ensemble Les Percussions de Strasbourg has commissioned Extensions 110, a new work in the cycle for six percussionists. This piece will enrich the cycle by broadening its scope and deepening its exploration of spatialisation, rhythmic layering and collective composition.
This project is thus part of a long-term artistic research initiative, combining algorithmic composition, formal invention and an exploration of the expressive potential of contemporary percussion.
Jaouen Rudolf
⏰ Concert at 8pm
🎫 Info and ticketing (+)
👉 More on Pléiades (+), and Okho (+)
Distribution Alexandre Esperet, François Papirer, Vassilena Serafimova, Thibaut Weber, Hsin-Hsuan Wu, Yi-Ping Yang