Most of us probably are aware of the close connection between mathematics, physics, and music, but for ninety-nine per cent of us knowing of the connection is as far as we take it. Perhaps those who have studied recording in a serious way have a better understanding of the math of music, and people who have taken advanced physics classes will know more than the rest of us about the science of how sound travels.

It would surprise me if anyone, even those studying mathematics and physics, would have studied more than the rudimentary basics, and even that only as a small component of their over all course work. There are not a great many people out there with doctorates in physics who play, or even compose music, and I'm sure that the number gets even smaller when you move to mathematics.

Which is not to say that those people don't or haven't existed; Iannis Xenakis was born in Romania to Greek parents in 1922. After the end of the World War Two, he moved to Greece where he began his studies in both mathematics and music. When he ran afoul of the dictatorship in Greece, he was forced to flee to Paris where he began to study as an architect and designed a couple of projects in the 1950s.

It was his musical compositions he is best known for. Among twentieth century contemporary composers, he is recognized as being one of the great innovators and experimenters. He is most famous for attempting to rationalize music composition using computers and formulas to create sequences of sound detached from emotions. He reduced music down to the bare bones of, equations equalling tone, and a series of equations played by sequencers and computers equalling a composition.

Now, in an interesting twist, German contemporary composer Reinhold Friedl has created a composition for amplified acoustic orchestral instruments, Xenakis [A]Live! that draws upon Xenakis's computer generated work for inspiration. In a new two disc CD/DVD release Friedl leads his chamber group Zeitkratzer Ensemble through an approximately fifty-five minute attempt to recreate what it would be like to listen to that type of music if it were played on acoustic instruments.