Fifth Hour: Harmonien Klang (Stockhausen)

suzanne stephens, whom first version of harmonien composed

harmonien (harmonies), bass clarinet, or flute, or trumpet, 2006 (ca. 15 mins.). work number 85. specified colour hks 50 (light greenish blue) (stockhausen 2008d, i; stockhausen 2009a, i).

the bass clarinet version (work number 85.1) premiered in kürten on 11 july 2007 suzanne stephens; flute version (work number 85.2) premiered in kürten 13 july 2007 kathinka pasveer (stockhausen 2007b , stockhausen 2007c); trumpet version (work 85.3) premiered on 2 august 2008 marco blaauw in london @ bbc proms concert (stockhausen-stiftung 2008, 7).

the bass clarinet version, titled akkorde (chords), first composed, birthday gift suzanne stephens (stockhausen 2007c). flute , trumpet versions made transposing entire work whole tone, numerous adjustments fit range , character of instruments, few small additions. while bass clarinet , flute versions purely instrumental, in trumpet version player speaks 3 words between 4 introductory notes: lob sei gott ( may god praised ).

stockhausen’s original idea fifth hour of klang have unaccompanied instrumental piece in 3 different versions (for bass clarinet, flute, , trumpet), followed longer trio same instruments, built same material. in conception, have been called akkorde (chords). title later changed harmonien. late in 2006 or in 2007, when stockhausen decided group of hours subcycles, original trio became hour 6, , first of set of 7 trios extending hour 12, based on material of 3 versions of harmonien (kohl 2009c, 22). in keeping stockhausen s original idea of having each piece reflect spirit of hour of day assigned, character of harmonien , following trios (especially ones scored winds) suggest aubade—especially suitable hours 5 , 6, less subsequent hours reaching mid-day (kohl 2012b, 518–19). in may 2006 stockhausen wrote 2 sets of aphorisms related noble words used in türin, meant hold open heaven s door of fourth hour. except glanz, titles of trios found amongst these noble words, in turn appear derived 1 of stockhausen s favourite books, sufi message hazrat inayat khan (stockhausen-stiftung für musik 2010, 28, 30, 56 & 58; kohl 2012b, 489–91).

harmonien falls 5 large sections, each made 25-note series. series inversion of 24-note row developed himmelfahrt, first note recurring @ end. recurring note regarded central pitch of row. each of 5 sections uses different transposition of series, central pitches (in bass-clarinet version) on d♭, e♭, a, g, , a♭, fifth through ninth notes of original (prime form) of klang series. each of these 25-note cycles subdivided 5 groups of 3, 4, 5, 6, , 7 notes, permuted differently in each cycle, resulting in total of twenty-five groups containing 125 notes. @ end, final d♭ added 126th note, returning central pitch of first cycle (kohl 2012b, 479, 481). fixed rising-falling registral scheme applied 25 notes in each cycle , twenty-four-step chromatic scale of tempos added, slowest fastest according register (low high) , returning starting point twenty-fifth note of each cycle. entire 126-note melody fitted duration scheme derived retrograde of fifth of twelve rhythm families devised himmelfahrt. these melodically fixed notes differ practice of twelve-tone technique, , resemble formula composition stockhausen had used between 1970 , 2004 (kohl 2012b, 481–84).

at end of each group, component 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 pitches played in rapid loops or ritornelli . these ritornelli give work name: harmonies come being successions of melodic groups.… @ end of group, pitches repeated fast periods without rhythm , in different registral distribution, melody has harmonic effect, vibrating chord (stockhausen 2007c, 33 & 36).

the last 2 of 5 large cycles each interrupted cadenza. first bass cadenza , found between fourth , fifth groups of fourth cycle , planned outset. second, interrupts third group of last cycle, in treble register , added after first version of composition had been finished. flute , trumpet versions only, stockhausen added coda (kohl 2012b, 487–88).

katikati

at time working on harmonien in 2006, stockhausen composed short (ca. 4 minutes) flute piece kathinka pasveer, titled katikati. work has not yet been premiered, , connection (if any) klang cycle has not been determined, has been assigned work number 85.2 extra, following flute version of harmonien in composer s work list (stockhausen-verlag 2010, 49).