CDXXXVII. STOCKHAUSEN, Karlheinz: Momente

CDXXXVII. STOCKHAUSEN, Karlheinz (1928-2007)

Momente (1962)
Martina Arroyo, soprano
Aloys Kontarsky, Hammond organ
Alfons Kontarsky, Lowrey organ
Kölner Rundfunkchor
Miglieder des Kölner Rundunk Sinfonie-orchesters
Karlheinz Stockhausen, cond.
(57:01)

This 1965 version is quite a bit shorter than the CD (available here).

Three large Moment-groups are framed and separated by:

1. Í-Moments (relatively indeterminate, informal);
2. K-Moments (KLANG = timbre: verticality, homophony, regularity, noises, percussion, male voices); always in the centre, preceded and followed -- interchangeably -- by the
3. M-Moments (MELODY: horizontality, monophony, heterophony, randomness, pitches and noises equally mixed, trumpets and trombones, soprano solo); and the
4. D-Moments (DURATIONS: diagonality [vertical + horizontal], polyphony, reegularity ["syncopated"], pitches, electric organs, female voices.

According to set rules, and following a form-scheme, the conductor combines the Moments to form a version. Once this order has been decided, and the corresponding performance material has been made, excerpts from particular Moments are used as Einschübe (inserts) in their neighborhing Moments, so as to recall preceding material, or foretell what will follow.

Texts used:

1. The Song of Solomon (the Old Testament, in Martin Luther's translation);
2. Passages from a letter written by Mary Bauermeister;
3. Some exclamations from the Trobriand Islands, British New Guinea;
4. A quotation from William Blake: "He who kisses the joy as it flies, lives in Eternity's sunrise ..." found in the "Prelude" of the book Man's Emerging Mind by N.J. Berill;
5. Names from fairy-tales, invented names, shouts, calls;
6. Audience reactions (shouted phrases);
7. Invented onomatopoeic words and purely phonetic nonsense syllables