No. 71 MITTWOCHS-ABSCHIED (WEDNESDAY FAREWELL)
Electronic and Concrete Music (8-track)
1996 [44']
Introduction
ORCHESTER-FINALISTEN is the 2nd Act of MITTWOCH AUS LICHT
(WEDNESDAY FROM LIGHT), the 6th-completed LICHT opera. This piece has
no vocal text, but instead features 11 different orchestra instruments
performing short "auditions" one after another against a background tape
of musique concrete (environmental field recordings). Each solo is
also accompanied by a single 5-chord orchestral figure, cued by the
soloist (the instrumentation for the chords are left open, but
Stockhausen provides suggestions). After the auditions, the musicians
all play together using their solo parts, coming in and and out at
different points.
MITTWOCH AUS LICHT (Wednesday from LIGHT)
LICHT is a work of monumental proportions for acoustic and electronic operatic forces, divided
into the 7 days of the week (one opera for each day). This opera cycle
revolves around 3 archetype characters, MICHAEL, EVE and LUCIFER, and
over the 29 hours each of these characters are introduced, come into
conflict, face temptation and finally come into union. The music is
almost entirely based on a "super-formula",
which is a 3-layered melodic-thematic representation of the 3
characters. These formula-themes are together and separately threaded
throughout the opera's vocal and instrumental fabric. Story-wise,
actors and narrative can (and often do) change from scene to scene, and
the libretto text is sometimes made up of non-traditional grammar (or
even purely phonetic sounds).
MITTWOCH (Wednesday) is the Day of Cooperation and Reconciliation.
The scenes in MITTWOCH do not have a dramatic arc connecting them,
instead the theme of Cooperation and Reconciliation between the
characters is achieved
through
musical, visual, and spatial means. In ORCHESTER-FINALISTEN, the orchestra is "floating high up in the air from far away: individual soloists fly closer, each of them in/above their own space..." The "spaces" are aurally represented by field recordings of different juxtaposed environments. The theme of cooperation is represented by the coming together of the separate soloists into a full orchestra at the end of the Scene.
ORCHESTER-FINALISTEN
The musical material of the soloists' parts (and more subtly, the background tape) in ORCHESTER-FINALISTEN is derived from the DIENSTAG and MITTWOCH (Tuesday & Wednesday) measures of the LICHT super-formula (m. 4-7, drawn below on the CD cover), as well as the beginning of the EVE nuclear formula (a version of the EVE formula based on the melody without the ornamentation and articulation markings). Each of the instrumental solos include various extended techniques as well as body movements and pantomimes. In fact, in a staged version of Orchestra Finalists, the musicians are suspended in the air and have specific "telescoping" trajectories in space. They are also dressed as "musicians from 12 different alien cultures".
The accompanying background tape used to produce the "environmental space" is also known as MITTWOCHS-ABSCHIED (Wednesday Farewell), since it is re-projected at the end of the opera performance as the audience departs (slightly edited). It has 8 channels and is oriented octophonically in a "sound-cube" (such as in OKTOPHONIE). There are 11 overlapping environments/situations, with the 11th space
including some pitch-shifted/digitally-harmonized elements of the live part (a mummy and contra-bass
player). The concrete elements of these layers are projected as different surfaces of the sound-cube and are often treated
to reverb, ring-modulation and/or delays. The elements cannot occur together in reality (or at least rarely) and become
"trans-realistic" as Stockhausen describes it.
The 3 layers of concrete elements
are also pitch-transposed according to the above 3 layers of the LICHT super-formula fragment (DIENSTAG & MITTWOCH). This basically results in several background "drones" which sound like high metallic strings, low hums, etc... For example in the 1st section ("cathedral"), the high F, middle Eb and low Db can be heard. In the 6th section, wine glasses sound the Bb from the MICHAEL layer. The pitch transpositions and different 3-sided spatial projection shapes of the 8-channel sound cube in each section can be seen in the form-scheme below.
In the formscheme, each set of 3 staffs shows (in order): a layer's formula pitch for transposition (derived from the formscheme on the CD cover), spatial orientation, and nature of the concrete sound. There are 3 sets: EVE, MICHAEL and then LUCIFER's layers. In each of the 11 Spaces, there are usually 3 concrete sound layers and orientations, but in Spaces 7 and 8, there is only 1 layer (but with a mixed environment), since the MICHAEL and LUCIFER layers have rest notes in those measures.
8-channel loudspeaker set-up to create 3D sound space
Form Structure
The images above show the general melodic material Stockhausen used for each solo below. Melodic material from each of the 3 layers below each instrument were atomized and recombined to create the basis for each solo. The 3rd column below highlights some of the additional articulations and gestures for each soloist.
Track
Instrument & Environment
Additional instrumental timbres and Tape Elements
Time
1
Cathedral environment begins
Cathedral environment, brief instrumental "signatures" from each solo, higher ventilator power-switch on
1:31
2
Click of ventilator switch
Fan rattle, lower ventilator power-switch on (instrumental signature motifs continue).
