Jacob Hammonds

Contemporary Music
Broberg

Stockhausen Kontakte

Karlheinz Stockhausen is one of the most important composers and musical minds of recent
history. Born near Kerpen Germany in 1928, Stockhausen fostered his skills as musician as a child, and
studied at the Cologne Conservatory of music. His pieces range from serialism, point music, orchestral,
and electro-acoustic music. Stockhausen also pioneered the art of realizing a piece of music in the
recording studio using electronics and what one can consider extended recording techniques. Kontakte
or Contacts is one of these pieces, and will be the focus of this discussion of electronic art music.

In lecture number five of Stockhausen's english lectures, Stockhausen lays out the four criteria of
electronic music and explains some of the process behind Kontakte. I will be referring to the complete
electronic realization of the piece, however there is also a version that incorporates electric keyboard
and percussion. Throughout this essay the four criteria of electronic music, and the conception and
process of Kontakte will be discussed. It will include brief explanation of basic synthesis, and aural
transcriptions of certain elements of Kontakte.

To understand the new sound object created by Stockhausen in Kontake, it is important to have a
basic understanding of how modular synthesis works. Without an understanding of synthesis it easy to
become overwhelmed by electronic sounds. Modular or subtractive synthesis works by taking a pure,
unaltered wave form and altering it with various means of electronic devices. The most simple form is

the sine wave (

) which is pure in tone. It is similar to a pure O vowel and can be described as

glassy and calm Because of this purity, it is far easier to hear micro-tones on sine waves. The next wave
in harmonic complexity is a triangle wave (

). This wave is similar to a sine wave but is brighter. I

like imagine triangle waves as plucked strings without the attack. Square waves (

) are the next

most complex, and have a tone similar to a bowed instrument. The most dense simple wave form is the
(

) sawtooth wave. This wave is extremely bright and contains more overtones than the previous

waves. Although even sawtooth waves can be created by the proper addition of sine waves, these four
forms of wave are the most common in modern synthesis. These waves can then be used in
combination to create more complex timbres. White noise can also be generated by an oscillator and is
pivotal to Stockhausen's fourth criteria of electronic music.

Once one of these initial sounds is generated by an oscillator, it is then modified by other
electronics. There are countless types of modules, but there are some that are more common an
practical than others. The most basic modification one can make is volume. This can be controlled by
an envelope which shapes the attack volume, how long the note can be sustained and the release
volume. Another common modifier is a filter which cuts out certain parts of the sonic spectrum
determined by the user. This can be done manually of using a similar envelope as volume. The final
most common modifier is an LFO or low frequency oscillator. Essentially an LFO is an extremely low
pitched oscillator which can be used to modify other perimeters. For example if one were to route a
sine wave LFO to the pitch of a sounding wave the resulting effect would be the pitch rising and falling
in the same manner of a sine wave. If one were to do the same with a square wave LFO, the pitch
would immediately rise and fall. LFOs can be routed to pitch, volume, filter frequency, panning, mix
between two waves

In his lecture Stockhausen states that the four criteria of electronic music are time structuring,

splitting of the sound, multi-layered spacial composition, and equality of tone and noise. Time
structuring in traditional western music is determined by the individuals perception of time. This is
largely based on the speed at which humans function at. Any tempi an individual is accustomed to
becomes the median tempo and anything faster than that is considered fast and anything slower than the
median tempo is perceived as slow. If one is exposed to a music that is much slower than he is
accustomed for an extended period of time, the previous perceived tempo then becomes much faster.
One of the techniques of electro-acoustic musicians is to take a recorded sound object and use
electronic methods to alter or transform the sound. On may take a relatively large sound (Stockhausen
uses the example of a Beethoven symphony) and compress it into a single second. At this point a
complete form of music is transformed into a single sound with a unique timbre. One may also extend a
short sound over an extended period of time. This elongation of a single sound into a complete work
transforms what was previously considered a sound into a form. The form in this case is a reflection of
micro-acoustic structure. One may also take a single pulse, and repeat it at a high rate of speed. At a
certain threshold, the pulses will blur together into a single tone. The timbre of the resulting tone is
determined by the quality of the initial pulse. One may also take a rhythmic structure and perform the
same process. The timbral result will vary according to the varying rhythm. The ability to transform
rhythm into tone or sound, sound into form, and form into rhythm destroys the traditional notion of
harmony, melody, rhythm, and from. Since all of these elements are now perceived as different degrees
of a larger sonic spectrum, composers are now open to unify these element in a more sophisticated way.

The second criteria is described as the splitting of sound. Stockhausen claims that after the 1950's
sound is no longer just a sound. Since it is possible to expand a single sound into a piece or form, it
is now also possible to compose a sound. Electronic techniques, such as synthesis or the time warping
technique described in the previous paragraph, allow a precise control of timbre. Stockhausen states
that Traditionally the ideas or themes were more or less descriptive of reality. With composition of

sounds or decomposition, passing through time layers is the theme its self. Rather than meaning
something with a sound its own behavior is the meaning. Since complex sounds can now be composed
they can also be decomposed. Through his studies of acoustics and analysis of the sound properties of
acoustic instruments, as well as found, everyday sounds, Stockhausen began his work on synthesizing
and composition of sounds. He initially used sine waves in different combinations to emulate the the
vowel sounds created by the human voice, and then went to synthesizing everyday noises, to original
sounds. If a single sound is composed of layers it is then possible to alter slightly or not so slightly the
parts of the sound. This reveals the elements composing the sound and effectively decomposes the
sound.

