The Concept of Unity in Electronic Music Author(s): Karlheinz Stockhausen and Elaine Barkin Reviewed work(s): Source: Perspectives

of New Music, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Autumn, 1962), pp. 39-48 Published by: Perspectives of New Music Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/832178 . Accessed: 20/12/2012 18:43
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THE

CONCEPT ELECTRONIC

OF UNITY MUSIC

IN

(Die Einheitder musikalischen Zeit)

KARLHEINZ STOCKHAUSEN

thecomposition of electronic fourcharactermusic,I have described isticsthatseemimportant to me forelectronic as distincomposition from thecomposition ofinstrumental music: guished of thecoloristic, and metric1) thecorrelation harmonic-melodic, of aspects composition rhythmic and de-composition oftimbres 2) thecomposition the characteristic differentiation ofintensity 3) amongdegrees between soundand noise 4) theordered relationships oftimbre, Here,I wouldliketo discussonlythecorrelation pitch, and In duration. the it has been to regard intensity, past, customary these correlative of sound as mutually as properties independent, to distinct have belonging fundamentally spheres.They appeared separateas our acousticalperception increasingly developedalong such lines. themeansemployed fortheproduction ofsound,as well Similarly, as the compositional were processitself, consequent upon this conTo generate sound-events ceptual separation. having single perceptible we used the so-calledsine tone,square-wave, or saw-tooth pitches, whichproduce oscillations. Sound-events of indegenerators, periodic terminate thosethatare moreor less noise-like, wereproduced pitch, by meansofnoisegenerators. We variedsuchsoundornoise-colors filters, bymeansofelectrical withwhichone can strengthen, or suppressentirely indiattenuate, vidualpartialsor wholefrequency-bands-the so-called or formants, bandsofnoise-of thespectra. was controlled withtheaid ofa voltmeter, Intensity by regulating, thevoltages recorded on tape (whereby thespectrum itself automati* 39-

ON

SE VERAL previousoccasions, when I have been asked to explain

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PERSPECTIVES

OF NEW

MUSIC

in intensity), whereasduration was callyvariedwiththevariations was a sound on which of the determined length tape simplyby recorded. of and manipulation in termsof the production Compositionally, to be with had dealt these individual sound, sepasound-properties a sound-event as a homohand,we perceive But,on theother rately. of four separate ratherthan as a composite geneousphenomenon in electronic of work At a my early stage properties. relatively this the of I had already considered possibility equating composition, In in composition itself. withan analogous of perception unity unity forthe I found, thepreparatory workformycomposition Kontakte, I deduced all properties a single control. under first time, waystobring to differences can be traced of acoustic thatall differences perception relations of soundwaves. These temporal in the temporal structure of pitch, manifestations the manydifferent enableus to distinguish and noise:their sound-mixture, timbre, speedof oscillasimultaneity, tion,theirparticular equal and regularor moreor intervals--either withwhichpulsations andthefrequency less irregular-their density, in intensity to me thatthedifferences reachtheear. It seemed among of when from thelatter derive soundsultimately pulsations property: the in another closer one follow value succession, temporal equal to effect over-all would,in fact, increases; this,the density intensity theindividual that haveto be so great conveyed pulseswereno longer but rather of the atmosphere of equal perturbations as a succession of air agitated theparticles sound-waves: as mutually by interfering before further be reactivated thus would the initial pulses by pulses and are,so to speak,"shaken havebecome up,"so that quiescent they The total in an increase over-all is of theimpression intensity. given several than rather wave thus appearsas a single greater complex will of pulses,the stronger the succession smallerones. The faster wave. of the resultant be the appearance soundwave,suchas a simple A periodic tone, regularly fluctuating of pulses that in intensity, wouldthusbe the resultof a succession The difference eachperiod. within anddecelerate accelerate alternately of the of rates slowest and fastest the between pulses in each speed of its (its "intensity intensity period would definethe direction The distancebetweenperiodically envelope") and its amplitude. thepitch. recurring equal ratesofspeedwoulddetermine
Ex. 1

