JACK Quartet: Xenakis Tag at Wigmore Hall

JACK Quartet, New York, USA

On February 25, 2017, JACK Quartet will perform two full programs of string chamber music by Modernist master Iannis Xenakis, supported by the EvS Music Foundation. This project represents the culmination of years devoted to building performance practice around Xenakis’ string quartets, leveraging accumulated expertise to accomplish a unique technical and stylistic challenge. In one day, JACK Quartet will present Xenakis’ four string quartets (ST/4-1,080262, Tetras, Tetora and Ergma), piano quintet (Akéa), string trio (Ikhoor), violin and cello duo (Hunem-Iduhey), as well as four solo works (Kottos, Embellie, Mikka and Mikka “S”).
The music of Xenakis has remained in the realm of the specialist. It has yet to be embraced by mainstream performers and is rarely represented in traditional concert programming, unlike the works of his contemporaries Ligeti and Boulez. Xenakis’ music is often seen as wild, unruly and unfit for classical listeners, yet JACK has received overwhelmingly positive responses from unsuspecting audiences. JACK aims to enter Xenakis into the mainstream musical conversation.
Xenakis’ music represents an important point in the evolution of European musical thought in the 20^th century. Taking inspiration from his Greek homeland, his music radiates with interest in Classical and Eastern philosophy and archeology, mathematics and architecture, Romantic music, and the use of technology to create meaningful structural relationships in music. His chamber music demonstrates all of these facets over the course of his long career, shedding light on his unique artistic mind with each turn of the prism.

February 25, 2017
Wigmore Hall, London

Further Information
jackquartet.com/