Karlheinz Stockhausen’s Choral Writing in his Heptalogy Licht

The article is devoted to the phenomenon of Karlheinz Stockhausen’s choral writing in his large- scale opera project Licht. The musical composition’s religious-philosophical basis, which initiates the transformation of the opera theater into a quasi-temple space, leads to the reinforcement of the dramaturgical role of choral music, which manifests itself in the intensification of the presence of the chorus in the opera project (massive choral scenes appear in all the heptalogy’s operas) and in the expansion of its function. The diversity of the types of exposition of the musical material, nonetheless, makes it possible to disclose as a general tendency the aspiration towards choral stereophony, both in the situation of a multichannel reproduction of previously recorded choral material (Unsichtbare Chöre) and in live performance (practically all the choral scenes in the heptalogy). Special attention is given to analysis of the verbal basis of the choral scenes. Along with incorporating his own texts, Stckhausen turns to the sacred literature of Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism and Islam. Combination of poly-lingual texts in different styles in the conclusive scene of the Hoch-Zeiten symbolizes the spiritual relatedness of all of humanity. An important technical resource is the use of elements of phonemic composition, exerting direct influence on the choral timbres. The composition’s timbral side attracts attention to it by its connection together of elements of vocal technique already used by Stockhausen in his preceding compositions (4 modifications of vocal tremolo, glissando, phonic intonating, Sprechgesang, singing while inhaling, tongue clicks, etc.) with special techniques typical particularly for the score of Licht. The latter include “color noise” (“fabriges Rauschen”), yodeling and a “kissing sound” (“Kußgeräusche”). The organic quality of such a complex is guaranteed by the unity of the conception of Stockhausen’s heptalogy, which the exerted influence not only on the opera cycle’s compositional technique, but also on its scenography and dramaturgical solutions. Keywords: Karlheinz Stockhausen, heptalogy Licht, contemporary choral music, texture, stereophony, choral timbre, music and the word, phonemic composition

Art · Choir · Visual arts · Arts, Culture, and Music Studies · Musicology and Musical Analysis