0:14
3
Oboe Solo
Large register leaps, long tones with dynamic volume envelopes Catholic mass bells, priest singing "paster noster", power switch-off
Mouthpiece "buzzing" alternating w low tones, short figures facing left and right Wine glasses, bees, birds etc...children in class, goat
3:30
14
Kindergarten class begins
Soprano: "rrr", children
0:16
15
Flute Solo
3 note ascending figure with harmonics, flutter-tongue, vocalizing, percussive, "trombone tones", key noises, whistle tones, 2-note tremolos Children, goats, soprano sings names of instruments in order of solos.."soli...so- soli..."
4:05
16
Swimming pool environment begins
3 pool splashes, children
0:13
17
Trombone Solo
Wednesday fragment of EVE formula (6 note gliss figure) with 7 different "attitudes": ceremonious, elegant, angry, pious, excited, tired, happy Pool splashes, elephant calls, children
3:52
18
Viola Solo and Marrakesh train journey begins
Pizzicato, held like a guitar, rising stabbing notes with tremolo combined w verbal counting, multiple orchestra accompaniment figures, waving farewell at end Wild geese, locomotive approach and whistle, PA announcer, lion roars, tree frogs, locomotive departure
3:51
19
Trumpet Solo and Marrakesh
Slow microtonal notes with verbal counting, tongue clicks Ethnic percussion, Arabian oboes, laughing orangutan, bird warbling, lion, zebras, horses
3:21
20
Ship journey begins
Ship creaking
0:09
21
Contra-bass Solo
Phonetic vocals with with low bowed tone and drumming on bass body, labored vocal exclamations with fast bow bouncing, long "rrr" interrupted by bandaged "mummy" and Chinese gong. Bassist falls down, then gets up and conducts orchestra with bow: "1 - 2 - 3 - nothing!", jazzy bass riffing Tree frogs, ship creaking
4:20
22
Horn Solo
Horn soloist enters stage playing Wednesday fragment of EVE formula (the horn player has actually been repeatedly playing his solo throughout the concert, but outside the auditorium, in stairwells, the lobby, etc..) Tree frogs, ship creaking (cont'd)
0:25
23
Orchestra Tutti
All soloists play their solos again simultaneously, but entering at slightly different intervals Tree frogs, ship creaking (cont'd)
Live Performance
In a staged performance, ORCHESTER-FINALISTEN is performed once, but in an independently produced concert version the work is performed twice, each time with a different set of orchestra finalists (26 players instead of 13).
From Stockhausen's notes: "A telescopic observation of the stage reveals, through the telescope and corresponding to the music, the towering roof of a cathedral, aeroplanes flying over the sea, a harbour, etc. The electronic music delineates 11 spaces. They follow each other in succession, are superimposed in three layers for various lengths of time, and are clearly differentiated through octophonic spatial projection:
A cathedral
An airport by the sea
A harbour (also with aeroplanes)
A railway train with steam locomotive
A bird reserve (also individual birds)
Flocks of birds and swarms of bees
A kindergarten with little goats
A swimming pool with elephants
Wild geese above a railway train
A market-place in Marrakech, zebras, lions, wild geese, horses
A sailing-ship with tree frogs, rattletrap (jeep)
Objects inherent to these spaces protrude out of the floor. Above this, each soloist floats back and forth in a particular way (each also flies at a different altitude). At the end, all fly upwards in different directions, playing."
Flute excerpt by Karin deFleyt Birmingham 2012:
Tuba with Ian Foster, Birmingham 2012:
Trombone
with Andrew Connington, Birmingham 2012:
More excerpts (with World Parliament for the first 5'20'' min.): Oboe, cello, viola, tuba, flute, trombone, horn, contrabass
Sound Impressions ORCHESTER-FINALISTEN is a great collection of instrumental solos with a very rich and organic musique concrete background tape. It contains all of Stockhausen's favorite playing techniques as well as some pretty typically absurd moments, such as the mummy with the Chinese gong (I wonder if there's a subtext there or if it just came to him in a dream?).
These days, many orchestral musicians aspire to play soloistically
without risking
a career as soloist. I am therefore hoping that
orchestra musicians will also be
interested in playing the roles of the ORCHESTRA FINALISTS,
through which
they demonstrate their musicality and skill by a new
style of interpretation:
playing from memory, moving in an individual
way and projecting their personal aura.
