Klang / Sound - The 24 Hours of the Day

After completing his work cycle Licht (Light) in 2003, the 77-year-old Stockhausen immediately began working on his next major project. While Licht is based on the week as a unit of time (seven days), Klang (Sound) focuses on the hour (the 24 hours of the day). At the time, Stockhausen announced that following completion of Klang, he intended to compose works based on the minute and second. Unfortunately, the death of this extraordinary composer in 2005 pre-empted his plans.
The world premiere of Klang – comprised of 21 “hour” compositions which he had finished before his death – took place in the form of a two-day touring concert to nine different venues. This exceptional event was showcased at the 6th Cologne Music Triennial in 2010. The audience gathered at the concert locations of their choice, which included the Cologne Philharmonic Orchestra, the Domforum, the Cologne Stadtgarten and other performance venues. Each “hour” was performed several times by the Ensemble musikFabrik and 13 soloists, totalling 180 separate concert performances in the festival programme.

Artistic director: Louwrens Langevoort
Participants / artists: Ensemble musikFabrik

Venues and schedule:
Cologne Philharmonic Orchestra / WDR Funkhaus, Klaus-von-Bismarck-Saal & Kleiner Sendesaal, Praetorium, Domforum and other venues, 8 – 9 May 2010, 12 pm – 12 am
Concert series in Paris, Opéra de la Bastille and other venues, 1 – 3 Oct. 2010