12 x 12 - A Musical Zodiac
Karlheinz STOCKHAUSEN (1928-2007)
Tierkreis, op.41 (1974-75) [37:34]
With interpolation of material by Machaut, des Molins, Ciconia,
Pykini, da Bologna, de Cluny and anonymous composers [38:37]
Capilla Flamenca; Het Collectief
ec. deSingel Arts Campus, Antwerp, Belgium, October 2010. DDD
ETCETERA KTC 4042 [76:11]
Is this the way into Stockhausen for newcomers, or for those who
have previously tried and failed? This enterprising CD combines one of the
composer's most accessible and popular works, the twelve zodiac pieces
originally for musical boxes that constitute Tierkreis, with songs
and instrumental pieces from the 1300s, an astonishingly avant-garde period
known as Ars Nova and Ars Subtilior.
Sometimes the works are discrete, but often they are melded
seamlessly into one another or even alternate sections in quick succession.
Stockhausen leaves the detail to the performer, concentrating himself on the
conceptualisations. Despite the outwardly simple idea - a character piece to
represent each mystical Sign of the Zodiac - when it comes to
intricacy, Stockhausen never disappoints. In Tierkreis tone rows jostle with
arithmetic-based rhythms in typically modernistic density. Het Collectief
and Capilla Flamenca, specialists in contemporary and early music
respectively, are free to improvise and do so with gusto, and must indeed
take some of the credit for the basic ear-friendliness of the overall effect
of this recording, Stockhausen's occasional 'proper tunes' notwithstanding.
Furthermore, the fourteenth-century pieces chosen by the performers add
further dimensions of variety and colour to the soundscape, bevelling the
angularities - most of them! - inherent in Stockhausen's maths-driven
directions. In fact, a good deal of intelligence lies behind their
selections, and in juxtaposition similarities between Stockhausen's music
and that of the Ars Subtilior composers especially are striking.
Questions will linger in many minds as to the depth of artistic
merit of Tierkreis - in some regards, it is more about calculation
than inspiration, and Stockhausen's basic music, over which performers are
free to elaborate almost freely, amounts to a maximum of 25 minutes or so.
Yet whether or not Stockhausen was as important to music history as his
disciples insist, Tierkreis has plenty to offer the curious ear, and
in this deluxe version by the splendid Capilla Flamenca and Het Collectief
the listener gets an aural treat of uncommon fascination.
Sound quality is very good too; as atmospheric as the music itself.
The booklet notes offered in English, French and Dutch are detailed and
informative. The short essay by Elise Simoens is well written and flowingly
translated, but that by Jean-Marie Rens is rendered into English by a
non-native speaker and comes across, consequently, as blather - one
particular sentence runs to almost seventy words, divided into clauses by
seven commas! In a sense the notes give too much away, laying bare the
hubris of Stockhausen's method. As such, they are probably better reserved
for reading after listening. Full sung texts are thoughtfully provided, with
good translations into English.
Byzantion
Collected reviews and contact at reviews.gramma.co.uk
While questions linger this is atmospheric music.