Stockhausen's KONTRABASS from ORCHESTER-FINALISTEN: A performative approach

Miguel Moreno Traba

About this exposition

Abstract Name: Miguel Moreno Traba Main Subject: Double Bass Title of Research: The double bass in Stockhausen's LICHT. Archetypes and the role of double bass. How can you shape your interpretation. Research supervisors: Pete Saunders and Cristiano Melli. Research Question: • What is the specific function of the double bass in Orchesten Finalisten? • Sub-questions: How do the different double bass solos in the Licht world compare?. • How should the knowledge of the symbols related to the characters, change the way one performs this piece? Sumary of Results: The objective of this research is to analyse Karlheinz Stockhausen's HALT and KONTRABASS, both pieces from his opera cycle LICHT – Die sieben Tage der Woche. (LICHT – The Seven Days of the Week). The goal is to study how a performer can shape the interpretation of these pieces according with the symbology the composer uses in the cycle. LICHT is a cycle of seven operas, one for each day of the week. There are three main characters or archetypes. Michael, Lucifer and Eve. Each opera in the cycle has a particular symbol, colour and main subject and is named after the days of the week. MONTAG aus LICHT is Eve’s Day; DIENSTAG aus LICHT is the day of Michael and Lucifer’s Confrontation; MITTWOCH aus LICHT is the Day in which they reconciliate and cooperate; DONNERSTAG aus LICHT is Michael’s Day; FREITAG aus LICHT is when Eve is tempted by Lucifer; SAMSTAG is the Fallen Angel Day and, finally, SONNTAG is Michael and Eve’s Mystical Union. All the musical material is based in Stockhausen’s Superformula technique. Each character has a melody (called formula by the composer) written to represent their archetype; all three formulas placed in counterpoint is what is called Superformula. With this study, using the knowledge of LICHT’s symbols and musical construction, we believe that a richer and more accurate performance of HALT and KONTRABASS can be achieved. As result, we hope to bring more interest not only in Stockhausen’s music but also to newly composed music in general. Biography: Miguel studied his Bachelor degree with David Monrabal in Murcia (Spain). After that he went to London to study for a Master in Orchestra with LSO at Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2015, finishing in 2016. In that year he came to The Hague to do another master at Koninklijk Conservatorium Den Haag. He played as double bass tutti in various professional orchestras and also in youth orchestras. He was principal bass in Murcia youth orchestra from 2010 to 2014, and also play in the Spanish Youth Orchestra (JONDE) (2014). He was principal double bass in the winter tour with the NJO (2018). He is on the reserve list of the Gustav Malher Jugendorchester (2018).

type	research exposition
date	15/11/2017
published	31/05/2018
last modified	31/05/2018
status	limited publication
share status	private
license	All rights reserved
url	https://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/405937/405938
published in	KC Research Portal
portal issue	3. Internal publication

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Stockhausen's KONTRABASS from ORCHESTER-FINALISTEN: A performative approach (2018)

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