Kontakte My description is based solely upon listening, an informed listening having
heard the four-channel version possibly 15 times complete, and having shared
by Karlheinz Stockhausen
in four channels
Temporary Analysis Notes,
October / November 2008 (2009 – IV)
These notes have been prepared as a kind of ‘word-based guide’ through
Stockhausen’s Kontakte. They may be freely adapted by those who find them
useful, for Stockhausen’s work is of the universe, and Kontakte is no less so as
he explored unknown sonic potentials.
This presentation is not so much about the technical details of the piece,
general concepts and details of which can be found from many sources, but
rather this guided tour is designed to help the listener develop “accelerated
listening”, in fact, to “hear more” on a first (or fiftieth) hearing by pre-focusing
the mind and potentially removing a number of layers of pre-processing.
It is April, 2009 and I present this introduction at the SEAMUS Conference as a
sort of personal / North American homage to the memory of one of the great
composers of the past century, Karlheinz Stockhausen, whose influence on
western music is well-known. Even some fifty years after the composition of
Kontakte, his continuing impact on the discipline of electroacoustics is felt
everywhere.
Having listened to the piece for over 40 years, I hear new things on every
occasion, and like most people, my experience had been with one of the stereo
versions available on LP, and later on CD. The four-channel version – the
original, has been quite another experience.
p1
detailed aural analyses with many classes.
I suggest that the CD be at hand, and that for analytic listening, it be heard in
an environment with good speakers, and played from a sound program that
gives a detailed amplitude timeline and also makes spectrograms available.
Following you will find about 38 divisions of the piece, sometimes
corresponding to Stockhausen’s own sections, but frequently not. This does
not place the two views in opposition in any way as the composer’s divisions
are based on compositional considerations, while mine are based on how to
‘present’ a long piece to a mixed audience in such a way as to continually
maintain interest by varying the sizes of the examples.
Kontakte, 1958-1960, is about 35 minutes long, and for now I will consider the
piece as a theatrical / spiritual event, beginning from silence, and returning to
it. Although the silence is forever changed.
Space:
As a general note on the creation / use of space, Stockhausen treats the four
channels as four synchronized mono channels. The technology of the time did
not provide for (easy) matrix-based panning, and the rotating sounds were
created by the famous rotating loudspeaker and four microphones
 - mostly loud; noisy, quasi-noise, metallic, pitched, damped oscillation
– Listen to the whole and listen to the parts

Some of the characteristics of this technique include:

- no real ‘panning’
- subtle Doppler effects 2 1:11 (2:12 – 3:23) [Structure II]
- off-axis coloration as the speaker changes position - quiet, sustained
- similar types of sounds
I use the convention of naming the channels by their location, LF / RF / RB / - occupation of space by quasi-immersion; “unison”, and imitation
LB. - apparent motion

Stockhausen noted that the timings given in the score did not quite correspond
to those on the tape, therefore timings will have to be adapted to correspond.

1 2:04 (The tape starts with 8 seconds of silence)

[Structure I]
- mélange, many sounds, many locations
- sustained <-> short
- simple <-> complex
- one channel / several channels
- one sound; two sounds, overlapped on one channel
- use of space, both controlled and chaotic

p2
 3 1:38 (3:23 – 5:01) [Structure III]
- sustained sounds, quiet
- long gestural durations
- motion is “between”, and amongst speakers
- use of ‘contrast’ sound(s) / describe them
- densification over time
- controlled use of space
- “one” sound gets moved about
- quasi-cadence is a kind of ‘section marker’

5 1:15 (6:01 – 7:16)

- sustained sound(s); quiet
- single sound (simple), or
- an integrated sound containing layers
- pitch – fixed or variable? does it change?
- which channels are paired together?

4 1:00 (5:01 – 6:01)

- about space and duration
- which channels are used?
- three channels “circle” (RF, RB, LB)
- LF is treated as “solo”
- division of space as 3 + 1

p3
 6 :30 (7:16 – 7:46) [Structure IV]
- contrasts!
- how many types of sounds?
- what are their durations? (long, short, solo, groups …)
- how many “characters” pass across the stage?
- who are they?
- what is their mood?

8 2:25 (8:09 – 10:34) [Structure V]

- individual channels / soli
- how does the ‘introduction’ function? (first 30 seconds)
- rotation
- sustained or granular?
- how many layers?
- direction of rotation, and speed
7 :23 (7:46 – 8:09) - what is the rate of change (velocity of the trajectory)
- sustained or transitory? - is this a pre-echo of the end
- dynamics (quiet) - how do the interjections function in terms of changing or displacing the rotating
- register(s) (mid / high) layer?
- simple or complex sounds?
- which channels

p4
 10 :26 (11:03 – 11:29) [ Structure VII ]
- unison types of sound; how many layers?
- pitch-change; quasi-doppler
- which channels change? which is last out?

