Iannis Xenakis: »Persepolis« in the Karlsruhe Palace gardens
with Daniel Teige

On August 26, 1971 the work »Polytope de Persépolis« had a premier showing in the ruins of the Persian Royal Palace from the year 550 BC, at the Schiraz Art Festival founded by Schahbanu Farah Pahlavi.

For this purpose, Xenakis divided the acoustic range into six architectonic spaces corresponding to the spaces in the ruins. The loudspeakers were positioned such that located within each of these spaces was a special acoustic situation between which the visitors were able to move. In spite of the space’s openness (for the most part the ruins comprised fragments of pillars), the sound constitutes a collage culminating in the climax of an infernal, almost frightening collage.

The work is to be presented in its original arrangement in a European premier at the Karlsruhe Palace Gardens.

Daniel Teige is to direct the implementation of the concept and performance.

Organization / Institution

ZKM