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, I ) Josef Matthias Hauer (1883-1959) Atonale Musik, Opus 20 [1920-1922] Joseph Kubera, Pianist

of colors. in the melos. For this reason. Hauer gave no dynamic or interpretive markings; to notate them completely would overload the notation. Hauer compared this to the lack of directives in Bach's Well­ Tempered Clavier. Hauer's theory places emphasis on two musical elements generally taken for granted: the harmonic series and the optimal tuning of equal temperament. The inteI'Vals. Hauer claimed. are more easily heard on the "atonal instruments:' (piano. celesta. harmonium. etc.) because equal temperament gives JOSEF MATfHIAS HAUER, each inteI'Val (e.g. all major thirds) originator of twelve-tone theory and an identical beating pattern (Ober­ composition, today is seldom men­ tonschwebung). thus strengthening tioned in college music courses and the characteristic color effect of earns only an occasional grudging each inteI'Val. Other instruments paragraph in texts on twelve-tone (violin. flute. etc.) are "tonal:' they theory and 20th century music. Yet are bound to the overtone series he was the creator of a totaUy of their open strings or air columns. original sound world. Ills method of The inteI'Vals would be comprised dealing with the twelve tones bears by the varying harmonics. "noises:' no relation to those of his contempo­ and changing resonances resulting raries; its foundations, pract.lce and from the stopping of their natural sonic impact are worlds apart. vibration patterns. HAUER'S THEORY Of equal concern is the principle Hauer intended his atonal music of the twelve tones. Hauer calcu­ to be a strong reaction against lated the number of possibilities diatonic music. In his writings. he and permutations of twelve-tone stressed the freedom of atonal rows to be 479 .001 .600. By eliminat­ melody from the strong tendencies ing transpositions. etc .. he reduced of diatonic music- such as chord this great number to a system of progressions and leading tones­ 44 tropes. A trope is a grouping of which he regarded as sensuous. twelve notes. always divided into Pure atonal melody. free of conso­ two . The character of a nance and dissonance. provides its trope is recognized by the content own points of tension and relaxation. of its hexachords. and by the type of Hauer developed his own theo­ symmetry apparent between them. ries of tonal color. based on the. This content. however. is the total color theories of Goethe. He held note content and is not understood that inherent in each inteI'Val is as a rigid sequence of tones. a certain timbre or color. the germ oJ melody and rhythm. Pure atonal HAUER'S LIFE music is based on the melos of Born in Wiener-Neustadt in 1883. inteI'Vals; the pure expression of Hauer received his first musical this melos demands the presenta­ training at home. From 1897 to 1902. tion of all twelve tones. The "inter­ while training to become a primary pretation of the melas;' Hauer school teacher. he taught himself wrote. is a matter of intuitive. the elements of theory and composi­ "creative hearing" of the inteI'Vals. tion. His earliest experiments with The resulting music. Hauer felt. composition date from 1902-1904. was pure. objective. spiritual. In when he held a teaching assistant­ contrast to the mainstream of ship. From 1904 to 1914. Hauer Western music up to his time. it taught at a secondary school in demands that the personality be Wiener-Neustadt. subseI'Viant to the material; it is not During service in the military a vehicle for self-expression. Yet its (1914-1918). he began preliminary rhythm. though simply notated. is work on his book. Vom Wesen des not inflexible; the expression varies Musikalischen. which appeared in subtly from phrase to phrase. yield­ 19~0. After his discharge. he took up ing to the mpvement of inteI'Vals. a-teaching post in Vienna but was 1750 ARCH RECORDS S;1788

Side One Side Two Produced by Tom Buckner Rear photo of Kubera by No.1 2:45 No.12 2:44 Recorded by Gerald Oshita, using the William HeJJermann. No.2 1:44 No.13 2:40 Mark Levinson Mlr5 master recorder, Special thanks to Ivan Tcherepnin, No.3 1:03 No.14 1:01 and two Bruel &- Kjaer model 4135 Dominik Szava, and the Department of No. 4 3:42 No.15 2:08 microphones. Music at Harvard University. No.5 2:19 No.16 4:20 Recorded September 8-10, 1981 at Paine © &- ® 1982, 1750 Arch, Inc. No. 6 0:45 No.17 1:17 Hajj, Harvard University, Cambridge, Library of Congress Catalog Card No.7 1:15 No.18 2:56 Massachusetts. No. 82-743105 No.8 1:24 No.19 2:20 1750 Arch Records is a division of 1750 No.9 3:06 No.20 1:05 A Grotrian Steinweg Piano was used for Arch, Inc. No.10 1:28 this recording. No. 11 2:45 Album cover design by Sharon TW. information on other recordings ~Is avail­ Front and back photos of Hauer by able on request: 1750 Arch Records, Hartmann, courtesy of Dominik Szava. 1750 Arch Street, Berkeley, Callf. 94709 ~W

