Week Three - Karlheinz Stockhausen: Stimmung, Part I

Okay, I might have bit off more than I can chew. I have a busy week and Stimmung is a long piece, an hour or more, and each performance is different. I have two recordings: the Songcircle version and the Paul Hillier & Theatre of Voices version. I will try to get to both and perhaps also the Collegium vocale Köln version on YouTube! But first, a short explanation of how this piece is put together.

Stimmung = 'tuning', 'being in tune with', 

1. Six amplified singers. (SSATTB)
2. Only 6 notes throughout (Bb, F, Bb, D, Ab, C). A Bb 9 chord.

3. The Score consists of four elements, a ‘formal plan’, six pages of syllabic models, six pages of magic names, and a page of poetry.
4. The ‘formal plan’ maps out 51 sections of unfixed duration that specify which harmonic of the low B flat is to be sung.
5. Each section had a lead singer which the other singers, if singing, slowly get in sync with, at which time the next section begins.
6. Singers highlight certain harmonics of their note by following the model chosen.
7. The models are rhythmic phonetic patterns, sometimes with words (see below).
8. In 29 sections 'magic names', gods and goddesses from around the world, are called out.
9. The erotic love poems, by Stockhausen, are spoken at various times.

Here's an example of one of the syllabic model pages:

In Part 2 of this blog I will listen and give my reaction to all of this!! Until then, wish me listening luck!