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Momente is a work by the German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen, written between 1962 and 1969. It is scored for solo soprano, four mixed choirs, and thirteen instrumentalists (brass, percussion, and keyboards). Momente exemplifies what Stockhausen calls moment form, in which the listener's attention is on the "now", on the "eternity that exists in each present moment". At the same time, it constitutes a "polyvalent form", in that its 30 sections (also called "moments") can be arranged in many different sequences.

There are three main groups of moments, designated by letters: eight M, seven K, and eleven D moments. The letters stand for Melodie (melody), Klang (sound, or chord), and Dauer (duration), and also have an autobiographical significance, with K for "Karlheinz" and the other two letters for Stockhausen's first and second wives, "Doris" and "Mary".

The M group emphasizes monophony/heterophony in "random" rhythms, mixes pitches and noises, is scored mainly for the brass and solo soprano, and is on average at a medium dynamic level; the K moments concentrate on vertical, homophonic textures in periodic rhythms with a predominance of noises, are scored mainly for the men's voices and percussion, and are at a generally loud dynamic; the D moments have a "diagonal", or polyphonic character with syncopated rhythms, pitches but little noise, are scored primarily for the electric organs and women's voices, and are at an average soft dynamic. In addition, there are four I (indeterminate) moments, which are used to frame and separate the three main groups.

The K group always stands at the centre, with either the D moments preceding and the M moments following (as in the 1972 and 1998 performing versions), or the reverse. Each moment group includes one "pure" type, designated with the simple letter, and a number of "mixed" types containing "influences" from the other types, designated with multiple letters. In some, the balance is almost equal, in which case the letters are capital, such as MK, or DKM; in others, a slighter degree of influence is indicated with lowercase, bracketed letters, as in K(m), or M(d). Within each group, the moments also have several possible arrangements.

In addition, once the order of the moments has been determined, "inserts" are made from some moments into the immediately preceding or following moment, according to a complex set of rules. These in turn may take on some of the characteristics of the host moment. In the D group, for example, most of the inserts must be transposed to match the central tone of the host moment.

In addition to singing, the choir members play small "auxiliary" instruments, and make noises with their hands and feet. Stockhausen reported that the WDR choir, which sang for the première, initially objected to these practices (Stockhausen 1964).

Momente caused a sensation at the first (partial) performance in Cologne on 20 May 1962, in part because the moment used to begin that version, the so-called "clapping moment" I(m), begins with applause in the choirs. This was seen by some as a mockery of the audience, but by others as a means of intensifying the connection between audience and performers (Kurtz 1992, 119; Cott 1973, 143). Besides the opening I(m) moment, this first version consisted of just two of the M and all of the K moments, separated by the I(d) "organ moment". At the Donaueschingen Festival in October 1965, an expanded version was given, which added the remaining M moments and the I(i) "praying" moment, which is meant to conclude all versions. A recording of this version was released on the Wergo and Nonesuch labels. Completion of the D moments was only accomplished in 1969, and the first complete performance took place in Bonn on 8 December 1972, in a version beginning with the newly composed, 25-minute-long I(k) moment, which is very different from the previously composed moments and which some critics at the time felt was out of proportion to and out of character with the rest (Griffiths 1973; Maconie 1976, 175).

[edit] References

• Cott, Jonathan. 1973. Stockhausen: Conversations with the Composer. New York: Simon and Schuster.
• Griffiths, Paul. 1973. "New Music: Stockhausen". Musical Times 114, no. 1561 (March): 283.
• Kurtz, Michael. 1992. Stockhausen: A Biography. Translated by Richard Toop. London: Faber and Faber.
• McElheran, Brock. 1965. “Preparing Stockhausen’s Momente.” Perspectives of New Music 4, no. 1 (Autumn): 33-38.
• Maconie, Robin. 1976. The Works of Karlheinz Stockhausen. London, New York, Toronto: Oxford University Press.
• Smalley, Roger. “Momente: Material for the Listener and Composer” (Parts 1 and 2). The Musical Times Vol. 115, No. 1571 (Jan., 1974), pp. 23-28 and No. 1574 (Apr., 1974), pp. 289-295.
• Stockhausen, Karlheinz. “Erfindung und Entdeckung”, in Texte zur Musik, vol. 1 (Cologne: DuMont Schauberg, 1963).
• Stockhausen, Karlheinz. “Momentform: Neue Beziehungen zwischen Aufführungsdauer, Werkdauer und Moment”. In Texte zur Musik, vol. 1, pp. 189-210 (Cologne: DuMont Schauberg, 1963).
• Stockhausen, Karlheinz. Conversation with Lukas Foss and an anonymous interviewer, introducing NET television broadcast broadcast of Momente, Recorded in Kleinhans Music Hall, Buffalo, NY, on 1 March 1964. Produced by NET in co-operation with WGBH (Boston), WNED (Buffalo), and Robert Lawrence Productions (Toronto).
• Stockhausen, Karlheinz. 1971. Ein Schlüssel für "Momente": 14 erste und 13 zweite Skizzen, Siculiana, Januar 1962. Kassel: Boczkowski. Reprinted, Kürten: Stockhausen-Verlag, 1981.