sign in sign up
<<
Home , Donaueschingen Festival, Hymnen, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Kathinka Pasveer, Kontakte, Licht

Ludger Brummer¨ Stockhausen on Institut fur¨ Musik und Akustik Zentrum fur¨ Kunst und Medientechnologie Electronics, 2004 Lorenzstrasse 19 D 76135 Karlsruhe, [email protected] www.zkm.de/musik

In 2004, realized his work Rehearsals took 40 days. Owing to the complex -Bilder. It was the last piece from his 29- choreography, the performers had to play the hour-long cycle Licht, which he had worked nearly 50-minute-long composition completely on for 27 years. The production took place at the from memory. The stage design included triangular composer’s studio in Kurten,¨ at the Zentrum fur¨ sails onto which the videos, realized by Johannes Kunst und Medientechnologie (ZKM) in Karlsruhe, Conen and Yvonne Mohr, were projected. These and at the Festival of New Music were located behind and above the performers. (see Figures 1 and 2). These elements alone are already quite substantial, The starting point for the composition consists but much more impressive was the connection of of three instruments and a tenor singer as well as all aspects of the work in terms of content. of the flute and the , for In this work, Stockhausen set out to present a which a keyboard served as an interface. In addition kind of run-through of all the seven days of the to the musical level, Stockhausen also devised a opera. He used the four primary colors, represented choreographic score, similar to the musical one, that by the costumes and the coloring of the four videos, directed all movements of the instrumentalists. while in the text as well as in the video he used The work, commissioned by ZKM, Kunststiftung the basic elements of the seven : stones, hills, NRW, and the Centre de Creation´ Musicale Iannis and water for Monday; trees, plants, and fruit for Xenakis (CCMIX) in , was complemented by a Tuesday; animals for Wednesday; etc. video production. Not only was an elaborate sound The dense interconnection of these diverse ma- system needed for the auditoriums at both ZKM and terials is central to Stockhausen’s way of thinking. in Donaueschingen, but also a complete redundant Everything is connected, and nothing seems arbi- set of stage equipment (both audio and video) in trary. The composition of the used elements is so case the first system crashed. These two sets had dense that nothing is left to chance, yet Stockhausen to be connected in such a way that if something leaves space for freedom and interpretation. It was went wrong during the performance, it was possible fascinating to watch him during the rehearsals, to switch between them without the audience’s throughout which he constantly adjusted the score noticing. to the venues’ acoustics, the performers’ abilities, As the three instrumentalists and the singer were and the instruments’ sound qualities. He would moving onstage according to the choreography, they go on until he had found the right form, which he had to be connected to the mixing desk with wireless then fixed and which became the basis for all future . Interestingly enough, Stockhausen performances. It could be observed that he always decided to position the speakers reproducing the decided which parameters were suitable for being unaltered sounds directly above the performers, treated more freely without jeopardizing the stasis just underneath the ceiling of the auditorium; of the construction as such. the speakers diffusing the modulated sounds were The supporting parameters, referring mostly to placed behind the audience. Thus, the direct and pitch, , and duration, were not altered as modulated sounds were perceptible separately yet such, whereas tempi and dynamics were given inter- fused into one sound for the listener. pretative leeway. It is this particular objectivity that Stockhausen introduced by means of his construc- Journal, 32:4, pp. 10–16, Winter 2008 tional principles into composition. Every detail has c 2008 Massachusetts Institute of Technology. its own motivation. Very little is left to subjectivity,

10 Computer Music Journal

Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/comj.2008.32.4.10 by guest on 29 September 2021 Figure 1. Video still image Figure 2. Video still image Figure 3. of the from the premiere of Licht- from the premiere of Licht- types of performer Bilder in Donauhalle B in Bilder in Donauhalle B in movements for the seven Donaueschingen. From Donaueschingen. From phases of Licht-Bilder. left, , Huber left, Marco Blaauw, Huber (Copyright Archive of the Meyer, , Meyer, Kathinka Pasveer, Stockhausen Foundation and . and Suzanne Stephens. for Music, Kurten¨ (Photograph: Yvonne Mohr.) (Photograph: Yvonne Mohr.) [www.stockhausen.org].)

