Stockhausen - Aus den sieben Tagen

This post was somewhat inspired by my earlier Michael Portal posts and by the fact that he participated in the original recording of this multiple-part work back in 1968. The original version, transferred to cd, can be ordered from the Stochausen Verlag alongside his entire discography which runs close to one hundred works. The idea behind "Tagen" was to produce instinctive music, made up on the spot, not in any way preconceived, though certain instructions were given by Stockhausen, not about what to play, but what mental states to reach and inhabit in order to play as instinctly as possible, as attuned to the inner microcosmos and the outer macrocosmos as possible. The result was, and is, astounding, forty years later. The grainy, slightly murky sound of the highly closeted environment still stands out, the room having an aural ambiance of its own.

As for this performance, it's hard to say and to judge whether this is a recreation or reinterpretation of the original work, though the text below indicates that some of the prior instructions were indeed followed. This was recorded and uploaded by former contributor Tantris, so a big thanks for that. His accompanying info file is reproduced below. On a personal note, I'm happy to say that I've witnessed two of the performers upfront over the last year or so, Phil Minton and Maja Ratkje, both here tending to vocal duties. Special performers, both of them!

Basic info:

Karlheinz Stockhausen

Aus Den Sieben Tagen

BBC Radio 3, Hear and Now,
1st/8th November, 2008

Robert Worby presents a rare performance of pieces from Stockhausen's Aus Den Sieben Tagen, recorded at the 2008 Cut and Splice Festival in London. These text pieces from 1968 are performed by leading new music interpreters including Maja Ratkje, Phil Minton, Aleks Kolkowski, David Behrman, laptop quartet 2021 and Apartment House ensemble.

The first piece is performed by Neil Luck and Matthew Knowles, who will prepare, as instructed by the composer, by fasting and remaining solitary for four days beforehand.

01 Gold Dust (5:13) - Neil Luck (guitar), Matthew Lee Knowles (piano)

02 Meeting Point (8:12) - Seth Josel (guitar), Phil Minton (vocals), Maja Ratkje (vocals)

03 Unlimited (20:27) - Twentytwentyone (Laptop quartet)

04 Connection (15:19) - Frank Gratkowski, Ian Mitchell, Dave Ryan, Andrew Sparling (bass clarinet) Robin Hayward (tuba)

05 Intensity (15:11) - Reinhold Friedl (inside Piano), Phil Minton (vocals), Mark Wastell (perc), Marc Weiser (electronics), Seth Josel (guitar), Michael Vorfeld (perc), Nikos Veliotis (cello), Maja Ratkje (theremin), Aleksander Kolkowski (violin), Dave Ryan, Ian Mitchell, Andrew Sparling, Frank Gratkowski (bass clarinet), Gordon MacKay, Patrycja Kujawska, Mai Kawabata, Sara Hubrich (stroh violin), Anton Lukoszevieze (stroh cello), Robin Hayward (tuba), Twentytwentyone (laptop quartet)

06 Arrival (5:03) - All Performers

07 Upwards (12:08) - Cranc (violin, cello, harp), Mark Wastell (tamtam, objects), Reinhold Friedl (inside piano), Michael Vorfeld (percussion )

08 Communion (13.34) - Onstage: Reinhold Friedl (inside piano), Michael Vorfeld (percussion ), Anton Lukoszevieze (cello), Gordon MacKay, Mai Kawabata, Lina Lapelyte (laptop), Patricia Kujawska, Alex Kolkowski (Stroh violin)

In Gallery: Bass clarinet quartet: (Frank Gratkowski, Andrew Sparling, David Ryan, Ian Mitchell), Robin Hayward (tuba), Phil Minton, Maja Ratkje (voices), Seth Josel (e. gtr)

09 It (9:59) - Frank Gratkowski (sax), Robin Hayward (tuba), Rhodri Davies (harp), Anton Lukoszevieze (cello), David Berhman (violin & laptop), Arturas Bumsteinas (laptop)

10 Set Sail For The Sun (22:12) - All Performers

http://www.cutandsplice.com/2008/

http://www.cutandsplice.com/2008/aus-den-sieben-tagen/

http://home.swipnet.se/sonoloco2/Rec/Stockhausen/14.html

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