LICHTER-WASSER (LIGHTS-WATERS) for soprano, tenor, orchestra and synthesizer player

Transcription

1 Stockhausen s new composition, LICHTER-WASSER (LIGHTS-WATERS) for soprano, tenor, orchestra and synthesizer player is a scene of SUNDAY from LIGHT. It will be world premièred at 8:30 p.m. on October 16th 1999 at the Baar Sporthalle in Donaueschingen, and performed a second time at 11 a.m. on October 17th. The performers are Barbara van den Boom, soprano, Hubert Mayer, tenor, Antonio Pérez-Abellán, synthesizer, and the Symphony Orchestra of the Southwest German Radio conducted by Karlheinz Stockhausen. For information, contact the Donaueschingen Tourist Office, Karlstr. 58, Donaueschingen, Germany. Tel.: 0049-(0) , Facs.: (0) Photo: Boris Braunstorfinger, Berlin Stockhausen in July 1999 during the Stockhausen Courses Kuerten, which 130 participants from 23 countries attended. Prepared for electronic distribution by James Stonebraker (james@jimstonebraker.com) Version 1.0 August 18, Stockhausen -Verlag 1

2 LICHTER-WASSER for soprano, tenor, orchestra, and synthesizer is the GREETING of SUNDAY from LIGHT. Since 1977, I have been composing the work LIGHT, The Seven Days of the Week, using a super formula, which comprises three synchronous formulas. In LICHTER-WASSER, 17 blue lamps stand next to 17 high instruments. They correspond to the 17 notes of the MICHAEL formula. 12 green lamps, next to the lower instruments, correspond to the 12 notes of the EVE formula. The lights are lit in succession with the entries of the individual instruments. Near the end, the instruments stop playing one after another for a moment, each player takes a sip of water and then leaves, playing sustained notes. The upper three staves of the first sketch show the segment of the super formula for LICHTER-WASSER (the first note of the MICHAEL formula is B), and in the fourth and fifth staves are the 1st segments of the MICHAEL and EVE formulas, respectively. The beginning and end are formed from the two M and E nuclear formulas.form Superformel 7. Glied SONNTAG-Transpos. Während Brücken setzt Formel aus. Tonformen übernehmen PROZESSIONEN 7th segment of super formula SUNDAY transposition During bridges, the formula is discontinued. Apply tone-forms. PROCESSIONS 2

3 The initial duet of soprano and tenor, entrance of the instruments. Superf. 7. Glied Kernformel Tenor kommt von rechts, Sopran von links. Tonband Akkorde, besser Synthesizer live ganze Formel bei ; = 63, : 113,4 = 16 x die Formel à 2 Min. (oder 8 x à 4 Min.) Formel mit ; = 63,5 x 16 30,2 Min. gültig STIMM-INTRODUKTION Kern (34 ) x 2 = 68 (+1) 69 langsam MORSEN Ten. MICH. 17 blaue Lichter 12 grüne Lichter Sopr. EVA Kerne (34 ) x 8 Licht pro Ton ganze Formel IND IRR (sehr langsam) versch. lange Einzeltöne 12 Durchläufe: in jedem Durchgang 1 Tonform dom., 1 Solo / Duo / Trio, 2 Töne erstarrt Kerne x 8 homophone 29-Ton-Akk. transp. Töne frieren Musiker gehen mit Ton hinaus ins Freie, Saal-Lichter aus, nur die 29 Lämpchen bleiben. Wenn alle Musiker hinausgehen, gehen die beiden aufs Podium mit Duett. Tenor gibt ihr ein größeres Licht, Sopr. schenkt ihm Wasser ein, das er trinkt. Beide gehen singend fort, Sopr. mit Licht, Ten. mit Phiole. (Bei jedem Ton schenken Sopr. und Ten. dem Musiker vorher Wasser ein, der Musiker trinkt, spielt den konstanten Ton: Sopr. den MICHAEL-Spielern grünes Wasser, Ten. den EVA-Spielern blaues Wasser.) 29 Spieler 29 x 2 Notenpulte 7th segment of super formula nuclear formula Tenor enters from the right, soprano from the left. tape chords, better synthesizer live entire formula at ; = : = the formula 16 times à 2 minutes (or 8 times à 4 minutes) formula at ; = 63.5 x minutes valid VOICE INTRODUCTION nucleus (34 ) x 2 = = 69 slow MORSE CODE tenor MICHAEL 17 blue lamps 12 green lamps soprano EVE nuclei (34 ) x 8 light per note entire formula INDividually IRRegular (very slow) long individual notes of various durations 12 run-throughs: in each one, 1 tone-form dominates, 1 solo / duet / trio, 2 notes freeze nucleus x 8 homophonic 29-note chords transposed notes freeze Musicians walk outside playing, auditorium lights turned off, only the 29 small lamps remain. When all musicians leave, the two walk onto the stage singing a duet. Tenor gives her a lamp, soprano fills his glass with water, which he drinks. Both leave singing, soprano with lamp, tenor with vial. (With each note, soprano and tenor pour water into the glasses of the musicians, the musicians drink, play a sustained note: soprano gives the MICHAEL players green water, tenor gives the EVE players blue water). 29 players 29 x 2 music racks 3