Figure 1

deduces the values according to certain procedures or series of numbers, respectively. His achievement consists of knowing or intuitively sensing which procedures or series of numbers would lead to musical and timbral success. It is exactly this model, aside from the acousmatic praxis, that is still valid today for composers of to escape an ever too-subjective arbitrariness. In the acousmatic music, the construction of the sound elements is constantly examined by hearing, and thus the construction and the sound act in a dialectic way. Contrary to that approach, the serial Figure 2 method of construction represented by Stockhausen creates a musical structure by means of parameters and thus an incredible clarity is gained, as everything that then can be interpreted. can be specified and explained. The diverse elements Stockhausen himself worked previously in often have several points of reference. A formula both fields. In (1990–1991), there used in Licht-Bilder refers simultaneously to a uni- are concrete sounds, as well as in works such versally valid “super formula,” to a reference in the as Gesang der Junglinge¨ (1955–1956), opera, to the parts of other performers, to the colors (1966), (1966–1967), and, from the Licht used, and so on. cycle, Montag (1984–1988), Freitag (1991–1994), Stockhausen obtains the density of reference and Mittwoch (1995–1997). Here, he parameterizes by listing parameters, filling the space between the concrete sounds, yet he works quite intuitively these parameters with tables, and then linking at the same time. In a conversation we had, he several of these two-dimensional tables to form a described the development of the spatial movement three-dimensional parameter space. The composer’s of sounds in Mittwochs-Gruss (1998) as a way of sketches in Figure 3 show two diagrams, generated thinking by listening. He moved the sounds by using Fibonacci proportions, for specifying the means of a touch screen. He did have some models distribution of the performers’ movements in Licht- of movement in his mind, but he developed the Bilder. These diagrams form the basis from which he polyphony of movement while using these models

Brummer¨ 11

Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/comj.2008.32.4.10 by guest on 29 September 2021 Figure 4. Karlheinz Stockhausen and Ludger Brummer.¨ (Photograph: Yvonne Mohr.)

all, I was curious to hear what visions he was having at that time. Brummer:¨ We are looking at four triangle-shaped sails that are used as screens for visuals. What function do they serve, exactly? What relationship do they have to the performers? Stockhausen: It has something to do with the fact that the used in Licht-Bilder come and closely listening to them. As different as the from the whole work Licht, right from the very interactive method of acousmatic music is compared beginning on—from the past 26 years—and they are to Stockhausen’s approach, both do have something all connected to particular colors. Johannes Conen, in common: the creation must always be verified by who devised the visual composition of Licht-Bilder, human perception, and, if necessary, corrected. decided that the right triangle should be connected Before his passing, he had already implemented to the . The choice of using the shapes of the entire audiovisual space in the global auditorium triangles was his, however. Johannes took over that in with the assistance of others. It is a great concept of colors as well. And in the work Licht,the pity that he will not be able to use newly developed color blue is always connected with the melodies instruments such as the Sound-Dome at ZKM or now played mainly by the basset horn . . . and purple the wavefield-synthesis system at the Technische with the flute and green with the tenor and orange Universitat¨ Berlin. with the trumpet. For practical reasons, he later returned to simpler Brummer:¨ What I found very interesting listening spatial principles such as in Oktophonie.Asinmany to the work is the fact that the ring modulator is matters, such as the of Studie II (1954) or very integrated into the instrumental sound. Is it the composition of micro-time in (1958– your intention to augment the instruments with the 1960), he tried out his ideas extensively and turned ring modulator, or is it to make the electronics not to something different once he had shown how far perceptible as such? he could go. It is such totality that distinguishes the music of Stockhausen. In many areas, he identified Stockhausen: It’s actually two ring modulators. One new positions and at the same time fathomed the is used for the flute and the other for the trumpet. A limits of how far to go. And for whom could it be ring modulator generates a chord, a double chord ac- more difficult to accept limits than for somebody tually, in which whatever the musician is playing is with the visionary power of Stockhausen? It is mirrored by an inaudible electronic tone, a sine tone. on these grounds one must understand why after The tones are added upward as well as downward. an intensive occupation with sound synthesis he This way, thank God, the chords that are created are restricted himself to a certain number of parameters not heard separately, but mixed—as a new . in music as well as in technology, even though he Brummer:¨ In this case, do the instruments still take integrated as a matter of course the center? Are the electronics an augmentation into his work. of the instrument, or are the electronics of equal The interview presented here (see Figure 4) took importance? place on 10 December 2004, just a few days before the performance of Licht-Bilder at the ZKM Media- Stockhausen: Certainly not of equal importance ... Theatre, three years before he suddenly passed one cannot really hear them. Only an expert will away. In our conversation (which was conducted be aware of the fact that the harmonic timbre, if in German and recently translated), I wanted to I may call it that—the addition of to highlight a few aspects of his ideas and to understand the instrumental tones—is in fact present. A lot of his relationship to his own historic oeuvre. Above listeners hear it and believe it is another instrument.

