HYMNEN / ANTHEMS (hind Region)
Electronic Masie with Orchestra
My work HYMNEN exists in 3 versions
The first version, HYMNEN Electronic and Conerexe Music
(1966-67) is realised as 4-teaek tape (duration 114 min.). A stereo-
phonic recording of this version hasbeen released by the Stockhausen
Vertag on Compact Dises (i0.A-B). Thore is aso a special study score
The second version is entiled HYMNEN, Etecsronic amd Con-
crete Music with Soloists (ca. 126 mip.). Up to nov, four soloists
played with the tape. The version with soloists has been played hun
‘dreds of times since its world premigre in 1967. The recording on
Compact Discs CITED) was made in 1969 withthe solcists Harald
Bo (lecttonium), Johannes Fritsch (electric viola), Alfred Alings
and Rolf Gebibaar (tam-tam), Aloys Kentarsky (piano).
‘The thitd version is entiled HYMNEN, Electronic Masie with
Orchestra, The part with orchestra was composed in 1969, commis-
sioned by the New York Philharmonie Orchestra, and the world pre
miere took place on February 25th 1971 in New York with this
‘orchestra under my direction. This part by itself lasts 42 mites and
may aso be performed independently. It starts in the Second Region
with the centre of African anthems, mixed and alternating with the
hoginning of the Russian anthem. A so-called Russian Bridge (an or
a
chestra solo) follows, lasting cies 9 aminuts, 1c leads into the actual
Third Region.
‘The Thind Region has three centres. kc begins with the slow, now
‘unmixed continuation pf the Russian anthem, wich isthe only one
‘made entirely from eleetronie sounds, with the largest harmonic and
rhythmic expansion which [had composed until 1966. The American
anthem follows as second centre it has the most colourful relations
to all other anthems ~ in fleeting collages aud pluralistic mixtures.
The final short-wave sound whistles “in a few seconds across the
‘ocean and leads into the exalcd centre of the Spanish anthem.
[National anthems sre the most familiar music imaginable, Everyone
knows the anthem ef his own country, and perhaps those of several
others, oat least thei beginnings
‘When familiar music is integrated imo x composition of un-
‘knowin, new music, it is possible to hear especially well how it was
integrated: untransformed, more or less transformed, transposed,
‘modulated, ete. The more self-evident the wa, the more attentive
‘one becomes ta the how.
In adalition to the national anthems, other “found objeeis” have been
used: seraps oF speech, sounds of crowds, reordel conversations,
23events from short-wave radio receivers, recordings of public events,
demonstrations.
‘Multilateral interactions have been composed! among the various
anthems, as well as between these anthems and now abstract sound
shapes, for which we have no nanies. The mixture ofthe electronically
‘ansformed secording withthe live playing oF a symphony orchestra
Clearly results in literal explosion ofthe orchestra sound.
Performance Practice
HYMNEN with orchestra may be played with double or triple winds,
Inscrumentation (double winds)
WINDS 2 flutes (2 aso play piecolo); 2 cboest
2 clarinets: 2 hassoons;
2 honns 1; 2 homs I; 2 teumpets;
2 teombones (2 with F-attachment)s I tuba,
STRINGS 8 violins I; 8 violins II; 6 violas; 6 violoneelt;
6 double basses (all with 5 stings)
a
Orchestra Seating Plan
In the recording of CD. GE). the winds are doubled
Play-Back of the Tape
‘A d-atuck tape of HYMINEN and a 2-ctck tape Zor rebeasls may be
onlered from the Siootheusen- Verlag, 51515 KUren, Germany.
2sFor the 4-track play-back of the tape 4x 2 loudspeakers on 4 loud
speaker towers inthe 4 comers ofthe auditorium are novessary.
‘The loudspeakers may also be suspended
tape ack? stope te wie
ew rom above Yog
ining
comets
Ie» :
mera Eee PY week
1 there isa seating aren atthe rear of the all honest « balcony with
audience seating, hen itis necessary to install 2 loudspeaker towers
‘with 2 2 loudspeakers downstairs in the sear corners (as high a8 the
ceiling allows) and 2 more towers with 2 loudspeakers each in the
ear comers of the balcony. Channel 1 is then citeuited to the lower
and upper left lovdspeckers, and channel IV to the lower and upper
‘ight loudspeakers, It is, hossever, necessary to adjust the balance of
the lower and upper loudspeakers separately
‘Ths [2 loudspeakers are necessary forthe play-beck of the tape
inthe event of such » downstairs-upstairs separation,
26
‘A 2track copy can be ordered from the Stockhausen. Verlag for the
sectional rehearsals, 2 loudspeaker towers with 2 loudspeakers each
are installed at the right and left ofthe orchestra, The 2-track tape f=
coder is then sc up atthe leit next to the conductor's music stand, so
‘thatthe conduetor ean operate the tape himself.
Beside the tape recorder isa small mixer with 2 sliding faders for
the balance ofthe left and right sides.