9 :29 (10:34 – 11:03) [ Structure VI ]

- sustained and rotation
- how many layers? (sustained, transient)
- how many sounds?
- are they separated register / gesture / articulation / location?
- how “important” is the spatial / rotational aspect
- there is a decay of independence of sounds and channels, a kind of coming
together 11 :16 (11:29 – 11:45)
- which sounds relate to other sections of the piece - sound in solo speakers
- how many layers in a channel (eg LF)
- foreground / background relationship?
- are some sounds related to each other?
- is a hierarchy established?

p5
 13 :36 (12:31 – 13:07)
- four channel unison
- resonant sine tone (pulse into a resonant filter)
12 :46 (11:45 – 12:31) - (single sound <-> fused sound)
- paired speakers? - register(s)
- sustained sound (reverb) to separated (dry) - attack / decay characteristics
- focus on the direction of the sound - regularity?
- how does the interruption sound at 12:21 function? - speed of attack
- is this overall a gesture of decay? - sustained sound simulated through rapid reiteration (granulation effect)
- dynamics (mostly crescendos); sound aggregates getting louder
- continuum from (1) sound (2) same sound repeated (3) different sounds fusing

p6
 14 :16 (13:07 – 13:23) [ Structure VIII ]
- canonic unison and cadence
- LF (180 ms delay) -> LB / RB (180 ms delay) -> RF
- quasi-circular motion, left > back > right
- how many different types of sounds? are the ‘conglomerations’?
- what are the relationships between the sounds?
- cadential sound, as an addition or summation of previous sounds

16 :39 (14:01 – 14:40)

- sustained decay
- RB fades out under start (overlapped sections)
- double-canon at 180 ms of RF and LB; compare to 15, above
- Canon A: RF precedes LB by 180 ms
- Canon B; LB precedes RF by 180 ms
- difficulty in sound localization because of the complexity of the relationships of
15 :38 (13:23 – 14:01) the multiple canons
- three independent speakers - segue into 17
- LF and RB share common material
- LB reverberated continuous sound (metallic)
- RB, then LF, impulses, and addition (capture) of continuous sound
- ascending (then slightly descending) glissando interjections

p7
 17 :13 (14:40 – 14:53) [ Structure IX ]
- accretion of materials
- dominance of LF and RB; in opposition to cue 16
- LB is largely silent
- introduction of resonated pulse

19 :20 (15:21 – 15:41)

- unison marker, and two layers
- quasi-canonic interplay (imitation)
- RF and LB (axis)
- ‘wooden’ resonated tone
- whirling pan
- axis pairing of channels (LF / RB; RF / LB)
18 :28 (14:53 – 15:21)
- four channels, two layers
- bouncing sine tone
- rotating granular (whirling rotation) sound [RB]
- fixed pitch / glissando
- generalized sense of rotation

p8
 20 :29 (15:41 – 16:10)
- solo channel, multi-layered, RF
- two distinct layers
- sustained mid-range spectral sound
- band passed pulse complexes
- quasi-union, then decay
- small elements of the sustained sound survive the attack

22 :11 (16:43 – 16:54)

- sudden change
- three layer sound (slow) panned on axis, RF / LB
- includes active BP pulse wave (to recur later)
- FL solo; multi-layered complex, active
- RB silent

21 :33 (16:10 – 16:43)

- spatial decay
- from 4 channels to 2 cahnnels
- surround collapses to left side (front and back)
- homophony yields to exchange
- bell-like in RB; wooden chords
- single “line” made p of four-part texture
- single line is panned front and back (left side)

p9
 23 :17 (16:54 – 17:11)
- two ‘layers’; static background, dynamic foreground
- two / three layered sound moved LF / RF, seven times
- RB channel faded in; same as LB but 180 degrees out of phase
- note eventual ‘similarity’ of the two parts
- front channels are a preparation for [24]

25 :38 (17:47 – 18:25)

- at rest
- four mono channels with the same signal
- adjacent channels are 180 degrees out of phase
- mid-low tone and mid-range resonance
- segue to [26]

24 :37 (17:11 – 17:47) [ Structure X ]

- tone becomes resonant pulse (continuous sound > rhythm)
- four mono channels with same signal
- one channel becomes four; LF + LB + RB + RF (counterclockwise addition
- adjacent channels are 180 degrees out of phase
- dry > +reverb > add low level sustained accompaniment > dry > reverb
- one of the most famous parts of Kontakte

p 10
 26 3:14 (18:25 – 21:39)
- pairs of pairs of channels; apparent motion (180 ms delay)
- channels are paired – LF / RB, RF / LB
- RF / LB pair in phase
- LF delayed 180ms for RB
- canonic tracks – RB 180ms > RF / LB 180ms > LF
- multi-layered drone / resonances (continuous)
- foreground “flickers”, often at 180 ms distance between channels
- drone transforms – how many layers are heard?
obliterating rotation
27 2:12 (21:39 – 23:51) [ Structure XI ]
- rotational sounds
- layered rotation
- underlying sound(s) are multi-layered [see below]
- the rotating quality is amplitude and spectrum (mainly)
- change of rate of rotation
- some rotations are (hand) synchronized to the sound source
- acceleration of rotation while slowing the elements of the source
- different cycles / parameters overlaid and mixed
- slowing and synchronizing; introduction of unison (monophonic) element,