12 Computer Music Journal

Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/comj.2008.32.4.10 by guest on 29 September 2021 It is no normal trumpet or normal flute, but an be a little bit high up here, but Johannes Conen is imaginary instrument, and I like that. going to project four videos onto the triangles with four projectors. Also, I was told yesterday, when I Brummer:¨ But you also proceeded to diffuse the asked if they could be hung a little lower, that that sound of the ring modulator in space. would not work, as one would see their shadows on Stockhausen: That is right. The beauty of the four the screens. So it just has to be the way it is. But I performers—basset horn, flute, tenor, and trumpet— always hang up my speakers quite high, as that fills distributed over four above the stage the space better and also uses possible reflections. from right to left is mirrored by four speakers Brummer:¨ Now I’d like to talk about something behind the audience—but much softer. And the else beside this particular work. You have worked chords added by the electronic ring modulation more with electronics than most other composers. are coming from behind, like a reflected sound, You have worked both very much with instruments as if the room were becoming bigger. This I find and electronics as well as with pure electronics. particularly beautiful: that the people sitting at the What appeal has remained after you really have back also have the feeling that they are close to gotten to know the technology and worked with the sound, even though it mainly comes from the it all? In a way, it is a regression to go back to the front. ring modulator, an instrument you used very early Brummer:¨ Why are the instrumentalists heard on and with which you already wrote a few pieces. through loudspeakers? Why are they not only to be Why this reduction? heard naturally? Why do you mix the two compo- Stockhausen: Well, I’ve not always only been a nents, the ring modulation and the instrumental “progressor” as far as development and progress are sound? concerned. I simply really like the sound of these Stockhausen: As I said before; it all is supposed to that are formed with unnatural relations of become one—a new timbre. And there is no other harmonics. I used the ring modulator in 1956 for solution for such a work—in fact, in any work I have special sounds in Gesang der Junglinge¨ and again written since more than 30 years ago—but to project from time to time—because it’s a matter of taste, the voices and instruments in space by transmitters because I like those sounds very much. But they are so that the sound becomes very wide and deep. And not simply timbres without any function; instead, I explained how front, back, and the relationships the function is really to also hear subconsciously change during the performance, so that one has the the mirroring. And the composition Licht-Bilder impression of being within the sound and not only operates with “mirrorings.” For example, the basset being confronted by the sound coming from the horn plays certain figures, and the flute plays the interpreters. I find that very important and also very same figures in different time intervals [i.e., with new in music, to listen within the sound and not augmentation or diminution], until they meet again. only to be confronted by it. Also, that wouldn’t be These processes of distancing and meeting again take loud enough. Even in such a small venue as this place again and again during Licht-Bilder. The same one, you would not be able to hear clearly what they applies to the tenor, too. The tenor sings particular were playing and singing. figures, and the trumpet—I nearly said “imitates,” but it is no simple imitation—but what the trumpet Brummer:¨ So you mean the is a mi- is playing is also compressed and stretched in time. croscope for the sound, for the instrument. But At some times, it gets pretty far away from what the nevertheless, one question: you have hung the tenor sung before until the two meet again exactly speakers right at the top and parallel, not directly synchronized, and so on. That happens multiple facing the audience. Why? times. In this way, the mirroring that is happening Stockhausen: For technical reasons. If you tilt them, musically and structurally is also repeated in sound. the danger of feedback is higher. I did think it to A ring modulator mirrors.