* 40 4

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THE

CONCEPT

OF UNITY

IN ELECTRONIC

MUSIC

of pulses of this kind were to be accelerated If a succession so recurrences thatbetween theperiodic ofthehighest were speedthere a timeinterval tonewith of,say, 1/440 sec.,onewouldheara simple thepitch ofA-440. If the rate of speed of the pulse-succession did not fluctuate
regularly (

eral unequal parts withineach equal time-span (as, for example,

) but consisted instead of periods of sev-

so-called "color" of a steady sound would /&\f\J\ /), the

to thewave crests. A "period" dividedintotwo parts varyaccording wouldbe represented as follows:

Ex. 2

In a moreor less noiselike theperiods sound-event wouldno longer be regular; i.e. thetimeintervals between recurrences of equal rates of speed would not remainconstant but would varyirregularly betweena givenfastest and slowestspeed. These extremes determine the limitsof a frequency noise"band. If band, a so-called"colored the rateof speed of the pulse succession wereso widelyvariedthat thesmallest interval between pulseswereca. 1/16,000 sec., and the ca. 1/20 sec., occurring at regular and everylongest time-intervals, between theseextremes in a highly occurred fashion thing aperiodic thatone mightterm"aleatoric")the resultwould be (in a manner "whitenoise." For most musicians, these considerations may seem specifically related to acoustics rather thanto music.Actually, a musical however, is no morethan a temporal of sound composition ordering events, is a temporal of just as each soundeventin a composition ordering ofthepoint at whichcomposition pulses.It is onlya question begins: in composing for instruments whose sounds are predetermined, a not need be concerned with these On the other composer problems. each sounddirectly hand,in electronic music,one can either compose in termsof its wave succession, each individual sound or, finally, wavemaybe determined in terms ofits actualvibration, by an orderof pulses. ing of the succession in all of the of sound could be If, fact, experiential properties tracedto a singleprinciple of ordering-such temporally composed successions of pulses-compositional wouldhave to be radithought o 41 ?

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PERSPECTIVES

OF NEW

MUSIC

the "acoustical The distinction between prearrangecallyreoriented. ment" thematerial and "musical within usingthismaterial ordering" or "synwould now have to be discarded. The prevailing additive, thetic" in the are different which compositional procedure, properties a boundtogether, would now be expanded through protogenerative from and moreunified One wouldnotproceed soundpropapproach. ertiesthat had alreadybeen experienced and then allow these to one would compose the temdetermine variations; instead, temporal their resultant and discover of poralarrangements pulsesthemselves, soundproperties experimentally. at sucha procedure, I was After myfirst, simple, attempt relatively of the theparticular abletopredict orderings pulses. temporal roughly of pulseson tape within I thenproceeded to record fixed successions of between a relatively low speed range (using pulsation intervals at the speed untilI arrived 1/16 and 16 secs.) and thenincreased This was doneby the"field" of frequencies and colorthatI desired. withwhichthespeedofthepulsesuccesmeansof a pulsegenerator ifI wished to generate sionwas regulated hand. Thus,for example, by a a periodic wave-thatis, a soundofconstant pitch-from succession are fixed, I of pulses lastingeightsecondswhose speed variations therhythmized succession wouldhaveto accelerate 1,024 eight-second it tenoctaves its duration thatis, transpose times, reducing upwards, this of 128 In order to sustain from to sec. cps. for eight 1/128 pitch 128 X 10, theoriginal succession 10 sec., I wouldhaveto re-record or 1,280 times, whichcan easilybe done by meansof a tape loop. The "color" soundwouldbe determined oftheresulting by thevariawhichare tionsofspeedamongthepulsesoftheoriginal succession, of the accelerations the and nowdetermined periodic duplications by the each timespan-i.e. wave form within envelope." "intensity from onemustproceed Withsucha compositional then, procedure, meterand such as color,harmony and melody, ceptualcategories, as must be and "form," regarded corresponding rhythm, dynamics, ofthisunified as follows: to thedifferent time, components waves (thatis, to to 1. Harmony and melody periodic correspond shouldnot of constant whose individual sound-events periods pitch) thanca. 1/16 or lessthanca. 1/6,000sec. becausebeyond be greater theselimits audibleas "pitches." theyare no longer to thewholenumber 2. The colorofharmonic spectra corresponds ca. refer to periodsof between fractions which,as "fundamentals," or noiselike ca. the nonharmonic and color of 1/16 sec.; 1/13,000
spectra correspondsto more or less aperiodic successions of periods. S42 musical time;and the different a basic conceptof a single, unified per-