p 11
Detail of rotation 28 1:39 (23:51 – 25:30) [ Structure XII ]
- unison space
- the speakers are paired on the cross axis: there is no physical source being
represented
- four synchronized solo channels
- apparent motion by delay (quasi-canonic); RB 180ms delay > RF / LB 180ms >
LF
- rotation is both clockwise and counterclockwise
- gestures of silences and crashes; textures of solo exchanges
- the attacks are coordinated; the sounds are members of the same family
- in the mixed version this starts with the tam-tam

Right back channel 22’10 – 22’33

29 1:14 (25:30 – 26:44) [ Structure XIIIA ]

- unison to solos > union and disintegration
- a game between unison,
- converging solo parts, and
- homophony / (semi-)coordinated attacks
- four solos coming together, becoming similar through use of common aspects
of time and materials
- unison attack, and breaking apart

p 12
 31 :43 (27:12 – 27:54) [ Structure XIIIC ]
- a single gestural type: attack > decay
- two sounds, paired on the axis of LF / RB and RF / LB
- starts with multi-layered complexity (~ 4 seconds)
- decays into distant metallic reverberation

30 :28 (26:44 – 27:12) [ Structure XIIIB ]

- impulse and response
- an interplay of unisons with varying degrees of complexity
- different sets of speakers perform different functions at different times
- rotations; stasis; solos; layers

p 13
 32 1:18 (27:54 – 29:12) [ Structure XIIID / E ]
- axis pairings
- quote similar (not the same) materials paired on L / RB
- unison rotation (clockwise)
- paired response with channel delay (LF / RB)
- unison response (RF / LB)
- short rotation / unison / rotation exchanges
- unison response as cadence before sudden change, with over lap

34 :45 (31:09 – 31:54) [ Structure XIV / XV ]

- four solos as quasi-pairs
- axis pairing
- RF / LB general high frequency modulation (ring modulator quality)
- LF / RB noise spectra (lower level)
- small additions as echo and pre-echo

33 1:57 (29:12 – 31:09) [ Structure XIIIF ]

- axis tone duet of metal (glass) and wood (LF / RB)
- varying degrees of independence / codependence
- both sound families used on both channels
- slow introduction of complementary (sustained) sounds
- in silences, hints of upcoming dominant materials
- increased density of tone dialog / exchange, differentiation less explicit

p 14
 35 :28 (31:54 – 32:22)
- sudden break to rotating, two layers; opened spaces
- LF > RB > RF > LB (quasi-figure 8)
- underlying sound is layered (3 – 4 layers / variable)
- variable rates of rotation relate to underlying sound complex
- Gesang der Jünglinge quote of descending perf fourth, twice hinted, then
sounded at 32:19

37 :09 (33:51 – 34:00) [ Structure XVI E]

- an attempt at resurrection
- a temporary diversion, a last fling
- the piece began in the left front channel

36 1:29 (32:22 – 33:51) [ Structure XVIA / B / C / D ]

- impulse of energy; an examination on the decay of energy
- rotation at various speeds
- cycles flow on top of and around each other, not in competition
- several layers freely mixed
- occasional rogue sounds restart the spinning, but decay and peace have set in

p 15
 38 :45 (34:00 – 34:45) Stockhausen’s Section Numbers
- rotation and the return to silence Structure I
- Structure II 2’10
- there is usually about 30 seconds of silence after the final fade. Structure III 3’15.5
Structure IV 7’08.5
Structure V 7’56.3
Structure VI 10’24.1
Structure VII 10’53.1
Structure VIII 12’56.6
Structure IX 14’31.8
Structure X 17’05
Structure XI 21’30
Structure XII 23’49
Structure XIII A 25’10.4
Structure XIIIB 26’34.4
Structure XIIIC 26’58.6
Structure XIIID 27’45.5
Structure XIIIE 28’36.3
Structure XIIIF 28’50.9
Structure XIV 31’08
Stockhausen_Program_Note Structure XV 31’29.8
Structure XVI A 32’13.3
Structure XVIB 32’48.6
A North American homage to the memory of one of the great composers of the Structure XVI C 32’53.4
past century, Karlheinz Stockhausen. Structure XVI D 33’09.1
Structure XVI E 33’19.8
Stockhausen’s influence on western music is well-known. His continuing
impact on the discipline of electroacoustics is felt everywhere. This
presentation will start with a short “guided tour” of some of the features of
Kontakte, in a rare presentation of the four-channel tape version – with the
introduction (and numerous examples) given by Kevin Austin.

November 2008, April 2009

p 16