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Stockhausen: Sounds in Space

Analysis, explanation and personal impressions of the works of the avant-garde composer Karlheinz Stockhausen.

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All content here is for educational

Stockhausen on Electronic Music (1952-1960) ---------

purposes only and is designed to
illuminate and otherwise share the great
work of the composer/sound designer
WDR Electronic Music Studio Tour (2015) Karlheinz Stockhausen. Please support
the Stockhausen Foundation for Music
by purchasing CDs, DVDs and scores
from their website:

www.karlheinzstockhausen.org

Thanks to Stockhausen Verlag for

allowing usage of images from their
CDs and scores.

Analyses and editorial content

copyright Ed Chang unless otherwise
indicated.

SPECIAL FEATURES
Stockhausen Equipment Gallery (WDR)
The Stockhausen Courses in Kürten
A Timeline History of 20th Century
Classical and Electronic Music
"This is your pilot speaking..."

LOOKING FOR A SPECIFIC

PIECE?

A FEATURED WORK
SONNTAG AUS LICHT

(© www.karlheinzstockhausen.org)

Introduction THE LICHT CYCLE

The first half of this post will summarize the main points from a Stockhausen lecture given at the Oxford Union (England) on May
6th 1972, where the composer uses excerpts from his seminal electronic work KONTAKTE to demonstrate “4 Criteria of Electronic Overview
Music”. This summary will also serve as an introduction to my post on the electronic and electroacoustic version of KONTAKTE (Part 1 DONNERSTAG AUS LICHT
of which can be found here). SAMSTAG AUS LICHT
MONTAG AUS LICHT
The second half - WDR Studio Tour - is a photo essay of a few of the electronic devices used to realize these 4 criteria (from my DIENSTAG AUS LICHT
2015 tour of the WDR Electronic Music Studio storage repository in Cologne).
FREITAG AUS LICHT

"4 Criteria of Electronic Music" (KONTAKTE) MITTWOCH AUS LICHT

After studying the harmonically-liberating methods of the 2nd Viennese School (basically Arnold Schönberg, Alban Berg and Anton SONNTAG AUS LICHT
Webern, who explored the chromatic scale through the use of unique ordered tone rows and intervals), Stockhausen became LICHT Works
interested in how sounds themselves were constructed. To do this, he studied the timbre structure of primitive ethnic instruments (such
as wood/metal percussion), as well as recordings of concrete sounds from daily life. The goal was to artificially synthesize these sound
timbres through electronic means, basically using equipment designed for radio station maintenance and measurement. This collection OFFICIAL STORE:
of re-purposed equipment mainly consisted of impulse noise generators (which create "clicks/pulses" at different speeds), sine wave CDs
tone generators (sometimes also used to create overtone “partials” by layering sine tones), and noise generators (used in some earlier
DVDs
works, but not in KONTAKTE). Additionally, frequency filtering, distortion, ring modulation, reverb and variable speed tape recorders
Scores
were used to color or speed up/slow down recorded fragments or loops (as musique concrete).
Books

POPULAR CHAPTERS

Stockhausen on Electronic Music (1952-

 1960) --------- WDR
Electronic Music Studio
Tour (2015)

GESANG DER
JÜNGLINGE

KONTAKTE - Planning &

Design

GRUPPEN

KLAVIERSTÜCKE V - X

AUS DEN SIEBEN

TAGEN

These 2 devices generated most of the basic source material for KONTAKTE. The LICHT Super-
The top device generated pulses, and the bottom device was used to mostly create low frequencies. Formula
Many other pieces of equipment (variable speed tape recorders, etc...) were used to process or change the speed of the sounds recorded on tape loops (see section
below).
(KONTAKTE Realization score© www.karlheinzstockhausen.org)

With these concepts in mind, Stockhausen developed 4 Criteria of Electronic Music:

ETUDE, STUDIE I & II
1. Unified Time Structuring
2. Splitting of the Sound
3. Multi-Layered Spacial Composition
4. Equality of Sound and Noise
KLAVIERSTÜCK XI
1. Unified Time Structuring
If a piece of music is dramatically sped up as a loop (without changing the pitch), then a specific tone and color timbre eventually
results. If the music has an even rhythmic structure (such as a Beethoven sonata), then the timbre would be "purer" than that from a
piece which was rhythmically or melodically irregular (such as a Webern piece). The reverse is also true - a short "noise", if stretched
out to several minutes, could result in a piece of music with its own structure, or form. From a pitch perspective, if a repeating pulse PLUS-MINUS
(click) is sped up to very high speeds (without pitch transposition of the pulse), it eventually becomes a held tone, and as the speed
increases further, the pitch rises.