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THE CONCEPT OF UNITY IN ELECTRONIC MUSIC 3. Between ca. 1/30 and 1/16 sec. our perception of duration i.e., periodic gradually changes into perceptionof meterand rhythm; periods may thenbe consideredas meters,and the internalintervallic of the distancesbetweenpulses withinany givenmeterrelationships thatwhich determines than ca. 1/16 the tone color forperiods shorter sec.-may here be consideredas "rhythm." Aperiodic relationshipsof periods, which are considered "noises" in the sphere of color, correspond,when the periods are longer than ca. 1/16 sec., to aperiodic rhythms having no recognizable metersi.e. no recognizable periodicity (just as a deviation from simple in the sphere of in periodicity frequency--"dissonance"-corresponds, the sphereof duration,to syncopation). Although many of the new compositionshave been criticizedfor their alleged "lack of rhythm," they may actually be considered to have "pure rhythm"without meter. This objection, moreover, is exactly analogous to that directedagainst the use of aperiodic sound waves, i.e. against "noises." 4. Meter and rhythm correspondto the timeintervalswhose order of magnitudeis betweenca. 1/8 and ca. 8 secs. At about 8 secs. our abilityto distinguishdurationalrelationships gradually breaks down. With values of greaterlengthwe are no longer able to rememberthe exact lengthsof durationsor perceivetheirproportions as accurately as we can those thatlie betweenca. 1/8 and ca. 8 secs. "Form" in a special sense-the time relationships of longer to durationsof the order of magnitude of from events--corresponds several seconds to about 15-60 minutes (for "movements" or whole "compositions"). The transitions and overlappingsbetween all the time spheres are but this is especiallyso with reference to "form," which quite flexible, is most obviously an approximation(in the literatureof music, of or continuousworks vary from course, the durationsof "movements" several minutesto ca. one hour). Perhaps I should mentionhere that each of the threelarge musical duration,rhythm time-spheres-frequency duration,and form duration-are of approximately size: each has a compass of about equal seven "octaves" (where "octave" signifiesa relationof 1:2). Between the highestnote on the piano, whose fundamentalwavelengthis ca. 1/4,200 sec. and the lowest,whose wavelengthis ca. 1/27 sec., there are just over seven octaves. Below this point sound waves gradually become audible as rhythms(a good illustration of this is the audible effect of the lowestnotes on the organ), and fromca. 1/16 sec. to ca. S43

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PERSPECTIVES

OF NEW

MUSIC

8 sec.-the span ofrhythm are again sevenoctaves, durations-there as follows:

- 1/8" - 1/4" - 1/2" - 1" - 2" - 4" - 8". 1/16"

(21 -

22

23

25 -

26 -

2 -_.)

