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Karlheinz Stockhausen


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Karlheinz Stockhausen, the German composer of contemporary, and sometimes very controversial, music works has died last week. He was 79.

I have seen several of his works performed, some conducted by himself, and it was always a great experience. I expect a new rush of performances now that he has died; I will see.

Anyway, last night I was at my usual bistro/pub/bar Minocitta, and I was telling the owner about Stockhausen having passed away. He said that he's never heard of Stockhausen. Less than a minute later the music changed, and I couldn't believe that he had actually put on some Stockhausen work!

A few minutes later the bartender remarked drily "Sounds like the Hibiya subway line in the steep curve between Hiroo and Roppongi"...

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I heard it on the news a few days ago, I just could not get on with his (music). To me it was totally incomprehensible, just a noise. I know that some claim to like and understand it, but I never could, despite having had 8 years musical education at The Birmingham School of Music, one of the finest in the country. SORRY.

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The first time I heard a Stockhausen work performed was at the (classical) Lucerne Music Festival; it was Mantra, performed by the Kontarsky brothers. I have never heard anything like that before, and it was just mesmerizing! But not everyone in the audience enjoyed it; one guy actually threw a chair onto the stage, then left. Many others booed and left as well.

I remained until the end, and Stockhausen then explained how the composition was done (by mathematical formulas, changed and rotated like a Mantra), and what he wanted to achieve. He also told us that he wrote the piece during his term as a conductor at the Osaka Expo in 1970. (The concert was 1972.)

Of course I had the record of Mantra, but unfortunately they never made it available on CD (with the Kontarsky brothers).

Other of his works I am not so crazy about, nor do I have any understanding of them. He wanted to reach new dimensions, and I think he has reached some.

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Alan, have a listen to this, but I don't expect you to like it any more than I do. Then PLEASE when you have a few minutes to spare

CLICK ON THIS. Go to the Symphony number 2 The Resurrection, and play each part of Movement No. 5. They are not in order. The final part must be the finest ending to a work ever composed. I would really be interested in your comments, good or bad. I never realised that this was on U Tube. :D

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The first (and only) piece of Stockhausen I heard was Stimmung. I carefully avoided him afterwards.

It was Sir Thomas Beecham who was asked "Have you heard Stockhausen?" to which he replied "No, but I've sometimes stepped in some."

Not for me, sorry.

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Alan, have a listen to this, but I don't expect you to like it any more than I do. Then PLEASE when you have a few minutes to spare

CLICK ON THIS. Go to the Symphony number 2 The Resurrection, and play each part of Movement No. 5. They are not in order. The final part must be the finest ending to a work ever composed. I would really be interested in your comments, good or bad. I never realised that this was on U Tube. :D

heh ... believe it or not ... (out of respect andsome ) Ive listened to all parts ..but I'm not feeling it ... don't consider myself a philistine ..quite partial to a bit of baroque if the mood takes me (fav file 6 on me ipod ) but all I feel is 50's films background musack when I listen to it (b movies at that ) ......what am I missing ?

did you post all the comment's under pseudonyms ?

dunno

disappointing

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Can't win 'em all. Sorry it did not appeal. Regarding Baroque, I enjoy some of it, but am bored with a lot of it. At least you were prepared to listen. I would say that I have very wide musical tastes, but Mahler is without doubt my favourite. I enjoy most of the classical composers from Mozart onwards, but meet a block when I reach Stockhausen, and most of Schoenberg, also all the other so called avant garde people. I do like some of the modern composers like Karl Jenkins. I am also fond of Jazz in most of its guises, opera, big band swing, good ballad singers like The Carpenters, Nat King Kole, Frankie Lane etc etc. Good brass band also goes down nicely. I may have missed some types out. I just cannot stand modern tuneless chanting, I think it's called garage and reggae etc, also modern groups leave me cold, as does all the very noisy screaming and shouting, and flashing lights. :D

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Have you ever tried to listen to the music of Arvo Pärt? He is my absolutely favorite contemporary composer. He has written some truly beautiful music. (Some strange stuff too!)

I have one of his c.d's. I may have the spelling wrong, it is called Spiegel Um Spiegel, there are one or two other pieces also by him on the same C.D. The solo violinist is Tasmin Little. :D

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This is music worth listening to. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIXg9KUiy00

You just have to be joking. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

OK then andsome, how about this bloke. German Classic at it's best. Mozart http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b20UzLecnHo B)

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I have never heard of him - but you have raised my curiosity.

Must find some of his music and have a listen.

Here you go: http://youtube.com/results?search_query=St...p;search=Search

Ummmmmmmmm........I watched one video and...........I will pass. :rolleyes:

I have a wide range of musical tastes but that stuff is not music. B)

For once andsome and I agree. :lol:

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There are very few classics to touch this:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skU-jBFzXl0

Thank you catgate for that reminder. Had it not been for that, I would have forgotten all about that wondrous man that once graced our London Palladium with that carrier bag with the union Jack printed on in. :D

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Yes there is little doubt as to his talent.

He studied under Sir Malcolm Beeching for quite a while, In fact it was lucky that Sir Malcoln got up and let him out.

He then went to a conservatoire in France. But then when he found that it was one of those where there are two places for you to put your feet, and a hole in the floor between them, he came out again as fast as he went in.

A very polished, all round man.

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