- Stockhausen
The tape portion, MITTWOCHS-ABSCHIED is just as enjoyable separate from Orchestra Finalists as with, maybe even more so. Stockhausen managed to juxtapose some disparate elements which could never (or at least rarely, depending on how often elephants dive into swimming pools) occur in real life. The CD version is broken into 11 tracks with the rundown given above. In any case, ORCHESTER-FINALISTENwas one of those scenes which had a reputation for being "unperformable" due to the score requirement of having the soloists fly around over the sea and in the sky. The only production so far by the Birmingham Opera Company is a valiant effort, but I'm looking forward to the future where hopefully anti-gravity belts will be available for the soloists to use. Links Stockhausen's Notes on ORCHESTER-FINALISTEN
Sound samples, tracks listings and CD ordering:
Introduction MICHAELs HEIMKEHR (MICHAEL's Homecoming) is the 3rd Act of
Stockhausen's dramatic music work DONNERSTAG AUS LICHT (Thursday from
Light), which was the first-performed entry of his 7-part, 29-hour opera
cycle LICHT (Light). LICHT is a work for acoustic and electronic operatic forces, divided into the 7 days of the week (one opera for each day). This opera cycle revolves around 3 archetype characters, MICHAEL, EVE and LUCIFER, and over the 29 hours each of these characters are introduced, come into conflict, face temptation and finally come into union. The music is almost entirely based on a "super-formula", which is a 3-layered melodic-thematic representation of the 3 characters. These formula-themes are together and separately threaded throughout the opera's vocal and instrumental fabric. Story-wise, actors and narrative can (and often do) change from act to act and the libretto text is sometimes made up of non-traditional grammar or even purely phonetic sounds.
DONNERSTAG is about MICHAEL's experience as a human being on Earth, and the celebration of his return to the heavens. Act 3 opens with FESTIVAL, where the protagonist MICHAEL returns to the stars (SIRIUS) and is greeted by EVE, who gives him 3 gifts. Unfortunately the antagonist LUCIFER has hidden a "devil" inside one of the gifts, and MICHAEL is engaged in a "dragon fight". In the 2nd scene, VISION, MICHAEL describes LUCIFER's history and explains his own experience and purpose on Earth. The opera DONNERSTAG AUS LICHT concludes in DONNERSTAG's ABSCHIED (Thursday Farewell) with 5 trumpeters playing the MICHAEL melody-formula over the rooftops of the opera house square as the audience departs.
Musical Synopsis
The below table gives broad descriptions of the musical events which occur in this Act (based on the divisions found on Stockhausen Edition CD 30). A more detailed musical analysis (with formulas, text and photos) follows farther down the page.
Scene 1 - FESTIVAL:
MICHAEL is portrayed here in 3 simultaneous incarnations: a tenor vocal soloist, a trumpeter, and a male dancer (mostly inaudible on CD, obviously). EVE is portrayed by a soprano vocal soloist, a bassett-horn player, and a female dancer. LUCIFER later enters as a bass vocal soloist, a trombonist and a shouting "devil-dragon".
A background tape is present throughout the scene, consisting of a multi-tracked acapella choir singing extracts from religious texts as well as tongue clicks (with a brief looping clarinet ensemble section in the middle) with the title UNSICHTBARE CHÖRE (INVISIBLE CHOIRS). This 8 track tape is the same material from MICHAELs JUGEND, except that the channels are reversed. This reversal is echoed by the upside down shadowplay in Scene 2: VISION (this interesting insight from "Stockhausen and the Serial Shaping of Space", Paul Miller 2009). 5 mixed choirs and 5 orchestral groups are spaced equidistantly on the stage.
This scene is primarily characterized by declarative pronouncements from Eve and Michael, with each verbal fragment backed by block chords based on mixtures of choir and orchestra. After the formal Hymn of Greeting, Eve presents three Gifts to Michael. The 1st Gift is characterized by mixed choir forces carrying the exchanges. In the 2nd Gift, the choirs engage in colorful and chaotic aleatory figures, but this section is interrupted by the arrival of the Old Lady. The 3rd Gift contains a "Devil-dragon", whose arrival prompts a trumpet-trombone "dragonfight". Finally, Michael and Lucifer have their first real confrontation in the LICHT saga (verbally at least, and supported by their avatar solo instruments).
CD Trk #
Sequence
Music Elements When Eve (soprano) sings, she is shadowed by basset-horn and the forces listed below. When Michael (tenor) sings, he is shadowed by trumpet and the forces listed below.
1
Hymn Of Greeting
Descending ensemble
chords lead to start of choir tape, Eve's greeting.
2
Eve with winds.
3
Eve with choir, string/bell accents.
4
Michael with brass swells.
5
Eve with violins.
Michael with muted brass.
6
Eve with flutes/perc./ Michael with brass.
7
Meditation
Michael w perc, ascending tremolo strings
Sustained male choir/string texture.
8
1st Gift: 3 Plants
Eve with orchestra/perc, supported by taped tongue clicks.
9
Michael with low figures
(beginning Michael theme).
10
Michael (ending Michael theme).
11
Female choir.
12
Female choir supported by flutes, synth, strings.
13
Female choir supported by
flutes, synth, strings continued.
Eve loosely shadowed by bassett-horn and trumpet.
14
Male choir with orchestra.
15
Electric organ enters, male choir with orchestra, strings.