Brummer¨ 13

Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/comj.2008.32.4.10 by guest on 29 September 2021 Brummer:¨ Would that be an aspect that you devel- with speakers all around the audience, sounds shoot oped earlier on—micro-time and macro-time—that out of the wall with different speeds, very quickly the composition with the help of the ring modulator following each other—until one is in a room where is engaging in micro-time? one does not notice the speakers anymore and in which sounds are something completely different Stockhausen: Absolutely. A lot is going on that can- from the usual sounds that either stand still in space not necessarily be perceived consciously, not even or move with a certain speed—by increasing the by a trained listener—for example, the mirrorings of velocity so that this is not perceived rhythmically intervals between the basset horn and the flute or anymore. the tenor and the trumpet. What is important is that So this shoots onto the listener continuously in the micro-sound world, as we may call it, similar using different dynamic levels for each event, and laws apply as in the macro-sound world. I really have to try this out some time; I really Often I have used that fact in life, knowing, want to. So, the dynamics are very weak nowadays. too, that only those few who perceive it make We control envelopes just as in traditional music. themselves aware of it, who read scores and study But there is a gigantic area to be discovered—how them and then suddenly hear what they have been to come to a completely new musical experience studying. And this is a very special relationship through pulsating dynamic peaks in a room with with music. This is an immersion into the timbres very many sound sources—the more, the better. themselves, into the inside of the sounds. And other The second weakness in music is the compo- people perceive this on a more superficial level. sition of timbres (Klangfarbenkomposition) itself. Brummer:¨ I also have a general question about your Unfortunately, even today and including myself— point of view on electronics. As we here at the ZKM we are talking about ring modulation—timbres are produce a lot of electronic music, we are obviously more often composed from the standpoint of the interested in your opinion of what part electronics overall effect they create instead of coming from might play in the future, or in fact for you for a canon from which one could choose. Now, I’ve future projects. I’d like to refer to the just mentioned something very specific. Wilhelm project, which you have already devised but not yet Ostwald compiled as early as 1912 a catalog of colors implemented and where one can see that incredible with 2,500 different tones and published it as Die combinations of different electronic aspects can Farbenfibel [The Color Primer] in 1916/1917—so create an unbelievably rich musical language. the intensity and the of the colors can be distinguished. That is something we urgently need Stockhausen: Well, you are touching upon some- in music, too—a catalog of timbres—so that for ex- thing that I could elaborate upon for hours. I suppose ample if I want to use a wooden sort of timbre I have I have to reduce it to a few sentences. 150 variations to choose from ...andthesamefor First of all, the dynamics are completely under- metal, drum-like sounds, vowel-like vocal sounds, developed and very weak. During the last months and so on. We need an advanced composition with of working in the Studio fur¨ Elektronische Musik scales of timbres, categories and families of timbres. at the (WDR), I tried the At the moment, most of it is done empirically following. We had a mixer by Lavo and we could on a rather superficial level. So, composition with change the volume relationships of up to 24 channels timbres is still at its very beginning. relatively quickly with an electronic programmer. And the third weakness is spatial composition. That was a piece of equipment by Yamaha, and the I have used spatial composition since 1956, since faders could go up and down one after the other the first quadraphonic composition ever in music very quickly. How that was mechanically possible history, and developed it further up to octophonic very often surprised me. However, that’s where I music of the last few years, in which the sounds had to . And this is something I would very are projected in a square of speakers above the much like to develop further: that in a space filled listeners and one at the ear level of the audience,

14 Computer Music Journal

Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/comj.2008.32.4.10 by guest on 29 September 2021 which makes it possible to use diagonal movements that would make it possible to move around in of the sounds with different velocities and space and thus alter the sound by one’s own movements—even on the walls. And these spirally movements. moving sounds can then jump onto another wall, Brummer:¨ You have worked a lot with machines— or different forms can be projected simultaneously and I say this in this provocative manner on onto two, three, or four walls. purpose, because instruments and instrumentalists I composed such a work in which up to four differ- really are machines, too—that put your concept, ent forms of movements in space are simultaneous, your notation, into action. Do you think that at and I find this simultaneous listening to different some point in the future this work could be done velocities and spatial directions and spatial surfaces not by people but that there might be computer to be very important. A lot has to be developed in programs that will be able to interpret? this field. Stockhausen: Yes. In 1967—I had become Director Brummer:¨ Already in the WDR Studio, you worked of the Studio for Electronic Music at WDR in 1963— with 24 rotations per second. I announced at a meeting for sound engineers that Stockhausen: Yes, that was the highest speed, but in the future, performers might have a control board it was extremely dangerous, too. We had to use a in front of them to check their own volume so they separate room and to close its safety-plated door. would know how to react if a sound projectionist In it there was a rotating speaker that I had had in the hall would correct them and ask for more or built after my very own design. It was installed on less volume . . . so that they could memorize the a particularly sturdy footing, and the whole thing positions of the lights on the display and, therefore, weighed about a ton. On a round table, a speaker a much more accurate control of dynamics could was installed that could be moved toward the rim. be achieved by the interpreter. And I also said that Around the table, eight microphones were placed, musicians who play an instrument or sing must and I could remotely control the rotation of the move through a -like room and control speaker from the other room watching it through a with their own movements the movement of their window, starting with zero rotations—a standstill own sounds in space. They would need to learn —up to 24 rotations per second clockwise or counter- by practicing—depending on how they move—to clockwise. So you have to multiply this by eight, as suddenly jettison a sound somewhere in space there were eight microphones, and this was recorded and bring it back again. It is very important to onto eight-channel tape and later diffused by eight achieve this possibility to control movement in speakers standing in a circle. This resulted in sounds space by providing an electromagnetic field around that partly were so low they seemed to arise from interpreters. the listener’s stomach until the speed was so fast—at Brummer:¨ But still, the human—the interpreter first 16 rotations per second and then naturally even who translates, who acts as a translator between the faster—that finally many low sounds entered the instrument or the acoustic result and the score—is body from below. So, one didn’t hear the speakers as irreplaceable. such anymore but instead felt within the sound. So, when moving one’s head, it’s nothing but a spectral Stockhausen: Yes, but there are composers who analysis. Moving closer to half of the speakers in are the interpreters of their own works, which one direction, one suddenly hears everything in makes it one and the same person. You know, I octaves. And by moving my upper body slowly in a imagine anyway that in the future, composers will circle I can hear all the harmonics that are included be responsible for the sound results of what they are in the static sound because my head movements composing. So they will not only imagine but also slightly change the distance to the speakers and write and realize it, and then pass their knowledge thus the spectrum is altered. That is a completely on to their students. It must be possible that those new development in , one of many, who have a conception of spatial music, of timbres