Space and spacial relationships are a crucial element to Kontatke and Stockhausen's other
electronic music. Stockhausen claims that musical space has been fixed in traditional western music.
This means that the position at which one perceives the sound coming from is not of importance.
Traditionally, both the performer and audience members are static. The performers position is dictated
usually by tradition and the audience member is positioned by their access to money. Stockhausen
claims that movement gives sounds a characteristic that static sounds lack, and configurations in space
are as meaningful as intervals in melody and harmony. Stockhausen was the first composer to exploit
this concept an had to devise a system of notation for position. Sound can be positioned in two ways to
create a three dimensional space. The first in a two channel speaker set up is left and right. By using
panning one can position sounds in a one dimensional plane. With a four channel surround sound set up
one may position sounds left, right forwards, backwards or any combination.The second is distance,
which is controlled in two ways. First is volume or dynamics, simply loud sounds are closer and quiet
sounds are far away. Second is distortion, when one hears a distant sound, what one really hears is an
indirect reflection of sound waves. As sound travels it is changed over time and distance by the medium
it flows through. The combination of these positioning techniques allows the composer to manipulate

not only the position of any sound in space but also can dictate the motion that the sound travels in.
Familiar environmental sounds are easier to position due to our familiarity with them. Unfamiliar
sounds are more difficult to place. Stockhausen gives position to unfamiliar sounds by the way in
which they are reacting to other sounds in the piece. The comparative position of the sounds in the
piece helps clarify the spacial relationships. Another technique Stockhausen uses is to familiarize the
listener with a certain sound over a period of time, and then move the sound one the listener has
become accustomed to it. By notating and positioning sound specifically, Stockhausen is able use space
and spacial relationships with intention never before heard.

Illustration of three dimensional sound space

The fourth and final criterion for electronic music is the equality of tone and noise. This
balancing of noise and pure tone is similar to Saariaho's ideas of consonance and dissonance.
Stockhausen states that in traditional western art music, noise was taboo. Precise notation of intervals
for the human voice were sang with vowel sounds. The function of noise in this context is only to give
clarity to the starts and ends of the sound through speech consonants. White noise is an equal projection
of all frequencies across the entire sound spectrum. If one uses a filter to remove some of these
frequencies, and create smaller bands of noise, the noise begins to sound more pure. This blurring of
the line between noise and pure sounds allows on to perceive noise and pure tone as just different
points on a large spectrum. Now any noise can be used as material. Stockhausen states that the balance
of these qualities should be carefully handled with ones intuition, because the balance of noise and

tone is not numerical. Because noise is perceived by the average listener as being more harsh or
primitive, it must be balanced with more pure sound. Stockhausen then ends the lecture with, Now
there is a relationship between form and material, to where form and material are one.

Through these advances in the way music is understood, the composer is now able to write music
that is tonally, timbraly, rhythmically, and structurally consistent. Using electronics to create and
manipulate sound has given man the ability to realize total serialism, and create a completely unified
work. Stockhausen's four criteria of electronic music allow not only the means for total serialism, but
drastically expand the sound world and available options the composer has available. Where previously
musicians were confined by old instruments in fixed positions, now one can move a sound through
space musically. Stockhausen says new means change the method, new methods change experience,
new experiences change man. Man's advances in technology have allowed for a completely new way of
perceiving sound, which should be exploited by the composer. Stockhausen's work Kontatke,
exemplifies these four criteria.

Kontatke is broken up into smaller structures or Strukturs. Each structure has a unique
conception and moves the piece along. Due to the immense complexity of the piece, I find it more
effective to focus on individual structures. I will focus on structure IV, because of their shorter length.
Structure IV begins with filtered white noise which is controlled by a triangle wave LFO pulsing at
about four cycles a second, as well as a slightly ascending wave, most likely a square wave.(2 seconds)
This sound is followed by two pulses which descend and turn into a sustained pitch. This pitch is
quickly attacked by two bursts of white noise (5 seconds). An LFO controlled filter creates a creaking
sound similar to a rusty door. Above this sound is a sine tone morphing in pitch, ascending and then
distorting itno noise (9 seconds). This is followed by a sine wave whose pitch is being altered quickly
using an LFO to create what I like to call synth-bugs. Which are punctuated by distant bursts of white

nose which then zoom closer to the audience member and seem to attack.(15 seconds). Theses two
sounds then retreat. The white noise bursts even out into a consistent noise stream, and the synth-bugs
pulse at a slower speed and then begin retreat further (24 seconds). In the distance, quiet white noise
pulses, and the the pitched sine wave synth-bugs retract and are moved across the field of aural
perception for the remainder of the structure. Even in this single 45 second example Stockhausen
satisfies all four criteria of electronic music. Sounds are split from more simple to complex, space and
distance are thoroughly explored. The two main dueling sounds, one composed of mainly sine waves
which are extremely pure sound, the other composed of noise. This satisfies the equality of tone and
noise concept.

Stockhausen, more than a conceptual artist, is an imaginative artist. It it obvious that the
perimeters for his electronic music composition are well thought out, but Stockhausen in his first
english lecture says that, when dealing with form or constraint, a good composer will not allow himself
to be boxed in by the process. The composer is obligated to transcend the form or transcend the
structure. I believe Stockhausen transcends this four criteria of electronic music and creates sounds
worlds which one can visit. These criteria of electronic music are not limiting in any way. In fact, using
even a few of these parameters can greatly enhance creative flexibility as a composer. The last three
criteria can even be applied to acoustic music. This new way of thinking, not only about music but
human perception will expand the potential for new music.