The following:

Conversations with Iannis Xenakis - Balint Varga

John Zorn - Tradition and transgression (amazing read, I relate quite strongly to the stuff contained in there)

Webern Studies - Kathryn Baily (kinda meh, it mainly focuses on the lieder but it's not bad)

Behind Bars - Elaine Gould

Twelve Tone music of Webern - Kathryn Bailey (much better, covers most of his work)

Stockhausen: Other Planets - Robin Maconie

Varese: Astronomer in Sound - Malcolm Mcdonald

Arcana V: Music, Magic and Mysticism - (compiled by) John Zorn, I am also really interested in this subject

also, Sorabji: A critical Celebration - Paul Rapoport

I think the Partita is probably my favorite Penderecki work. Well, at least of the instrumental works. It simply had a much broader range of colors than his typical more austere sound experiments. I prefer its updated name, too.

Xenakis' language (as in style) is as known to me as the back of my hand.

Drool. I'm jealous.

Ok, so I love almost everything my personal jesus christ composed, but my favorite stuff swings between approx 1974 - 1990.

Being formerly Xenakiboy, I have actually heard almost everything I can get access to (both legally and illegally  ).

But after so many years of such compulsive obsession with Xenakis, I do find myself looking in other areas for inspiration now. Xenakis' language (as in style) is as known to me as the back of my hand, so listening to it all the time now has thrown away a lot of the excitement for me. And of course, I've written plenty of music in his mid-late style too.


Can you relate? I used to over-listen to a lot of metal and prog rock bands in my teens, which sort of resulted in a similar thing. Of course, whenever I heard the music, I could literally hum every note to you 

I have many thoughts, but my anxiety levels have shot up over the last two hours and talking about serialism and all the people that smear feces all over it on a daily basis... will likely agitate me right this second.