In KONTAKTE, Stockhausen recorded pulses in irregular rhythms and then made tape loops of the recordings. By changing the
tape loop playback speed, different timbres and pitches were obtained. In other words, a unique rhythm is transformed into a pitched
noise by greatly increasing its tempo. 440 pulses per second would result in concert pitch "A 440" for example. Broader noises of a
wider bandwidth could be created by irregularly varying the speed of the loop (and/or the micro-durations between the pulses on the CATEGORIES
tape) to create a “cloud” of pitches (ie - aleatoric pulse velocities result in aleatoric pitches). The level of “noisiness” is also based on 1950s (17)
the degree of aperiodicity (rhythmic irregularity) within the loop itself (as mentioned in the Webern example). In fact "white noise" is a 1960s (23)
full range of pulses with speeds from 20 pulses per second to 16,000 pulses per second.
1970s (18)

From this idea, one could say that a rhythm of pulses become a pitch, which could be used to create a melodic rhythm, which could 1980s (11)
then be used as part of a larger form. Stockhausen calls this phenomenon "Unified Time Structuring", since it creates a continuum 1990s (14)
between very short events and very long structures. Pitch and rhythm are basically the same thing, just at different levels of time 2000s (16)
perception, and timbre (noisiness) is related to the internal rhythmic irregularities of a sound. Chamber (41)
Electro-Acoustic (29)
Back to Top
Electronic Music (or solo synth)
Intuitive/Plus-Minus/Aleatoric
Orchestral (24)
Piano (13)
Ring-Modulation (5)
Shortwave Radio (5)
Vocal/Choral (31)

BLOG ARCHIVE
► 2014 (39)
▼ 2015 (55)
► January (6)
Stockhausen Edition CD 3, Track 14: KONTAKTE Structure X (listening score excerpt, colored):
A pulse-based noise tone wavers and falls. At the same time its frequency-filtered bright tone layer ("pitch", essentially) becomes darker and then brighter again. Then the ► February (6)
pitch gradually zigzags down, slows down, plays a 7-note "melody", finally becomes individual pulses, gradually lengthening, etc... ► March (6)
(© www.karlheinzstockhausen.org)
► April (5)
In KONTAKTE's Structure X (from 17:12), a pitched noise slows into a regular repeating pulse (and descends), which eventually
► May (6)
becomes a repeating low pitch, becoming an “ooh” timbre. This then changes it's overtone elements to create “ah”, “ee”, etc….
 (For an example of the opposite, with pulses increasing in speed until they become rising tones, see Dan Tepfer's informative ► June (5)
demonstration page.) ► July (1)
▼ August (5)
2. Splitting of the Sound
In this scenario, a central tone is held, but several “satellites” split off (rising/falling, spreading out into particles, etc..) and the Stockhausen on Electronic Music
(1952-1960) ------...
sound timbre of the original central tone changes (becomes less complex). Stockhausen describes this process as an example of a
new kind of "form" in composed music. In contrast to the traditional way of composing music, where themes are used to describe a ALPHABET for Liège, AM HIMMEL
WANDRE ICH
feeling or travel through a dramatic arc, here the theme is basically the carefully-shaped transformation of a sound (done in an “artful”
way). The listener is led through this process, and by paying close attention to the sound's journey, it's possible that his/her PUNKTE
perceptions could even be “widened”. By following the path of a sound, the listener, in a way, “becomes the sounds”, and as the MICHAELION
sounds split apart, one could even try to split apart with it, becoming a "polyphonic being".
Dr. K-SEXTETT

► September (6)
► October (5)
► November (4)

► 2016 (1)
► 2018 (9)

