Helikopter-Streichquartett
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The Helikopter-Streichquartett (Helicopter String Quartet) is one of Karlheinz Stockhausen's best-known pieces, and one of the most complex to perform. It involves a string quartet, four helicopters with pilots, as well as audio and video equipment and technicians. It was first performed and recorded in 1996. Although performable as a self-sufficient piece, it also forms the third scene of the opera Mittwoch aus Licht ("Wednesday from Licht").
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[edit] History
The Helikopter Quartett was originally commissioned by Professor Hans Landesmann of the Salzburger Festspiele in early 1991 (Stockhausen 1996, 214). Stockhausen's initial reaction was that he was not interested in writing a string quartet, but then one night he dreamed he was flying above four helicopters, each carrying a member of a string quartet; he could see into and through the transparent helicopters (Dirmeikis 1999, 21–22). He subsequently made some sketches and plans, but it was not until 1992–93 that he found the time to compose the quartet (Stockhausen 1996,214). The Arditti Quartet was to play the première. After Stockhausen finished his score, it was sent back to Professor Landesmann for criticism. His reaction was positive, as was that of the Director of the Festspiele, Gerard Mortier. A long series of negotiations started with the Festspiele and the Austrian army, who were to loan the helicopters, as well as various TV channels who were airing the piece. But in the end the planned 1994 première had to be cancelled.
The first performance of the piece took place in Amsterdam on June 26, 1995, as part of the Holland Festival. [1]
[edit] Performing the piece
Needed for a performance are: four helicopters with pilots and sound technicians, four television transmitters, 4x3 sound transmitters, an auditorium with four columns of televisions and loudspeakers, a sound technician with mixing deck and a moderator (and the actual string quartet). The piece focuses on the simple idea of a string quartet, with the rotor blades acting as a second instrument, with microphones placed so the helicopters may blend with the instruments themselves, whilst the instruments remain louder than the blades. The piece is played as follows. A moderator, who may be the sound technician, introduces the quartet, and then explains the technical aspects of the piece. The players must then walk, or be driven if necessary, to the helicopters, always being visible to the auditorium audience by camera. The embarcation is also shown, with each helicopter being equipped with three microphones, a camera and television/sound transmitters. The musicians and instruments remain constantly in the view of the cameras, with no camera changes. Behind each player the ground can be seen, as well as the glass. Then the piece begins. The original version lasted approximately 18 1/2 minutes, but the 1994 revision was extended to 21 1/2 minutes. Descent and landing also last 5 minutes. The helicopters circle at a radius of 6 km from the auditorium, changing altitude constantly to create the `bounce' of the piece. All 12 incoming signals are controlled by the sound technician. The descent lasts five minutes, with the decreasing sound of the rotor blades acting as a background as the quartet re-enter the hall. The moderator then takes questions and leads applause.
[edit] The CD
The first CD was created on request of the Arditti quartet themselves, and includes both the world-première recording and a studio recording of a revised version, which adds some material composed after the world première. The studio recording was made by the WDR, on December 7, 1996 in Kürten, using the Übertragungswagen, or mobile studio. They used four different rooms in the studio, with the helicopter sounds dubbed in, using Sony 24-track tape.
[edit] Sources
- Boehmer, Konrad. 1998. "Ab in die Wolken mit Knattern …". Neue Zeitschrift für Musik 159, no. 4 (July–August):43–47.
- Dirmeikis, Paul. 1999. Le Souffle du temps: Quodlibet pour Karlheinz Stockhausen. [La Seyne-sur-Mer]: Éditions Telo Martius. ISBN 2-905023-37-6
- Stockhausen, Karlheinz. 1996. "Helikopter-Streichquartett". Grand Street 14, no. 4 (Spring, "Grand Street 56: Dreams"): 213–25. ISBN 1-885490-07-0. Online Variant of this text (some omissions, some supplements, different illustrations).
- Stockhausen, Karlheinz. 1999. Helikopter-Streichquartett, booklet for the Stockhausen Complete Edition CD 53.