16
Michael & Eve with choir
& orchestra.
17
Arc Of LIGHT
Michael & Eve with choir
& orchestra leads to low frozen texture.
18
2nd Gift: 3 LIGHT Compositions
Choir begins hissing (later also tongue clicks).
Eve with orchestra & organ drone.
19
1st LIGHT Composition
Chaos Out of Colors
Choir (aleatory/free).
20
2nd LIGHT Composition
Suns out of Chaos
Eve w. aleatory choir,
looping clarinet tape begins.
21
Michael w muted brass/perc, looping
clarinets.
22
Michael w tape flashbacks from MISSION.
23
Eve shadowed by winds and perc.
24
3rd LIGHT Composition
Pt 1: Moons
Eve with subdued aleatory choir
and orchestra.
25
Pt 2: Moons & Glass Pictures
Eve with choir/orchestral/organ accents and figures.
26
Pt 3: The Starry Firmament
Male war hymn tape and aleatory choir/orchestra drones begin.
Eve & Michael dialogue (some TIERKREIS fragments) over an organ drone.
Percussive walking stick sound, toy tank, organ cadence and Old Woman's entreaty.
27
Isolated choir/orchestra accents (Old Lady departs). Organ cadence.
28
Choir/flute accents with metal perc.
29
Choir/orchestra swells.
30
3rd Gift: The Globe
Eve/basset-horn w. pizz accents.
Hushed choir w. tense pizz. accents begin.
Lucifer Dragon
enters (counting).
Tap-dancing trombonist and trumpeter begin battling in accents.
31
The Dragonfight
Tap-dancing trombonist and
trumpeter battle, urged on by choir exhortations/winds.
Dragon falls with falling glissandi.
32
Trumpet and trombone
aggressively play LUCIFER formula, joined by orchestra & choir.
33
Boys' Duet
Soprano saxophone duo.
34
Michael's accents interrupt the sax duo.
35
Argument
Messenger & Lucifer (laughing) approach from a distance.
36
Michael & Lucifer dialogue
supported by muted trumpet & trombone (organ & tubular bells). Fade out.
Scene 2, VISION:
MICHAEL (still in his 3 incarnations of tenor, trumpet and dancer-mime) explains LUCIFER's origins. He then explains why he took on a human form and experienced the pain and joy of growing as a human. This vocal and trumpet duet also features 7 VISIONS ("shadowplays") which act as aural "time-windows" into his Earthly existence and subsequent return to the Heavens. He ends THURSDAY FROM LIGHT by proclaiming his love for Mankind.
1
(Michael soliloquy
beginning)
Michael tenor & trumpet,
supported by organ drones.
No Invisible Choir/brass drone tape is employed for this Scene.
2
3
4
7
Shadowplays
Taped excerpts from previous
scenes surface.
5
1. CHILDHOOD
KINDHEIT opening excerpt.
6
2. MOON-EVE
MONDEVA middle excerpt (brief).
7
3. EXAMINATION
Excerpt from end of EXAMEN.
8
4. MICHAELs JOURNEY
A few measures from each the 7 Stations of the Earth.
9
5. CRUCIFIXION
CRUCIFIXION excerpt (clarinet duo, trombones).
10
6. ASCENSION
Trumpet and bassett-horn
trilling excerpt from end of ASCENSION.
11
7. HOMECOMING
Ending sequence of FESTIVAL's
1st Gift, Arc of Light, lead up to DRAGONFIGHT.
12
(Michael soliloquy
conclusion)
Subdued/reflective Michael tenor & trumpet,
supported by organ drones. Fade out.
13
14
15
LICHT Super-formula
Structurally, FESTIVAL is based on 33 chords which are drawn from a single statement of the LICHT superformula (especially the MICHAEL formula). This statement ends just before the ARGUMENT scene. By comparing the shape of the MICHAEL formula with the shape of FESTIVAL, matching scenes can be somewhat identified (for example, the colored pause in the 3rd measure of the MICHAEL formula appears to be expressed as the "Meditation" at section/chord 7, and measure 7's "colored noise" is probably the "Arc of Light" in section 17).
Detailed Synopsis with Formulas, Text and Images
The detailed analysis/descriptions below are based on the original score, and so not all elements may be present on the actual CD recording.
EVE bassett-horn and orchestra
play 11 descending chords. Winds and
strings maintain Eb & C drone. INVISIBLE CHOIRS begin singing polyphonic religious texts
0:56
2
EVE: Welcome, Son of love.
Throughout the scene, EVE's
dancer and bassett-horn incarnations shadow the EVE soprano vocal. Here, winds follow EVE as well.
0:21
3
MI-CHA-EL, Son
of God, Guardian spirit of Man's LIGHT…
(MICHAEL nuclear formula)
5 choir groups (w different
orchestra groups) alternate following EVE's vocal (MICHAEL nuclear
formula), ending with group tutti phrase. Tremolo strings throughout.
