UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI DATE: July 15 2003 I, Stuart W. Gerber , hereby submit this as part of the requirements for the degree of: Doctor of Musical Arts in: Percussion It is entitled: Karlheinz Stockhausen’s Solo Percussion Music: A Comprehensive Study Approved by: Russell Burge James Culley Allen Otte KARLHEINZ STOCKHAUSEN’S SOLO PERCUSSION MUSIC: A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY A thesis submitted to the Division of Research and Advanced Studies of the University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS (DMA) In the Division of Performance Studies Department of Percussion of the College-Conservatory of Music 2003 by Stuart W. Gerber BM, Oberlin College, 1996 MM, University of Cincinnati, 1998 Committee Chair: Allen Otte, MM ABSTRACT Title: Karlheinz Stockhausen’s Solo Percussion Music: A Comprehensive Study Author: Stuart W. Gerber Committee Chair/Advisor: Allen Otte, MM Performance Studies Division, Percussion Department, College-Conservatory of Music Karlheinz Stockhausen (b.1928) is one of the most well-known and influential composers of the past fifty years. From his earliest music, dating from 1950, he has exploited the use of percussion and has, therefore, contributed immensely to the growth of the genre. Although much has been written about Stockhausen and his music, most of it is theoretical and/or biographical in nature. There has been relatively very little scholarship regarding the interpretation and performance practice of his music. This thesis is an in- depth study of Stockhausen’s three percussion solos Zyklus (1959), Nasenflügeltanz (1983), and Komet (1999) from an interpretive standpoint. Each of these pieces presents unique interpretive problems that are manifest in indeterminate elements whose decisions profoundly affect the final realization. Stockhausen leaves these decisions to the discretion of the performer therefore giving him/her a large responsibility in matters such as form, aesthetic, and instrumentation. The intention of this study is to create an interpretive guide to the aesthetic and technical demands that these works make on the performer and how to tackle these demands for the best possible interpretation. © Copyright by Stuart W. Gerber 2003 All Rights Reserved ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my sincere appreciation to Allen Otte, James Culley, and Russell Burge for their support, scholarship, and willingness to serve on my committee, as well as for their guidance, insight, and inspiration during my advanced studies at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. My time at CCM has had an immeasurable impact on my artistic life. I am therefore indebted to these three incredible musicians. I would also like to thank my two other principal teachers, Michael Rosen, and Andreas Boettger, for leaving their indelible mark on my development as a musician. I am especially grateful to Karlheinz Stockhausen not only for the creation of these wonderful works discussed herein, but also for his willingness to help with this publication as well as interpretation of these (and other) works and his continued support of me and other young musicians. Finally, it is with the deepest humility that I thank my family: Thomas and Sarah Gerber, and Miquette and Barry Rochford. Their continued encouragement, and undying love have helped shape me as a person. Their support is immeasurable and has allowed me to follow this artistic path in my life. Without them this thesis and degree would not have been possible. Special acknowledgement is extended to European American Music Distributors and Universal Edition (London), for granting permission to reproduce excerpts from Zyklus as indicated below: Stockhausen ZYKLUS © Universal Edition (London) © renewed All Rights Reserved Used by permission of European American Music Distributors LLC, sole US and Canadian agent for Universal Edition (London) Ltd., London Special acknowledgement is also extended to the Stockhausen-Verlag for granting permission to reproduce excerpts from Nasenflügeltanz and Komet as indicated by: © Karlheinz Stockhausen All scores, CDs, books, and videos of the Stockhausen Complete Edition are available from the Stockhausen-Verlag, 51515 Kürten, Germany. i CONTENTS List of Figures ……………………………………………………………………… iv Chapter 1. Introduction ……………………………………………………… 1 Biographical Background and Repertoire Overview ……..……….. 3 2. Zyklus Overview ……………………………………………………… 10 Instrumentation ……………………………………………… 12 Interpretation/Preparation ……………………………………… 31 Period One …………...…………………………………. 35 Period Two ……………...………………………………. 41 Period Three ..……...……………………………………... 44 Period Four ...……………………………………………. 47 Period Five …………………...…………………………. 49 Glissandi ……………………………………………… 53 Period Six ….