STOCKHAUSEN RESOURCES
Sounds in Space Facebook
SE CD 3, Track 15: KONTAKTE Structure XI: A centerline tone is held, while parts of this tone split off on their own rising/falling trajectories.
Official Stockhausen Page
(© www.karlheinzstockhausen.org)
Video, CD Samples, etc...
In Structure XI (starting at about 21:41, or CD 3 track 15), a held sound is split in 6 places where a layer peels off and goes on its
Stonebraker Stockhausen Archive
own path:
Stockhausen Discography
0:24 (brief split, like a shooting star)
Stockhausen Forum
0:30 (gliss)
Albrecht Moritz's Essays
0:47 (gliss into points)
Fin O'Suilleabhain's Set Sail For the Sun
1:00 (oscillating)
Composer's Compendium
1:13 (rising, chopped)
Sonoloco Record Reviews
1:21 (rising/falling)
Stockhausen's Spaceship (GMG Forum)
Etc.. (ending in blocks of white noise)
The Stockhausen Society
Markus Stockhausen on Stockhausen
3. Multi-Layered Spacial Composition James Ingram's Page
Stockhausen used KONTAKTE to further explore motion in space (which he first explored in GESANG DER JÜNGLINGE), this time
with a new "rotation table" which was able to spin a mounted speaker, allowing 4 microphones to capture the sounds as they passed
by. In playback, the sound would appear to be rotating among 4 speakers. Besides directional location (360 degrees), Stockhausen YOUR PILOT:
also experimented with the creation of sounds at different distances from the listener - in other words, depth perception. In KONTAKTE
Ed Chang
there are up to 6 levels of distance from the listener for each sound. When several sounds are stacked as multiple layers, a feeling of
depth is created by chopping out gaps in one layer (like cutting open windows ) to reveal the layer or layers beneath. This immediate View my complete profile
contrast is designed to clearly demonstrate the differences in sound distances.

This idea is pretty interesting because spatial motion is typically envisioned (at least by me) as a "ring" around the listener. The
added element of depth turns this ring into a "disc". MY OTHER RESEARCH
PROJECTS
Stockhausen mentions a few important elements to depth perception in sound:
Michael Moorcock: Terhali's Particular
Familiarity of the sound (an unknown sound will not have anything for the listener to compare with for distance Satisfaction
characteristics)
Radio Station EXP
Dynamics (loud is close, quiet is far)
Giacinto Scelsi: A Thumbnail Guide
Distortion (diffusion, reverb, echoes etc…)
Music of Turkey
In KONTAKTE, far away (“wet”) figures are also highlighted by close (“dry”) figures passing in front. This is an example of using Japanese Traditional Music: Hogaku
contrast to highlight foreground and background elements. Stockhausen asks that the listener must believe only his/her ears, and try
Cue By Cue: Film Music Narratives
to forget about what one sees (or knows). This is a very important mindset to have when listening to “new music” - do not believe one's
Music of Allan Holdsworth Analyzed
eyes – believe one's ears.
The Daily Beethoven
HP Lovecraft: The Horrible Conclusion
The Cryptofictional Records Wing
Marvel Comics Chronology
The Quodlibet Recordings Annex
Quodlibet Recordings

Stockhausen demonstrates how a rotation table is used in KONTAKTE

(from what I've heard, this photo features a "stand-in" table,
the table actually used in KONTAKTE is shown a few pages down).

(© www.karlheinzstockhausen.org)
 In his lecture, Stockhausen plays Structure XII (23:58, CD track 16).

4. Equality of Sound (or "Tone") and Noise

A noise is made of irregular/aperiodic sound pulses, and the”spread” of a group of noises determines a bandwidth (as described in
Criteria 1). Traditionally, “noise” was a taboo compositional element because notated music originally concentrated on indicating
intervals between sung vowels (consonants were excluded or only used to mark a rhythmic punctuation). Now, with electronic sound
synthesis, a continuum from tones to noises can be expressed as a scale. However, the use of noise is not generally balanced
equally with pure tones, since noises have a tendency to cover up tones (due to their "novelty"). For this reason, tones and noises
must be balanced using special, unique scales.

In KONTAKTE, Stockhausen used 42 different scales of different interval steps to manage his sounds. Each sound, based on it’s
bandwidth, was assigned 1 of the 42 scales. A pure sound (very narrow bandwidth, clear pitch) would get a microtonal scale (very
small interval steps), since it is very easy to perceive small scale steps in pure pitches. A noisy sound with a large bandwidth would get
a scale with large intervals, since large intervals are needed to make the differences in complex noises perceivable. The widest
bandwidth noise stretched covered a full 2 octave bandwidth, and it was assigned a scale based on intervals of a 5th (12 notes of this
scale would actually cover the entire audible range for humans).