1:43
4
MICHAEL: Thank you, friends of
LIGHT.
Throughout the scene, MICHAEL's
dancer and trumpet incarnations follow
MICHAEL's tenor vocal. Here, the trumpet is bolstered by additional brass.
0:21
5
EVE: SIRIUS composed this hymn
for you. Don't you like it?
EVE: Gifts for your return,
"2nd Ray": Love in the plant world. Magnetic Nature grows up to Light, brings forth wisdom.
INVISIBLE CHOIRS: tongue
clicks Various orchestra groups enter and depart with each text line.
1:29
9
MICHAEL dancer traces the
branches of the 1st plant in a 3-pointed line MICHAEL dancer traces the branches of the 2nd plant in a 2-pointed line
MICHAEL: Descending - then
curving upwards again - form from Light. Rising and persistent - form from
Light. Melo…
Pitches 1-3 of the MICHAEL
nuclear formula, supported by brass and pizz. strings. Pitches 4 & 5 of the MICHAEL nuclear formula
0:42
10
MICHAEL dancer traces the
branches of the 3rd plant in a 4-pointed line
Sloping, drooping form - out of bright
intelligence.
Pitches 6-9 of the MICHAEL
nuclear formula
0:41
11
MICHAEL dancer conducts the
choir FEMALES in the same line as with the 1st plant
FEMALE CHOIR: A descending -
then curving upwards again - form from Light. Supported by strings.
0:31
12
MICHAEL dancer conducts the
choir FEMALES in the same line as with the 2nd plant
Rising and persistent form out of light -
Melody Supported by flutes, synth, strings
0:12
13
MICHAEL dancer conducts the
choir FEMALES in the same line as with the 3rd plant EVE & MICHAEL dancers gesture towards the 1st plant EVE & MICHAEL dancers gesture towards the 2nd plant EVE & MICHAEL dancers gesture towards the 3rd plant
EVE: Love, sinking into the kingdom of plants, then stretching upwards to
the light. Magnetic Nature grows up to the
light.
Light sinks into the shoots of the
plants, brings wisdom forth.
Sloping, drooping form - out of bright
intelligence. Supported by winds and strings.
EVE shadowed by bassett-horn and trumpet
1:29
14
MICHAEL dancer conducts the
choir MALES in the same line as with the 1st plant
MICHAEL dancer conducts the choir MALES in the same line as with the 2nd
plant
MALE CHOIR: A descending - then
curving upwards again - form from Light. (with orchestra)
Rising and persistent form out of
light: Melo…
0:42
15
MICHAEL dancer conducts the
choir MALES in the same line as with the 3rd plant EVE and MICHAEL dancers stand facing the 3 plants
Electric organ enters, then strings.
Sloping, drooping form - out of bright
intelligence.
0:41
16
EVE, MICHAEL, Choir: Beauty as splendid as the
Light - as brilliant as the rays of the Sun.
Choir accents on EVE's
"MOONS" Brass and synth/organ accents, strings ascending/descending tremoli
1:14
26
3rd LIGHT Composition: Pt 3: THE
STARRY FIRMAMENT
Zodiac constellations light up in the sky on each count of the INVISIBLE
CHOIRS An old woman with a cane makes her way to the stage.
EVE dancer launches a wind-up toy tank at her.
EVE and MICHAEL (alternating text fragments with melodies from TIERKREIS):
AQUARIUS the water-carrier…
PISCES - two fishes in movement…
ARIES - ari...
TAURUS - bull - middle of spring, feminine…
GEMINI - the airy twins, mobile like Mercury
CANCER - water, Moon
LEO the lion, fiery solar spirit...
VIRGO - the virgin, clarity from Mercury
LIBRA - the scales, Venus, air, winds...
SCORPIO - water in the storm...Mars, Pluto
- the archer arrow SAGITTARIUS -
fiery like Jupiter's knight on horseback
CAPRICORN - the goat with Saturn, Earth, man of Earth, man...
AQUARIUS - winter spirit...
OLD WOMAN: Come back home all of you!
INVISIBLE CHOIRS (males): Sings
German song "Once I had a comrade…" (counts from 1 to 13) (Slowly counts from 1 to 13) Orchestra holds quiet drone with aleatory trumpet syllables CHOIR: (aleatoric individual syllables of zodiac names), voiceless
percussive syllables
Only electric organ drones with vibrato
5:31
27
The old woman leaves.
CHOIR (rotating groups and
tutti): There...is...no...more..."home"…even angels are forever on
the move. Orchestra accents on each syllable with muted string drone and synth/organ
background
1:36
28
CHOIR (faster, higher):
There...is...no...more..."home"…even angels are forever on the
move. INVISIBLE CHOIRS: The heavens shall rejoice… Flutes flutter-tongue.
0:48
29 (29A)
A large terrestrial globe rolls onto the stage..
