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Spring preview: Classical music

By Keith Powers
Boston Herand original link
March 20, 2009

With high-octane superstars like Renee Fleming, Peter Serkin and Murray Perahia coming to town this spring, Boston’s classical scene promises to please. But amid the star power, one event stands out: a long-overdue tribute to courageous composer Iannis Xenakis.

Name another composer who would take a commission from a ruthless dictator (the shah of Iran) and then go on to write a work dedicated to the man’s political prisoners. Who else would design a World’s Fair building by first writing a score? Xenakis moved easily from physics to game theory to architecture to computer music, but the 20th century was slow to recognize his influence or output. Next month’s concert, featuring the International Contemporary Ensemble as part of the Isabella Stewart Gardner’s Composer Portraits series, should start rectifying his neglect (April 16 at the Gardner Museum; $5-$23; 617-278-5156).