…………………………………………... 61 Period Seven ….……...…………………………………… 66 Period Eight .……………………………………………... 71 Period Nine …...………...……………………………….. 73 Period Ten …...…………………...…………………….. 77 Period Eleven ……..…………...…………………………… 80 Guiro Glissandi .…………………………………….. 83 Period Twelve ….………………...………………………… 89 ii Period Thirteen …………...…………………………. 93 Period Fourteen ……...…...………………………….. 98 Period Fifteen ……......…………………………….. 100 Period Sixteen ……………………………………… 101 Period Seventeen .……………...……………………… 101 Score Preparation ……………………………………… 105 Conclusion ……………………………………………… 112 3. Introduction to Licht ……………………………………………… 114 4. Nasenflügeltanz ……………………………………………………… 119 Synopsis of Samstag aus Licht …………..………………….. 121 Samples ……………………………………………………… 124 Instrumentation ……………………………………………… 137 Interpretation ……………………………………………………… 150 Conclusion ……………………………………………………… 158 5. Komet ……………………………………………………………… 160 Synopsis of Freitag aus Licht ……………………………………… 160 Instrumentation-Acoustic ……………………………………… 166 Instrumentation-Electronic ……………………………………… 171 Interpretation ……………………………………………………… 177 Electronic Manipulation ……………………………………… 193 Conclusion ……………………………………………………… 200 6. Conclusion ……...………………………………………………. 202 iii Bibliography ……………………………………………………………… 205 Appendix A. Discography ……………………………………………………… 208 iv LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page Zyklus 1. Diagram of order of instrumental entry in Zyklus ……………………………… 12 2. Guiro gesture, period nine, pulses 25-30 ……………………………………… 14 3. Pitch collection in Zyklus ……………………………………………………… 16 4. Photo of Indian bells ……………………………………………………… 19 5. Photo of snare drum pedal mechanism ……………………………………… 20 6. Period three, pulses 7-20 ……………………………………………………… 26 7. Instrumental attack density chart ……………………………………………… 34 8. Structure-type chart ……………………………………………………… 36 9. Period one ……………………………………………………………………… 37 10. Performance realization of period one, pulses 1-10 ……………………… 38 11. Period one, with delineation of “measures” ……………………………… 40 12. Structure-type two, period two, pulses 1-10 ……………………………… 42 13. Structure-type three, period three, pulses 1-5 ……………………………… 45 14. Performance realization of period three, pulses 1-5 ……………………… 46 15. Period four, pulses 1-6 ……………………………………………………… 47 16. Performance realization of period four, pulses 1-6 …………………………… 49 17. Period five, pulses 1-8 ……………………………………………………… 50 18. Performance realization period five, pulses 1-8 ……………………………… 51 19. Marimba glissando period one ……………………………………………… 54 20. Vibraphone glissando, period two ……………………………………… 55 v Figure Page 21. Vibraphone glissando period two, written out ……………………………… 56 22. Marimba glissando, third period ……………………………………………… 57 23. Vibraphone glissandi, fourth period ……………………………………… 58 24. Vibraphone glissando period five ……………………………………… 59 25. Marimba glissandi period five ……………………………………………… 59 26. Marimba glissandi period five, written out …….……………………………… 60 27. Structure-type six, sixth period, pulses 1-12 ……………………………… 62 28. Performance score of the sixth period, pulses 1-12 ……………………… 64 29. Second gong gesture, sixth period ……………………………………… 65 30. Period seven ……………………………………………………………… 67 31. “Mandolin” roll …….………………………………………………………... 68 32. Period eight, pulses 1-10 ……………………………………………………… 72 33. Period nine ……………………………………………………………… 74 34. Gong/tam tam gesture, period nine ……………………………………… 75 35. Period ten, pulses 1-18 ………………….…………………………………... 77 36. Performance realization of period ten, pulses 1-18 ……………………… 78 37. Period ten, pulses 19 through 30 ………...……………………………………. 79 38. Performance realization of period ten, pulses 19-30 ……………………… 80 39. Period eleven, pulses 1-10 …..………………………………………….. 81 40. Performance realization of period eleven, pulses 1-10 ……………………… 82 41. First guiro gesture, period eleven ……………………………………… 84 42a. The hand position for the highest pitch on the guiro ……………………… 85 vi Figure Page 42b. The hand position for the lowest pitch on the guiro ……………………… 85 43. Period eleven, pulse 16-19 ……………………………………………… 87 44. Period eleven, guiro gestures in pulses 28-30 ……………………………… 88 45. Period twelve, first 9 pulses ……………………………………………… 90 46. Period twelve, last 12 pulses ……………………………………………… 92 47. Period thirteen, pulses 1-6 ……………………………………………… 94 48. Accelerando/ritardando gesture, period thirteen, pulses 19-30 ……………… 97 49. Period fourteen, pulse 8 ……………………………………………………… 98 50. Period fourteen, pulses 22-30 ……………………………………………… 100 51. Period sixteen, last 18 pulses ……………………………………………… 102 52. Zigzag tom tom set up ……………………………………………………… 104 53. The tenth period as it appears in the score ……………………………… 107 54. The author’s realization of the tenth period ……………………………… 108 55. The third period as appears in the score ……………………………………… 110 56. The author’s realization of the third period ……………………………… 111 Licht 57. The super