CHOIR (tones held with dynamic
envelopes): There...is...no...more..."home"…even angels are forever
on the move. INVISIBLE CHOIRS: and the Earth exult… Strings alternate tremolo arco and pizz.
When the MICHAEL dancer opens the globe a little black devil (LUCIFER
dancer from KINDHEIT) jumps out and wriggles on the floor.
The devil gives MICHAEL a small blue globe, who then passes it off to the choir members. The devil is offended by this and attacks the MICHAEL dancer, but the MICHAEL
trumpet defends him.
A trombonist dressed as a toreador enters and engages the trumpet. The devil hops around and transforms into a
Dragon.
The Dragon prepares to attack
the MICHAEL dancer.
EVE: As a 3rd gift for your
return, this terrestrial globe as a memento of your journey around the
earth.
Bassett-horn follows EVE and orchestra adds punctuations. Pizzicato string rhythms... Choir & strings: drone with
slight vibrato
CHOIR: The Devil in the core of the Earth…(humming with accents)
Tremolo strings. Choir and strings trill.
Tap-dancing trombonist and trumpeter begin battling.
Strings tremolo.
3:31
THE
DRAGONFIGHT
31 (30)
The MICHAEL trumpet and dancer
fight the LUCIFER Dragon and trombone. MICHAEL stabs at the Dragon 14 times (trumpet gliss up or accents on notes
of the MICHAEL nuclear tones). On stabs
11-14 the trombone glisses down. MICHAEL takes the orchestra conductor's baton and stabs the Dragon a
15th time in the heart with it (where it sticks). But the Dragon still tries to get up several
times.
Frenzied duo of trumpet and
tap-dancing trombone (reminiscent of trumpet/tuba fight in MICHAEL's REISE,
STATION 6). The trumpet matches the
MICHAEL dancer's lunges.
CHOIR: (screams, whispers and shouts of excitement and
encouragement).
Winds and el. organ drone (becoming trills).
The trombonist and choir play/sing glissandi as the Dragon struggles to
rise after being stabbed.
1:27
32 (31)
MICHAEL dances in triumph as the
Dragon still struggles to rise. EVE tries to pacify the fighters and makes 3 Magic Gestures (with
glissandi).
EVE: MICHAEL, LUCIFER - it's too
frightening! Satan's Dragon is struck!
Trumpet and Trombone
aggressively play LUCIFER formula (with all "colored" tones
normal). Orchestra re-enters.
CHOIR: And he shall open the gates of Paradise.
0:38
33 (32)
BOYS' DUET (KNABENDUETT): 2 Soprano
saxophonists stand up and entrance everyone with their light-hearted
playing. Everyone else
"freezes" as if under a spell.
Soprano saxophone duo
begins.
Everyone holds long tones.
2:07
34 (33)
MICHAEL leads EVE and the Choir: Children of clouds rejoice! The wild animals allow themselves to be led
by children - angels play - and then rejoices EVE & MICHAEL
Soprano saxophone duo
continues.
0:59
ARGUMENT
35 (34)
A tenor messenger arrives and
warns of LUCIFER's trouble-making. At the same time LUCIFER enters the auditorium and ascends to a balcony in
the audience. The trombone and Dragon slink to the side of the stage.
MESSENGER: MICHAEL! LUCIFER
again creates problems! LUCIFER: MICHAEL fool! Human fool! Returned…to make fun of your brother!
(laughs)
0:20
36 (35)
MICHAEL dismisses the EVE
characters and the choir. EVE and choirs depart singing: LUCIFER again creates problems.
LUCIFER:Ha ha ha! Am I disturbing
you? Haven't you had enough of these
earthlings, these toys of Gods?
MICHAEL: Scoffer! You have seduced all of Satania with your false
freedom.
LUCIFER: And you let them worship you as my successor, in the name of a
Father of the Universe - who doesn't exist.
MICHAEL: You have corrupted your wisdom through your intelligence! You
reigned over the holy mountain of God, 607 inhabited worlds, and you GAMBLED
IT ALL AWAY! You have been a terror
for 200,000 years, but no longer!
(MICHAEL makes the Cross of St Andrew in front of his chest).
LUCIFER: How often do you want to reenact MICHAEL's YOUTH, your JOURNEYS
AROUND THE EARTH, how many more FESTIVALS before his crippled children are
redeemed?
MICHAEL (MICHAEL formula): Stop! Can't you let us just once celebrate a
feast in peace?!
LUCIFER: This experiment with Man sickens me! Disgusting reincarnation machine to
Heaven! Too much time has been wasted
- the entire plan of the sons of Paradise of an ascent through death is
totally perverse! You are a naive
fool... fool... fool... fool...
INVISIBLE CHOIRS: Sopranos and
Altos sing repeating polyrhythmic patterns. EVE and choirs depart while singing: LUCIFER again creates problems. All musicians depart except organ and tubular bells. Trumpet supports MICHAEL's dialogue, trombone accents LUCIFER'S text.