Brummer¨ 15

Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/comj.2008.32.4.10 by guest on 29 September 2021 or dynamics, can demonstrate this themselves. for that as humans is maybe a bit early. I can’t do it That will be a new breed of composers who are no yet, but I do hope to learn it some day. longer separate from the interpreter, but who are Brummer:¨ That could be a really good ending. interpreters themselves and can pass this on. However, I have one more question in which I am Brummer:¨ And would the score as a structural type, personally very much interested. When writing a as the beginning of a description of a structure, piece, there is an imagination of timbre, tone, phase. still be necessary if composers no longer pass on Of what existence is the material with which one information because they implement the work begins? Is it a concept of pitch or a row? themselves? Stockhausen: Well, for me, it is most of the time Stockhausen: Well, you can of course envision the like hearing something as if in a dream, and very future and that there might be humans who can keep often I don’t know immediately how to realize it. as much information in their memories as there is in That is the best way. And to begin as Stravinsky a score. The score is the result—taking for example said at some point, “The ideas come as you are my last piece—of a few months of concentrated working”—that is another matter completely. That work. A score is condensed time. Up until now, is more like the technical aspect of homework, as I have not met a person who can memorize the I know it and everybody else does, too. One is an contents of a score as differentiated, as polyphonic, engineer and has learned a craft and can start with and as detailed as the score itself. That would be a few intervals, a few notes, and then something is a “super-human.” If such people did exist—why created if one simply wants something to be created. not?—let us see what they would do. But that would It is the search for form. But the best moments are require an incredible accumulation of faculty and the ones in which one has heard something inside imagination and conceptions. and then converts that into musical matter—I mean Jacob Lorber—I don’t know if you’ve ever heard either self-made sounds or sounds that others are of him—wrote this big book called Die geistige supposed to create—to write it down and to try to Sonne (The Spiritual Sun). And in this, he describes come close to that idea. that the people living on the sun—he doesn’t say if This almost never works because the imagination this is our sun—are so intelligent that everything is much better. Well, maybe not better, but richer. they can clearly imagine—let’s say for example an It’s of another nature as our mental composing. But architectonic structure—that if they can clearly that’s the best way: to dream of something. imagine it and their will says, “So be it,” it comes Brummer:¨ So the vision of a piece is the beginning? into existence and cannot necessarily be removed anymore,butitexists...instoneandcrystal.Ireally Stockhausen: Yes—not of the whole piece necessar- thought that was great, that it is not unthinkable ily, but of singular moments. Yes, these must come; that spirits evolve thus and that imagination, if one has to wait for them. In these moments I often sharp and clear enough, turns thought into matter. lay down on my bed and waited and waited and Formed matter is nothing but spirit that has taken waited until I thought, “Ah, maybe I could do it this shape. And we must become higher spirits. To aim way. But how?” And then one finds a way.

16 Computer Music Journal

Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/comj.2008.32.4.10 by guest on 29 September 2021