Extramusical aspects Klang (Stockhausen)

ostwald s colour double-cone (made in 1918) displaying 24-hue colour circle 28 shades per hue

24 hours of day suggest circle , 2 half circles of 2 × 12 hours night , day, , 4 × 6 hours night—morning—afternoon—evening, or 8 × 3 hours horen (hours) of christian cycle of daily prayers (stockhausen 2006a, 10).

as had been case licht cycle, stockhausen associated each component work colour. in case, sought out colour theories using circular models 24 hues. settled on wilhelm ostwald s colour cycle, published in 3 books in 1917 (ostwald 1917a, 1917b, 1917c), , modified suit needs: ostwald circle starts number 1 brightest colour yellow @ midday of ordinary clock, in colour circle klang change order , start darkest colour @ 1 o clock in night. accordingly turn circle 1 step in order coincide clock (stockhausen 2006a, 10).

the resulting colour circle printed on cover of both score , cd of third hour, natural durations, , in stockhausen 2006a, 10. 24 colours specified in german hks system printing covers of scores, , suggested in prefaces many of scores clothing of corresponding colour might or should worn when performing piece. in @ least 1 case, performer cautioned avoid associations known cultures (stockhausen 2009c, ii).