4 12 MICHAEL waves and 12 EVE waves begin synchronously, separate polyphonically and meet at 7 further synchronous beginnings, connected by 6 bridges. The exit of the instruments and the final duet follows. In the 12 waves, the durations of the two formulas are gradually enlivened from undivided durations of the formula notes in the first wave to maximally subdivided durations in the 12th wave: 17 durations per w in the 12th M-wave, 12 durations per w in the 12th E-wave: see the rhythmic subdivisions, metronome indications for the initial tempi of the 2 x 12 transpositions (q = etc.), number of the w per wave ( 60 w, 30 w, 15 w etc.), number of the subdivisions per w :Spatial Composition The individual notes of both formulas move from instrument to instrument in two spatial layers. The positions of the instruments can be seen in the following sketch. The musicians play standing facing the conductor, who stands with his back to one of the walls (Dir.). The audience is seated in 8 triangles facing the centre.for the spatial movements of the instrument notes in each wave there is a corresponding number of coloured sketches.in the context of the form sketch it Projektionen / projections ab dem 2. EVA-Zyklus könnte je Zyklus eine EVA-Tonform die Töne MICHAELs umspielen / Starting with the 2nd EVE cycle, one EVE tone form could play around MICHAEL S notes. nacheinander alle Töne erstarrt, hinausgehen / All notes freeze in succession, exit. zunehmend accel. und rit. und Skalenausbrüche / Gradual accelerando and ritardando and eruptions of scales. Tempotranspositionen / tempo transpositions Transpositionen / transpositions Übergeordnete Rufe: Hohe: EB Klar. Oboe Tiefe: Tuba / exceptional calls: high: EB clarinet oboe low: tuba In the bridges, notes stay longer with individual instruments. 4

5 is explained how the speed of the rotations increases from wave to wave. During the performance as indicated in the following spatial plans for the singers the soprano and tenor walk to instrumentalists who have a particular spatial significance. All such movements are indicated in the score.texts The rotations of the notes in space are related to the rotations of the 9 planets and 61 moons of our solar system, whose names, astronomical characteristics and significances are sung. F 1, F 2 Ob Eh KB K B Fa 1, 2 Sax H 1, 2 = flutes = oboe = English horn = E-flat clarinet = clarinet = bass clarinet = bassoons = baritone saxophone = horns T 1, 2 Th Eu P 1, 2 Tu V 1 5 Va 1 5 Syn = trumpets = tenor horn = euphonium = trombones = tuba = violins = violas = synthesizer When the rows of seats are 80 cm apart and the chairs are 65 cm wide, = 728 seats can be set up in the 8 triangles, minus 22 (i.e. 706) because for 11 players 2 seats each must be removed in the interior aisles. February 18th

6 Position of the high instruments o1ø O17Ø (blue) and the lower instruments Oo1ø OO12Ø (green): Entrance and the initial rotations LICHTER-WASSER begins:and closes: Rotations in the 2nd and 3rd M-waves Rotations in the 2nd E-wave 6

7 Rotations in the 4th, 5th and 6th M-waves Rotations in the 3rd, 4th and 5th E-waves 7

8 Rotations in the 7th M-wave continuation 5th E-wave spatial points with E5 continuation 6th E-wave spatial points th E-wave spatial points

9 continuation of the rotations in the 7th M-wave Rotations in the 8th E-wave spatial points Rotations in the 8th M-wave spatial points continuation 8th M-wave Rotations in the 9th E-wave spatial points

10 Give a sign, that the player should light his lamp himself. 17 M-waves + 6 bridges tenor positions E-waves + 6 bridges soprano positions B = bridges, O = E-WAVES

11 The tenor enters the auditorium at the right. He remains standing there, greets the soprano, sings synchronously with her. The soprano enters the auditorium at the left. She remains standing there, sings synchronously with him. 11

12 Tenor (holding lamp in his left hand) and soprano (holding water carafe in her right hand) stand in the centre of the auditorium facing each other. Side by side soprano at the right they slowly exit singing, in a different direction than the instrumentalists. K. Stockhausen August 11th

13 LICHTER-WASSER, Manuskript Seite 39 / manuscript page 39 13