The sphereof form ca. 900 from ca. 8 sec. to between duration, secs. (15 minutes, the approximate durationof single traditional movements of a work) and ca. 3,600 secs. also includesseven-nine as follows: octaves,
- 26 ( - 21 _ 2 - 23_ 24 2 2 .) 8" - 16" - 32" - 64" - 128" - 256" - 512" - 1,024"

the durations beThus, the totalmusicaltimesphereencompasses tweenca. 1/4,200sec. and ca. 900 secs.,thatis, 22 (-24) "octaves," or 22-24 progressions of 1:2. At thispointI wouldlike to demonstrate, withan examplefrom a thetime continuous between Kontakte, composition my overlapping of their and the and ("sounds" "colors") sphere sphere "frequencies" of"rhythms" time audible within intervals). given (individually pulses This overlapping will takeplace in thezone between ca. 30 and ca. 6 pulses/sec. To begin with,I fed a periodicsuccessionof 16.6 intoa verynarrow-band filter. This succession emerged pulses/sec. as a soundwave of clear,recognizable one minpitch.Then, within I continuously ute's duration, of this variedthe frequency position 40 cps to 300 cps-that is, overa span,from filter from low to high, of about3 octaves-inan ascending zigzag glissando pattern:
300 cps

40 cps

Ex. 3

in the pitch are heard as variations in filtering These variations thepulse-succession. from resulting this resultto a tenfold until 166 acceleration, Next, I subjected that is, one heard soundedinsteadof 16.6 pulses/sec.; pulses/sec. of 166 cps (between a steady havinga frequency pitch Eb, and E3). 40 and 300 cps,heardat thefirst between The pitchvariation stage, of the tone color of the 166-cps now appearsas an intensification Becauseofthehighspeed,thispattern tone(now 6 secs.induration). is no longer heardas an ascending "melodic line." * 44 *

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THE

CONCEPT

OF UNITY

IN ELECTRONIC

MUSIC

For thecontinuation ofthissound,I generated a thirty-second successionof pulseswhosespeed decreased from16.6 pulses/sec. to 4 to a zigzag pattern. the filter pulses/sec. according Simultaneously, was continuously varieddownwards from300 cps to 40 cps and thenupwards againto 300 cps.
300 cps 300 cps

Filter 40 cps Pulse

Frequency -- - \
16,6/sec. 9,4

6,8
5,3 4/sec.

Ex. 4

45 secs.,thespeedwas lessened from 4 pulses/sec. Duringthenext to 1 pulse/sec. to a of 4 alterations of the according pattern zigzag in therangebetween filter 300 and 54 cps. After 27 secs., thefilter remained levelat 54 cps.
45" 300 cps Filter 4/sec. Pulse Frequency * . o 54 cps

Ex. 5

S1/sec.

In thethird the speed was decreased partof the pulse succession from to 45 secs. dura1 regularly pulse/sec. 1/4 pulse/sec.(within of the filter remained constant at 54 cps forthe tion); the position first 15 secs., and then, witheach individual suddenly, pulse,it was variedseventimesin a fixedup-down, "melodic" up-down pattern, and thenheld constant at 44 cps.
45" Filter
54 cps

l/sec

...

II

44 cps

S0,25/sec.

6O,25/sec.

45 ?

