Group composition

This article deals with a composition technique developed by Karlheinz Stockhausen. Other meanings of the term: Joint composition of a musical work by several authors (see e.g. Composition (Music) #Composition in Rock Music and Jazz ); the linkage rule in a mathematical group, see group theory ; the nature of the composition of a group of objects of any kind

Group composition is a composition technique of serial music that was introduced by Karlheinz Stockhausen in the 1950s .

The basic idea of ​​serial music is to subject the relevant parameters of musical notes (pitch, duration, volume, timbre, octave position) to a formally strict, constructivist organization that replaces classical musical forms of organization such as B. melody , harmony , pulse, rhythm , themes , motifs occurs.

The first form of this technique, the selective music , quickly reached its limits due to the lack of the individual tones of the superordinate structures. The approach of group composition is now to extend the concept of parameters from the individual tones to the structural properties of tone groups. For example, a tone group can have a small or a large range, the tones can all be equally loud, or each tone has its own volume. Tones of a group can sound simultaneously or one after the other. This results in the shape parameters of the tone groups, which are organized in a compositional way in a similar way to what takes place on the level of the individual tones.

One work in which this compositional technique can be heard particularly clearly is the first piano piece. (Work number 2, part 1). In 1955, Stockhausen gave detailed instructions on how to listen to this piece in a radio program on the NDR .

Works (selection)

• No. 2: Piano Pieces I – IV, 1952
• No. 3: Electronic Studies I and II (1954)
• No. 6: Groups for three orchestras 1955–57

literature

• Karlheinz Stockhausen: Texts on electronic and instrumental music . tape 1 . DuMont, Cologne 1988, ISBN 3-7701-0269-X (first edition: 1963).
• Imke Misch: On the compositional technique of Karlheinz Stockhausen: Groups for 3 orchestras (1955–57) . in the Signals series. Pfau, Saarbrücken 1999, ISBN 3-89727-048-X .
• Pascal Decroupet: Gravitationsfeld Gruppen / On the entanglement of the works 'Gesang der Jünglinge', 'Gruppen' and 'Zeitmasze' and their impact on Stockhausen's musical thinking in the second half of the fifties . In: Journal of Music Theory . tape 12 , no. 1 . Laaber-Verlag, Laaber 1996, p. 38 .
• Christoph von Blumröder: The foundation of the music of Karlheinz Stockhausen . Franz Steiner, Stuttgart 1993, ISBN 3-515-05696-3 .

Web links

• Homepage of the Stockhausen publishing house

Individual evidence

1. ↑ printed as group composition: Piano piece I (instructions for listening). In: Texts Volume 1.