In its own right this is a fine Xenakis disc. "Troorkh" with Mike Svoboda is outstanding. However, I have heard other recordings of both "Ais" and "Metastaseis" -- what of these? Sakkas recently recorded "Ais" again with Arturo Tamayo on the Timpani label -- it's the opening track on "Orchestral Works, Volume One" (see my review). His voice seems to be much weaker 20 years later, or he had an off night. This original recording is much, much better. The orchestra is stronger and more decisive as well. The first public performance of "Metastaseis" in 1955 was captured live, and is included on the Col Legno Collage disc of Xenakis, "Orchestral Works and Chamber Music -- Collage 04" (see my review). I read somewhere that Xenakis thought this performance, with Hans Rosbaud and the SWF Symphony Orchestra, was never matched. Based on the three performances I've heard, I have to agree. "Metastaseis" opens with an eerie rising glissando from the strings -- it rises in pitch and intensity to a climax, followed by a pause, and then the strings begin sawing madly at double fortissimo. In the Rosbaud version, the climax before the pause builds up incredible tension, which is maintained throughout. In Bornstein's version, this opening simply misses the tension and so does not unleash the rest of the work with the same intensity. I would say that of the two Col Legno discs, "Orchestral Works" (Collage #4) is still the best introduction to Xenakis.