JOSEPH KUBERA is widely recog­ nized for his performances of con­ temporary music. At the invitation Excerpt from Hauer'S Trope Table, 1948. graphic representation . of fohn Cage, he toured extensively in the U. S. and abroad with the Merce Cunningham retired on a pension in 1919. due to a The culmination of his work was Company from 1977 to 1980. He has health problem. reached in 1940 with his develop­ recently toured in Germany and Hauer unquestionably preceded ment of the Zwtilftonspiel. In it. a Spain. Mr. Kubera lives in New York in the discovery chosen twelve-tone cycle generates City, where, in addition to his solo of the twelve-tone system. Although its own harmony; the harmony then recital work, he appears frequently a few sources give 1908 or 1912 as generates the rhythm. A scheme of with such groups as Steve Reich the date of Hauer's earliest twelve­ tetrads is built. forming a "continuo"; and Musicians, the Brooklyn Philhar­ tone music. most give 1919 as the from this, counterpoints may be monic and the S. E. M. Ensemble. date of his discovery of the twelve­ designed and various playing- In 1981, he was awarded a Solo tone laws, and of the first composi­ forms may be adopted - all accord­ Recitalists Grant from the Nationa! tion ever to be based strictly on a ing to quite specific. strict laws. Endowment for the Arts for study twelve-, the Nomos, op. 19, As its name indicates. it is more and production of a major New York for piano. The pieces comprising constructed than composed. more recital featuring Cage's Music of Atonale Musik were composed science than art. But for Hauer, it Changes. He is a past member of between 1920 and 1922. and pub­ also transcends mere form; it is an the Center of the Creative and lished in 1923. Schoenberg's first application of cosmic laws. a means Performing Arts at the State Univer­ strict twelve-tone composition was of obtaining deep insights into the sity of New York at Buffalo. He has the Priiludium from the Piano Suite. ways of the world. The Zwolfton­ been a member of the New Music op. 25. composed in 1921 and spiel is, in Hauer's words. "the Ensemble of the San Francisco Con­ published in 1924. absolute. cosmic music:' servatory of Music, and has recorded Hauer had been in touch with approached through the discipline with that group for Wergo Records. Schoenberg as early as 1913; some of its construction and development. He has performed in the East at of Hauer's piano pieces were per­ and realized by means of intUitively Harvard University and Dartmouth formed in Schoenberg's SOCiety for correct interpretation. Col/ege, and at such West Coast Private Musical Performances in Hauer died in Vienna on Septem­ schools as Stanford University and 1919. In 1923. there was an ber 22. 1959. No school had devel­ Portland State University. Works exchange of letters in which the two oped around him; except for a small have been written for him by Ivan composers discussed jointly writing circle of friends and followers. he Tcherepnin, Robert Moran, Joel a textbook on twelve-tone composi­ was without Influence. His pupil Forrester and Howard Riley. He holds tion or establishing a school to Victor Sokolowski maintains a the Master of Music degree from teach it. Hauer's claim of priority for Hauer-Studio and offers classes in the Peabody Conservatory of Music. the discovery of twelve-tone music, the Zwtilftonspiel at the University Mr. Kubera has been performing and other musical and personal of Vienna. the music of Hauer since the early differences. ultimately divided the 1970s. In 1976, he undertook study two composers. Still. Hauer dedi­ In recent years. we have found of the Zwi:ilftonspiel with Gerhard cated both his Etudes for piano new ways of listening. not bound by Schmidt. His October 1979 alI­ (1922-23) and his book Vom Melos traditional structures and develop­ Hauer concert with David Tudor at zur Pauke (1925) to Schoenberg. mental processes. Our enthusiasm the Kitchen in New York was the During the years from 1922 to for non-Western and American subject of an extensive article by 1940. Hauer composed a great deal minimalist musiC illustrates this. Nicholas Kenyon in The New Yorker of music. including such large-scale Perhaps. at last. conditions may be magazine. An article on Hauer by works as the chamber oratorio right for true appreciation of the Mr. Kubera appeared in the Spring Wandlungen (1927) and the cantata music of Josef Matthias Hauer. 1979 issue of Ear magazine, Der Menschen Weg (1934). -J.K. New York. (