Radio Stockhausen

Episode 61

Radio Stockhausen

Playlist

1. Karlheinz Stockhausen, “Kurzwellen,” side 1 from Kurzwellen (1970 Deutsche Grammophon). This is the Radio Bremen performance from the original 2-LP recording dated May 5, 1968. Composed, mixed, and electronics (filters and mixers), Karlheinz Stockhausen; Electronium, shortwave radio, Harald Bojé; Tamtam, shortwave radio, Alfred Alings, Rolf Gehlhaar; Piano, shortwave radio, Aloys Kontarsky; Electric Viola, shortwave radio, Johannes G. Fritsch. 23:25
2. Karlheinz Stockhausen, “Spiral Für Einen Solisten” (1970) from Siebengesang/Spiral Für Einen Solisten (1971 Deutsche Grammophon). Composed and directed and mixed by Karlheinz Stockhausen; Oboe, shortwave radio, Heinz Holliger. Recorded at Tonstudio Max Lussi, Basel, Switzerland, October 1970. A little klezmer music with the shortwave plus some creative vocalizations by oboe soloist Holliger. “Spiral (1968) für einen Solisten. Events received by a soloist on a (short-)wave radio are imitated, transformed and transcended.” This is an interpretation that often sticks closely to imitating the sounds heard on the shortwave, an approach often avoided (admittedly) by Stockhausen’s regular troupe of musicians, despite the composer’s suggestions for doing so. This interpretation stands out in this regard. 15:45
3. Karlheinz Stockhausen, “Stockhausen - Beethoven - Op. 1970” side B from Opus 1970 (1970 Deutsche Grammophon). Composed and mixed by Karlheinz Stockhausen; Piano, Aloys Kontarsky; Elektronium, Harald Bojé; Tam-tam, Rolf Gehlhaar; Electric viola, Johannes G. Fritsch; Tone Production Associate, Otto-Ernst Wohlert. This special version of Kurzwellen, sometimes known as Kurzwellen mit Beethoven-Musik, Stockhoven-Beethausen and released as Opus 1970, was produced for the bicentenary of Beethoven’s birth in 1970. Following on the heels of his ensemble work for Kurzwellen (1968) and his use of shortwave tape collages in Hymnen (1969), Stockhausen substituted four tape collages of recorded Beethoven works for the shortwave radios of Kurzwellen. The recorded tapes retained shortwave sounds to simulate the real-time reception on radios. His ensemble used the same performance practices as they had for Kurzwellen but replaced the live shortwave radios with sounds they picked up from the montages on tape. They were each asked to respond to the tape collages as they would radio transmissions, choosing to tune-in and out as they wished. 25:33
4. Karlheinz Stockhausen, “Spiral - Version Elektrochord,” from Spiral/Wach/Japan/Pole (1973 Die Stimme Seines Herrn). Elektrochord, Schalmal, Japanische Bamboo flute], shortwave radio (KW-Empfänger, Péter Eötvös; mixer and potentiometer, Karlheinz Stockhausen. This album includes two versions of Spiral, one by Peter Eotvos and the other by Harald Boje. The Boje version uses the Electronium alone wth a shortwave receiver while this version uses an Electrochord, a shawm, a Japanese bamboo flute, and a shortwave receiver. The Electrochord in question is actually a combination of instruments consisting of a Hungarian zither with 15 strings along with an EMS VCS-3 synthesizer. The sounds of the zither are picked-up by two contact microphones and fed through the synthesizer for modification, for example filtering and ring modulation. This is one of the first instances I can find of someone from Stockhausen’s performing group using a synthesizer other than the accordion-like Electronium. This Electrochord should not be confused with the organ-like instrument of the same name invented in the 1930s in Germany. The composer later purchased a very large EMS model 100 synthesizer for the WDR studio. 16:03

Background Music

• Thom Holmes, “Love Thump” (2015) for shortwave and processed sounds. 11:62

Opening and closing sequences voiced by Anne Benkovitz.

Additional opening, closing, and other incidental music by Thom Holmes.

For additional notes, please see my blog, Noise and Notations.

More information about Stockhausen’s shortwave radio era with a breakdown of the compositions and recordings can be found in this extensive article by Ed Chang. While you are there, check out his other “chapters” of analysis.