Overview

The musical evolution resembles a relay race: the baton is passed from inspiration to the vanguard, tracing the music that evolves. In the early 20th century, composers such as Varèse and, shortly afterwards, Messiaen began to consciously move away from the romanticism of the past, giving free rein to their imagination to create new harmonies and sound colours. It was from them that Iannis Xenakis took the baton, to leave his indelible mark on the world’s post-war music. And while his own journey began with a shift to Greek musical tradition, it was through the exploration of the relations between music, architecture and mathematics that he took off to unimaginable paths, both labyrinthine and fascinating. The restless spirit of the ground-breaking Greek composer finds its worthy successors in the French Pascal Duchapin, the Mexican Julio Estrada and many young contemporary creators.