Timbre diversification in serial tape music and its consequence on form 1

Abstract:

Since their early works, serial composers have attempted to vary their compositions and to strengthen the articulation of form through selections within the range of variability of different dimensions. In electronic music, this strategy was applied to the combination of timbres. Boulez's Second Study of musique concrète , Stockhausen's Gesang der Jünglinge and Koenig's Klangfiguren II provide three different examples of how this general idea could be realised. In addition spatialization became an important tool in clarifying the structuring of serial music. The analyses presented in this paper are based on the composers' sketches and supported by graphic notations of their electronic music.

Keywords: Pierre Boulez; Karlheinz Stockhausen; Gottfried Michael Koenig; electronic music; serial form; timbre selection

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1080/07494469400640261

Affiliations: 1: Kelmis, Belgium