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PERSPECTIVES

OF NEW

MUSIC

theresultant and theoverall diminution of Next,I connected parts, the speed amounted to 6 octaves (from 16.6 pulses/sec.to 1/4 between along withthe abovementioned pulse/sec., pitchvariations 300 and 44 cps). (60" + 30" + 45" + 45") For thelast pulses,I gradually thefilter altered timeso feedback at theend,theduration ofeachindividual is and that, increased, pulse the"color" becomes somewhat "metallic." At thispoint, thetotalresult to an acceleration, I subjected which 16.6 the a from to at to tenfold acceleration amounted, beginning, to a 166 pulses/sec., alterations, and, by virtueof the continuous 2.5-foldacceleration betweenthe at the end, so thatthe intervals finalpulses amount to ca. 1.5 secs. The pitchof the finalpulses is thensteady thesame as thatwith at 160 cps,whichis approximately the form of the original whichtheevent Whereas accelerated began. we gradis heard as tone-color variation variation, frequency chiefly of individual it again as a succession pulses,as pitch, uallyperceive sound becauseofthecontinuous ofthesounds. The initial dissolution of 166 cps slides (in 6" + 32") about7? octaves downwards, passintoperthezone whereperception of pitchmodulates ing through of rhythm, of "tonecolor"mergesintothat whereperception ception of "melody," and thus the "color"is dissolvedinto a successionof individual "pitches." At the conclusion the intervals of thispulse succession, between and theindividual 52 to 45.5 48.5 cm., cm., cm., pulsescorrespond 57 cm. of thetape (where38.1 cm. = 1 sec.). I thenaddedthree theintervals were more of 160 cps,between which pulseswitha pitch and 89 cm. and 140 cm. This continued the gradual retardation final was the third and of The lengthening protracted pulse pulses. the intoa continuous soundonceagain (by meansof overmodulating filter I madethissoundincreasfeedback).By meansofamplification from the and in five stagesfiltered continuously ingly"overtone-rich" 48 the As a within of sound. lowestto the highest result, portions the out of then its color first secs., range brightened, passed gradually ofaudibility, "overthetop,"as it were.

OPPOSITE

AND

OVERLEAF:

Kontakte, Stockhausen, pp. 19 and 20

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THE

CONCEPT

OF UNITY

IN ELECTRONIC

MUSIC

Beginning 200-300 cps 450-600 cps (after8") 800-1,000 cps (after17") FILTER: 26") 1,500-3,000 cps (after 5,000-10,000 cps (after35") The entire as it was applied transformation, processof temporal in Kontakte, in is schematically the score betweenthe represented timecoordinates 16'56.5" (highestlayer) and 18'26.5" (pp. 19-20 in the score). Most of the eventsin Kontakte, like the one in the werecomposed transformations example, by meansofmany temporal of pulse structures. I have already affirmed my belief that any drasticseparation between acoustics and musicis no longer wherecomposimeaningful tionincludes thesynthesis of thesoundwaves themselves. The temintoa rhythm poral processby whicha sound is transformed can, without The aesthetic of the doubt,take a musicalform. judgment listener can determine if theresultof thisprocessis successful, if it is significantly with the total if and it has been work, congruent withoriginality and imagination. accomplished It is understandable Western that,in traditional music,wherethe of and those sound-events spheres harmony melodydominate, only wereused thathaveperiodic waves and clear,recognizable, constant The way in whichthe laws of harmonic and melodicunion "pitch." of such tones,whose harmonic sound spectraare based on wholenumber divisions ofthesoundwavesofthefundamentals, corresponds to the definition of consonant and dissonant intervals and precisely theirfunction, indicates the necessity of excluding noise fromthis kind of music.Similarly, in the sphereof duration, the meters, i.e. timeintervals in withrhythms(or measures)werefilled periodic divisions of the meters(tone color consequently, by whole-number is to a fundamental as rhythm is to a meter) -and all ofthevariations and disruptions of the metrical were periodicity regulated according to the definition of syncopated and regulartimeintervals and their function. in the of such metrical sucCorrespondingly, sphere form, cessions wereformed into units of 16 measures 2, 4, 8, periodically with"irregular" variants of 3-, 5-, 7-, or (or, better, "syncopated") 9-measure All of musical time was unified under a common periods. and it was to include in this scheme theactual principle, unnecessary soundwavestructure ofinstrumental sincethiswas guaranteed tones, in advanceby the selection and construction of instruments of fixed
S47

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PERSPECTIVES

OF NEW

MUSIC

If nowadays, totake ontheother hand,it has become pitch. necessary into accountfactors such as thosediscussedhere,to bringall the of electronic musicaltime,and to find musicundera unified spheres one general set of laws to govern ofmusicaltimeitself, sphere every a resultof the condition music thisis simply imposedby electronic thateachsoundin a givenworkmustbe individually composed. (Translatedby Elaine Barkin)

S48

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