MICHAEL as tenor vocalist,
trumpeter and dancer are on the stage.
The dancer's left arm and hands reflect the tenor part, as the
dancer's right hand and arm reflect the trumpet part.
MICHAEL: LUCIFER, the most noble among the angels rebelled
when Man was created. He assumed the guise of the serpent and took part in
the creation.
The MICHAEL singer sings the
MICHAEL formula stretched over the duration of VISION. The MICHAEL trumpet plays the LUCIFER formula staccato, but slowly
transforms into the MICHAEL formula over 15 cycles (based on the 15 notes in
the MICHAEL nuclear tones). Electric organ plays drone figures throughout.
1:20
2
For a universal era, Gabriel has bound the
Dragon LUCIFER in chains..and banished him into the Earth's core. (whispered) Since that time the sons of Light fight against the sons of
Darkness.
Trumpet shadows MICHAEL tenor. Quiet percussive trumpet notes.
(these whispered/toneless sequences are the expanded "colored silences" from the MICHAEL formula)
1:56
3
(normally) I - spirit of the
spirit MICHAEL - have become Man. I
wished to know what it means to be a Man...I have known his suffering, his
pettiness, his absurdity - his innocence, his joy, his happiness.
Trumpet normal. Quiet percussive trumpet notes.
2:38
4
(whispered, sung, and
tonelessly) You have heard and seen me… the voice as Tenor - the instrument
as Trumpeter - the body as Dancer. I have experienced the…
(Trumpet shadows MICHAEL tenor, etc...)
0:59
SHADOWPLAYS Scenes from THURSDAY FROM LIGHT are projected on a screen (upside down) as
shadows. These are 7 VISIONS of 7
moments from MICHAEL's life. MICHAEL
as tenor and trumpet provide commentary, as synth swells dynamically.
Shadowplay 1 CHILDHOOD Beginning excerpt from KINDHEIT
is seen & heard as shadows. The word "MELODIES" lights up, with letter M highlighted.
...MELODY of CHILDHOOD with
MOTHER & FATHER.
("ma-ma"…"Attention…!")
1:10
6
Shadowplay 2 MOON-EVE Excerpt from MONDEVA is seen and
heard as shadows. The word "INTENSITY" lights up, with letter I highlighted.
…INTENSITY of love through
MOON-EVE.
("MOON-EVE from the 12th star…")
0:36
7
Shadowplay 3 EXAMINATION End of EXAMEN is seen and heard
as shadows. The word "CHROMATICISM" lights up, with letter C highlighted.
…CHROMATICISM of the soul
through EXAMINATION.
("Naturally admitted!")
1:16
8
Shadowplay 4 MICHAELs JOURNEY 1-6 measures from beginnings of
each the 7 stations are seen and heard as shadows. The word "HARMONY" lights up, with letter H highlighted.
…HARMONY of the languages on my
JOURNEY AROUND THE EARTH.
1:30
9
Shadowplay 5 CRUCIFIXION Excerpt from CRUCIFIXION with 2
clarinets and 2 trombones is seen and heard as shadows. The word "AUDIOGRAMMAR" lights up, with letter A highlighted.
…AUDIOGRAMMAR of the emotions
in the CRUCIFIXION.
0:58
10
Shadowplay 6 ASCENSION Trumpet and bassett-horn
trilling excerpt from end of ASCENSION is seen and heard as shadows. The word "ECSTASY" lights up, with letter E highlighted.
…ECSTASY of polyphony in the
ASCENSION.
0:37
11
Shadowplay 7 HOMECOMING The ending sequence of
FESTIVAL's 1st Gift is seen and heard with shadows of the 3 plants. The word "LIGHT" lights up, with letter L highlighted. The highlighted letters of each of the 7
lighted words form the word MICHAEL.
The lead up to DRAGONFIGHT is
replayed as shadows.
The wonderful arc of Light from FESTIVAL returns. 3 smaller concentric circles slowly appear 1 by 1 in the center of the
arc. The words and lights disappear except for the 3 concentric circles.
…the LIGHT of the
Resurrection… ...at my HOMECOMING.
("Beauty as splendid as the Light - as brilliant as the rays of the
Sun…")
5:02
12
MICHAEL as tenor vocalist,
trumpeter and dancer approach the front edge of the stage.
(clear whisper) LUCIFER, the
Prince of Light, never wished that an angel should lower himself…to be
incarnated in a dark human body.
LUCIFER despises the world of men - that is why LUCIFER creates
problems.
(Trumpet shadows tenor.)
1:21
13
(tonelessly, then again softly) And yet I became a man for one day, to live in ignorance...only
suspecting... (normally) As a child from a human mother's womb, to grow, to learn, to
strive...to invent games with sounds which move the souls of angels - that is
the meaning of THURSDAY from LIGHT.
2:28
14
(tonelessly, then again
normally) I became Man...to bring celestial music to humans, and human
music to celestial beings, so that Man may listen to God, and God may hear
his children.
