Stockhausen’s Momente (1962-1969) for solo soprano, four mixed choirs and thirteen instrumentalists changed my perspective on new music. The piece uses improvisation to create textures and musical moments that can be performed in any order, depending on the score preparation of the conductor. This score was my first-time seeing improvisation notated in such a detailed way. It has had a big impact on the way I compose and notate music.
The piece opens with the choir applauding. It almost seems like a commentary on applause and its place in classical music. Eventually the clapping develops into fragmented words and gestures from the choir and ensemble. Despite the variety of improvisatory techniques, a few minutes in, the ensemble comes together in marvelous tutti of post-tonal chords. There are many moments of deliberate synchronicity within the ensemble, interspersed with open improvising sections with different instrumental subgroups. The variety of energy and techniques in this piece exposed me to performance-art aspects in contemporary music that have remained prevalent to my works and many composers in the contemporary era.
This piece is also inspiring to me because of the conditions of the premiere. The score was so complicated that only Stockhausen himself could conduct and arrange the performance. The excerpts of him conducting the work online are completely manic and full of energy. The soprano soloist, Martina Arroyo is an African American soprano soloist, whose discography is primarily romantic and post-romantic music. Stockhausen must have worked carefully with her in preparing the interpretation, which includes techniques ranging from fragmented word recitation to laughter and crying to operatic singing. I personally love working closely with performers and conducting my pieces when needed, so Stockhausen’s performance of Momente is extra special for me.
Although Stockhausen abandoned some of the improvisatory techniques of Momente in his later career, the sound world of this piece is closely related to his late major works like the opera Licht (1977-2003). Elements of this performative cantata style are seen in other works like Georges Aperghis’ Die Hameltmaschine (1983-1986) and Helmut Lachenmann’s opera Das Mädchen mit Schwefelhölzer (1988-1996).
