Abstract:

The scope of this article is to present the diachronic value of Xenakis’ technological thought in computer music
research and creation of our days within a comparative and critical approach. On the one hand, we will refer to the main
domains of Xenakis’ contributions to Music Technology: the conquest of the computer as a tool for logical
transformations of symbols into music and a laboratory of automation for certain compositional tasks on meta-musical
and compositional design issues; his pedagogical and compositional approach by the sound-design system UPIC as an
interface between musician and machine; his granular approaches of sound synthesis as a link between algorithms and
the creation of new sounds; the multi-sensoring approach of the conception of Polytopes where he combines various
technological tools in order to achieve a kind of a total art work.
On the other hand, we will exalt the impact of his research in current music technology (use of the granular model in
modern synthesizers, the marriage between sound and light in modern interactive performances, the design of new userfriendly
tools for the music education, etc).
At the same time, we will discuss in which way many of the headmasters of computer music research have been
profoundly affected by Xenakis’ technological and epistemological approach.