This matching of sounds to scales was a revelation to Stockhausen, in that he realized that this was the first time that the “material”
determined the “form”. This concept would echo on into the far future operas of LICHT.

Links
Stockhausen Edition CD 3: ETUDE, STUDIE I & II, GESANG DER JÜNGLINGE, KONTAKTE: Sound samples and CD ordering
Stockhausen on Music : Four Criteria of Electronic Music (Maconie edited transciption)
The Concept of Unity in Electronic Music (Stockhausen, Perspectives of New Music Vol. 1, No. 1)
Stockhausen Lectures on DVD
Four Criteria of Electronic Music Pt 1 (YouTube)
Four Criteria of Electronic Music Pt 2 (YouTube)
"From Tape Loops to MIDI, Karlheinz Stockhausen's 40 Years of Electronic Music" (Manion)
Rhythm / Pitch Duality: hear rhythm become pitch before your ears (Dan Tepfer)
WDR Studios Vintage Pictures & Video Tour (120 Years of Electronic Music)
Discovering Electronic Music (1983)

The WDR Electronic Music Studio

In 2015 I was able to visit the WDR (Westdeutscher Rundfunk/West German Radio) Electronic Music Studio repository space.
Below are a few photographs of the equipment used during the early years of Stockhausen's electronic music explorations. Nowadays
it is possible to hear these sounds created by online software, such as at this site. In retrospect, it's very amazing that Stockhausen
and his peers were able to create synthetic music out of radio testing equipment. With some exaggeration, you could say they made a
motorcycle engine out of toaster parts...
All inset pictures ©www.karlheinzstockhausen.org.

1/3 Octave Bandwidth Filter. Functions like a graphic EQ.

 Top: Heathkit Sine/Square wave generator (tone oscillator), (used in KONTAKTE, etc...)
Bottom: Tone (sine wave) generator (different than the frequency amplifier/feedback filter in the inset photo)

Left: Beat frequency oscillator. Used to change the resonant frequencies of input pulses.
Right: 2 Pulse generators. Used to create noise pulses of different speeds and durations.

Active Octave (bandwidth) filter (custom made by WDR). Accentuates different frequency bands (like a parametric EQ).
 Tape loop on stand during a demonstration of tape loop manipulation by Volker Müller.
Inset: Behind Stockhausen (working on KONTAKTE) are several long tape loops stretched out and held in place by 3 small stands.
To the back wall is (left to right) a sine wave beat frequency oscillator (used since GESANG DER JÜNGLINGE), a signal (sine wave) generator,
and a 1/3 octave filter (sitting on top of the octave filter, also used since GESANG...).

The Rotation table used to spread the sound over 4 microphone inputs in KONTAKTE.
Just to the left (on the shelf) are 2 beat frequency oscillators.
 These devices are to be seen in the photo at bottom right of Stockhausen in 1975.
Left column: Tunable frequency amplifier, Bandpass filter, Tunable frequency detector amplifier/feedback filter
(used in GESANG DER JÜNGLINGE, KONTAKTE, etc... for "variable, relatively narrow filtering of impulses or noise bands, but also as a generator at extremely high
feedback sensitivity.") This device was used in KONTAKTE's Structure X to create the falling glissandi of slowing pulses.
Right column: Timer/counter, Sine wave sweep generator
(also used in MIXTUR to produce the base frequencies for the the ring modulation).

Stockhausen's Maihak W49 bandwidth filters and 2-channel faders (screwed on)
for live manipulation and EQ filtering of amplified sound signals. (KONTAKTE, MIKROPHONIE I, PROZESSION, many others...)
 WDR Studio during the production of HYMNEN.
(© www.karlheinzstockhausen.org)

More WDR equipment photos are in the articles on STUDIE I & II, GESANG DER JÜNGLINGE, HYMNEN and MIXTUR, or in my
Picasa WDR Album below.

WDR 2015

Ed Chang

These blogs function not so much as "web diaries" but more like "online books" I've written (or am writing), with each post being
analogous to a book "chapter". The blog projects I work on are typically histories, song breakdowns, synopses, and/or analyses. I've learned a
lot while creating these things, and I hope you enjoy them.

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