In addition, 2 loudspeakers on stands are positioned tthe left
‘and right of the conductor's music stand, so that the loudspeakers
point at him diagonally. A mono mix of the eleoimanie music is cie-
ccuited onto both monitor loudspeakers. 2 sliding faders, which con
teol the dynamic levels of the monitor loudspeakers, are fastened to
the lower left edge of the musie stand. A stereo mix citeuited onto the
‘nwo loudspeakers has proven not wo be reliable
‘Microphone Amplification
“The orchestea is amplified by microphones so that it can be heard as
clearly as the tape, With winds doubled, 28 microphones are neces-
sary (see Orchestra Seating Plan),
Corresponding to their positions on stage, the instruments are
sistibuted by means of panorama potentiometers.
2‘The orctesta is projected over 4 loudspeaker groups at the front
(soe drawing on page 25).
In addition to is amplification over the four front loudspeaker
groups, the orchestra should be played sofily — as a mono mix —
‘over the loudspeakers behind the audience
is important tha from all seats the instruments are, 10 as great an
‘extent as possible, heard from where they are seen,
‘The amplified orchestra sound should completely mix with the
direct oreesira sound. Also in the Russian Bridge (without tape) the
‘retest should sound as present and spatial as in the parts with tape,
HYMNEN with orehestra should sound ample and full.
For 24 microphone faders plus 4 faders forthe tape, a 28-channel
‘mixing console is necessary, which has, per channel treble and bass
fillers und panorama potentiometer and 2 auxiliary outputs,
For the 6 pairs of loudspeakers (possibly 8, if ~ due to a baleony’
~ the rear ones have to be doubled downstairs and upstairs} 6 (or 8)
sum outputs ace needed,
12 (or 16) loudspeakers are thus neded plus 2 monitor Youd~
speakers for the eonductor.
For a performance at the Philharmonic Hel! in Cologne (1994)
the loudspeaker groups TIL andl TV had to be doubled, since in te atl
litorium the rows of seats climb steeply. For each of these two
ey
‘soups, 2 loudspeakers were hung very high and 2 further loud
speakers per group were placed at mid-height on the balustrades of
the choir balcony atthe lef ancl right of the orehestra. Further, loud-
speaker groups V and VI were supplemented by 2 further loud
speakers per group (V+ and Vis) at the outside left and right whieh
‘were citcuted puallel, This resulted in 20 loudspeakers. Only by
ding this, was it possible to hear the elecrronic music and the or~
chestra from everysthere in the hal
ee alien
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Spe iso
gear
wt
ony ‘vit
‘Seo Ming console for HYINEN with ochstre (1904) on op 19 ofthis ool
29Sound Projection
A sound projectionist is needed wha is thoroughly familiar withthe
score (and if possible has performed HYMNEN himself as soloist
tandfor as conductor}. This person should have adequate experience
in mining electronic musie and amplified erchestra, and have learned
the Sound projection of HYMNEN as assistant of another sound pro
jectionist in numerous productions (until 1994 K. Stockhausen, Péter
tvs, and Markus Stockhausen have been the sound projectionists
for HYMNEN).
‘The sound projectioist chooses the collaborators of the sound
equipment company and. well ahead of time, checks the performance
hall AC that time it must be stipulated to the organizer of the concert
that no one may be seated behind the orchestra a the sides of the or=
chhestra, oF in any seats where the 4-tack tape cannot be heard. The
sound projectionist decides all details concering the sound equipment
and insallation, pre-arranges ~ together sith the conductor ~ the
necessary rehearsals sith sound equipment. He directs the technical
installation, and tests microphones and tape play-back before each
uti chearsal and before the performance. In addition to wo sound
technicians, he needs two musical asistants who, during the tut re
hearsals, est the acoustics from all seats and make coresponding
recommendations to the sound projectionist. Especially for the rear
seas they should determine shich seats in front of the loudspeakers
30
‘Should be possibly blocked, andl how loud the mone enix of the orchestra
and soloists should be head in the rea rows,
Closely collaborating with the conductor, the sound projectionist
is responsible forthe total dynamic level of the orchestra and tape,
the clarity and balance of all sound sources. It is his responsibility
‘that tbe listeners hear the entire composition well-balanced.
Rehearsals
A detailed plan for rehearsals is printed jn the published seore of
HYMNEN Efectronie Music with Orchestra
Recording and Mix-down
“The WDR recorded the dress rehearsal January Sth 1984) and two ofthe
thee concert performances (Janvary 9th and 10th) atthe Phitharmante
Hall in. Cologne, perlormed by the municipal Gurzenich Orchestra
conducted by K. Stockhausen, with Markus Stockhausen as sound pro-
jectionst; recording supervisor Siegfried Spitder, recording engineer
Christoph Gronare, recording technician Walhurga Dahrmen. From
March 10th to 27th 1997, K. Stockhausen mixed down the 24-track
recoding, ogether with reconling engineer Peter Esser and recording
technician Katharina Kiefer, toa sereo 2-tack version whieh ison the
present CDG.
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