2:29
15
The MICHAEL characters step
backwards. The MICHAEL dancer beckons to the audience in invitation, after which all 3
MICHAEL incarnations bow and signal the end of THURSDAY FROM LIGHT.
And I know that many of you will laugh at
me when I sing to you... I have fallen eternally in love with Mankind, with this Earth and her children - in spite of LUCIFER, in spite of Satan, in spite of everything…
Trumpet plays completed MICHAEL
formula. Synthesizer drone fades out. Faint sounds of THURSDAY FAREWELL can be heard coming from outside the
hall.
DONNERSTAGS-ABSCHIED (MICHAELS-ABSCHIED)
(Thursday Farewell (MICHAEL's Farewell) Work No. 190/Opus 50 3/4 for 5 Trumpets [11-30']
At
the end of DONNERSTAG AUS LICHT, as the audience departs, 5 trumpeters
play from the rooftops surrounding the opera house entrance. Each
trumpeter independently and freely (aleatorically) plays a
chosen segment (fragment) from the MICHAEL nuclear formula (which has 5
segments), slowly with free pauses in between. They stop in the order of the segments in the original formula.
DONNERSTAGS-ABSCHIED at Lincoln Center New York 2013 (brief excerpt)
DRACHENKAMPF
(Dragon Fight) Work No. 186/Opus 50 1/2 extract 1 for trumpet, trombone, elec. organ or synthesizer, 1 percussionist (saxophone duo optional) [13']
This is an extracted quartet version of DRACHENKAMPF which can be performed as a self-contained concert piece. Originally coming at the climax of FESTIVAL, here it begins with the "There is no more home..." choral moment (CD track/Section 27), immediately after the Old Woman leaves, and ends with "Children of clouds rejoice!" (CD track 34/Section 33), just before the tenor messenger arrives to signal Lucifer's arrival and the beginning of ARGUMENT. In this version, the organ/synth player takes on the orchestra, choir (using his voice) and saxophone parts (if no saxophone is present). The trumpet part combines the original trumpet, soprano and tenor soloists, and soprano choir parts. A Japanese rin, gong and sound plate are used for percussion. In the beginning, the organist wears a mask of Death. When the trumpeter and trombonist arrive for their duel, the organist screams encouragement. After the LUCIFER trombonist collapses, the organist pulls off his Death mask to reveal an angelic face. After a 2-part organ solo he laughs sarcastically and pulls off the "angelic" mask, revealing a normal face underneath.
KNABENDUETT
(BOYS' DUET) No. 50 1/2 extract 2 for 2 soprano saxophones or other instruments [4']
This saxophone duo is an isolated chamber piece originally coming after the Dragonfight in FESTIVAL. Basically, this duet uses melodic elements from the MICHAEL formula and creates a series of parallel and contrapuntal variations. The work has the following structure (CD timings from Stockhausen Complete Edition CD 78):
0:02
1.1
3 sets of variations, each
beginning with brief, unison fast figures in contrasting pitch directions, followed by contrapuntal dialogue
0:58
1.2
1:51
1.3
2:54
2.1
5 variations, more heterophonic than polyphonic, each time ending in trills
Sound Impressions
MICHAELs HEIMKEHR, like Act 1 (MICHAELs JUGEND) of DONNERSTAG AUS LICHT has a fair amount of text, and is a bit tough to really appreciate on initial plays (especially without understanding German). However, after some deliberate listenings, the many layers come into focus. The INVISIBLE CHOIRS play a larger, more audible role, and arguably contribute more to the drama than in Act 1. The sheer density of an 8-track choral tape with 5 live choral groups and 5 orchestral groups make it difficult to fully absorb this Act on a recording, so a live performance is the best way to experience it My favorite parts are the first greeting sequence (which has a great epic feel to it) and the Dragon Fight, with its tap-dancing, trombone-playing, toreador-defended Dragon. In photos of the two productions of MICHAEL's Homecoming, the 3 Light Compositions seem to be video-projections. I would be very curious to see a version with the alternate "action-painting" staging.
To fully enjoy LICHT it's helpful to learn the MICHAEL, EVE and LUCIFER formulas (and their simplified nuclear formulas). These melody-themes are the real characters of LICHT. The MICHAEL and EVE formulas are pretty clearly laid out in MICHAELs REISE (MICHAEL'S JOURNEY ROUND THE EARTH), and LUCIFER's formula is presented strongly in track 32 (Section 31) of FESTIVAL.
Some of the exposition in ARGUMENT and VISION may seem to be a bit excessive, but as set-up for the rest of LICHT's 29-hour length it's necessary, and this amount of text rarely occurs again. In the end, DONNERSTAG AUS LICHT is an extraordinary multi-disciplinary accomplishment and sets the stage for more excitement in the next installment of LICHT: SAMSTAG AUS LICHT, LUCIFER's Day of Death.
Links
Sound samples, tracks listings and CD ordering:
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