CCXCIV. STOCKHAUSEN, Karlheinz: In Freundschaft

CCXCIV. STOCKHAUSEN, Karlheinz (1928-2007)

In Freundschaft (1977)
Eva Barthas, saxophone
(13:48)

Stockhausen's notes:

"IN FRIENDSHIP (IN FREUNDSCHAFT) was conceived from the outset to be played by different solo instruments.

The original version was composed on July 24, 1977, in Aix-en-Provence, as a birthday gift for the clarinettist Suzanne Stephens. At the first performance, which took place at a private celebration of her birthday on July 28, 1977, the version for flute was played twice by two American flutists and school friends of Suzanne, Lucille Goeres and Marjorie Shansky, who were studying HARLEKIN in the course given by Suzanne in Aix.

The public performance was then played by Goeres in a chamber concert given by course participants of Centre Sirius on August 6, 1977, in the Conservatoire Darius Milhaud in Aix.

On April 27, 1978, I expanded IN FRIENDSHIP. The world premiere of the version for clarinet was played by Suzanne in a concert entitled 'Hommage à Olivier Messiaen' on November 30, 1978, in Salle Wagram in Paris. This version can also be played by bass clarinet.

A transposition for basset-horn of the version for clarinet was performed for the first time by Suzanne on my birthday, August 22, 1979, for a circle of close friends in my home. This version is also intended for bass clarinet (with low C).

In addition to these scores of IN FRIENDSHIP (for clarinet, for basset-horn or bass clarinet, for flute) versions of the following instruments have been published: oboe, bassoon, recorder, saxophone, violin, cello, horn, and trombone.

IN FRIENDSHIP is composed in three layers -- as horizontal polyphony -- and demands a special art of listening.

At the beginning is the formula, out of which the entire piece is composed. The formula consists of five limbs separated by pauses.

By means of a gradual acceleration on the last interval of the fifth limb (the minor second) a trill develops in the middle register, becoming the line of orientation for the whole composition.

The formula then enters in three layers: the limbs in a high, soft, tranquil layer alternate with those in a low, loud, fast layer around trill segments heard as a middle layer to which all pitches relate.

Those who listen closely will discover that the high and low layers are reflections of each other in time and space. They more chromatically towards each other in seven stages, exchanging limbs and uniting to form a continuous melody in the same register.

The process twice breaks out in enthusiastic cadenzas: the first time 'free' after the third stage, and the second time 'vehement, happy' after the sixth stage.

In some places, the tempo is slowed down so much, or a pitch constellation repeated so fast, that it becomes possible to perceive the finest details of the formula, and the beauty of the sound causes one to forget the development for a moment.

Clear differentiation, relation to a common and constant center, exchange, approaching one another, movement of lively ascending elements towards the end of the formula: IN FRIENDSHIP.