About the ‘Star constellations’: “Comparable to someone who looks at the stars on a starry night and recognises dots that make up certain shapes. And the way you look at a star constellation, you could also make them audible by using a very limited number of pitches. The rhythms are the distances between the dots.”
Constellations, for example ‘Orion’: four outer dots, three in the middle, that is, seven dots can be recognised. So as seven different pitches, they should definitely be played several times, just as they have to be looked at several times in order to visually imprint them in your mind.
On ‘forest’: There is a transition to be shaped, from geometric, pointillist music to a natural shape.
On ‘dialogues’: To shape a comprehendible conversation, there should be adequate pauses between the dialogue partners, so that the existence of two, non-interacting, parallel layers is avoided.
“An abrupt ending is natural, if it breaks off suddenly and you have no idea why” (variation “sudden stopping”).
In the dialogues, “different speaking rhythms” should be observed.
An abrupt ending can also be synchronised by using an optical signal (head, cello bow, etc.) abruptly ending the dialogue activity. This kind of ending can also be accompanied or made clear by an event (“crazy solo” by a player, standing up, conspicuous physical motion, etc.); it might be necessary to clearly arrange the abrupt ending, or at least musically plan the basic direction of the ending ahead of time.
Exercise for the star constellations: Each player should think of “a constellation, look at the star in his mind and make the same constellation with the same pitches several times (...) – also with rhythms that correspond to the distances in the sky and one point, one pitch, that is common with the other constellations”. Transpositions to a – in the end – common tone are possible. A pointillist music of (in this case) four different constellations should emerge.
Shooting stars can be long, looping tones with glissandi (“if possible poco tremolo”), and many variations are possible, e.g. a little “trill-loop” like a shooting star racing by.
On ‘forest’: to make the ‘nocturnal forest’ more clear, sounds should be used that are similar to the voices that could be heard in the forest at night. This way, “organic and natural sound worlds in a dialogue” should evolve. To shape this kind of comprehensible conversation, sufficient pauses should be made between the dialogue partners, so that the existence of two non-interacting, parallel layers is avoided. A dialogue should not be a monologue with comments. It is (generally for many texts) important to work with empty spaces within the ensemble.
Star constellations should be permutated soon after they are established, e.g. by exchanging the pitches, comparable to a changed (order) of observing the constellation with the eyes.
For practice (and perhaps also in general), pitches for the star constellations (and the common points) can be discussed and determined before the realisation. They should not be too low, “otherwise star constellation is somehow the wrong description”.
Shooting stars (e.g. especially on the piano) should be realised using reverberation.
A general remark by Stockhausen on his music, which also applies to intuitive music: “I am very sensitive about figures that are not directed. By ‘directed’ I mean that it is connected with what I hear, what I have done before and what I will do next. Usually I understand it in retrospect, that is I relate to what I have done before: So, as much music to think along with, as possible!” Departures from this practice should be relatively brief (inserts).
During a concert, a balanced mixture of intuitive and notated compositions is advisable, since the intuitive pieces generally have “this organic character”, and contain too few chords and synchronous rhythms.
From the 2005 rehearsals:
In AWAKE, point-music should be strived for.
More distances and closer together, so that one perceives larger groups instead of a statistically even distribution. Formal units should be established that are different from each other. It is necessary to have a feeling of groups, a high concentration of groups.
For a performance of AWAKE (association with outer space), each instrument, each voice must have at least three seconds reverberation (not an echo: “The reverberation must begin immediately, without delay”). Different versions of the reverberation can also be added in a studio, during or after the recording.
Individual tones should be played, “like constellations in the sky, with lots of space in between. In large groups, so that they can easily be seen.” (explanation of “star constellations”)
The distances between tones must greatly vary so that they are not evenly distributed, statistically speaking.
If a group of points that are close together has evolved, then the distance between the groups should become larger during the continuation of the piece.
If the points are too numerous and dense, then no changing processes are developed. The events remain the same or statistically average throughout the entire duration of the piece.
A star constellation should be realised in a quartet with (for example four) tone points that are close together; after a long period the next, different tone group follows. The constellations should emerge from the collective playing and not be too complexly ‘composed’.
Many shared points should be synchronised by head or hand signals.
The players should sit/stand close together and have eye contact.
“It must be understandable what you want”: A constellation must be clearly recognisable and have as many common points as possible. The entrances are decisive in this process and must indicate when a point comes. First, one player leads, then the others can take turns.
The common nature of points is not to be understood as having the same pitch.
From a compositional point of view, the musical star constellations should seldom consist of more than four single points. It can be more if necessary, but by no means are 15 or 20 points desirable.
Soft, surface sounds that are clearly different from the single impulses of the star constellations are “secret wishes”.
“nocturnal forest”: mysterious, not too many events and not too loud. The mysterious part must stay close to a pianissimo. Reduce the associations with a “nocturnal forest” to the benefit of an “unforgettable” form.
Star constellations, shooting stars and secret wishes are the material for the dialogues.
The total duration of the piece is determined by the reduction of the number of tones and the respective durations of the pauses between the event-groups.
The clearly identifiable piano sound can be altered for the star constellations by pressing down other keys almost inaudibly at the same time, in order to give the single tones an individual harmonic hue. Recognisable styles (e.g. point-music, piano music from the 1950’s) should also be avoided (“...away from traditional piano playing, ... away from the major sevenths and tritones . . . but rather a refinement of each individual tone by the partials that vibrate along with it”).
For the “abrupt end” the reverberation must be stopped at the same time as the final impulse (in this case by Tutschku with live electronics).
If a number of (not necessarily exact) repetitions by each player occurs, then a time-limit of ten minutes (for example) should be agreed upon in advance (Stockhausen after a 17-minute version). What is decisive is the overview of the entire formal development, the process in time, and not the individual quality of the realisation of the elements.
It is important to avoid a clear motif caused by repetition.
The density in time, the tempo within the individual constellations should vary.
The star constellations last until the end of the text. The other processes are added (and star constellations, and nocturnal forest). “The sky does not go away”.
A secret wish is something very intimate, private, that is engaged with the atmosphere of AWAKE.
Also in the dialogues both the reduction of the events as well as the clear interruptions by pauses are important. The dialogue partners must be clearly related (musically, but also visually, for example, with eye contact). “Not holding speeches”, but rather making dialogues out of the constellations is the objective. “Forms must emerge” that can be remembered.
The choice of the dialogue partner should take place while playing. It can be designated by hand signals but should not be arranged in advance.
In order to produce the atmosphere of a nocturnal forest, imitations of animal sounds, for example, are allowed.
Each player must be conscious of the form throughout the duration of the piece.
The two lines “and falling stars” and “with secret wishes” should actually – like the first two lines – be read together, i.e. as a performance instruction (Stockhausen prefers the gradual addition of the lines 3 and 4).
“An abrupt end must also have something very extraordinary from nature – sound-wise.” Association: Tsunami. (Correction of the initially planned ending by stopping the reverberation, since one player cannot control the total dynamics)
During the course of the piece (here: piano), too large a number of figures, motifs and repetitions should be absolutely avoided to the benefit of clear, common constellations that are oriented around the prescribed constructive structure.
The players must hold back in a sense and avoid too much independence. The emphasis of the text is on the communication (signals, attention, dialogue, etc.) within the ensemble.
Single tones within the star constellations should be dynamically clearly emphasised and differentiated (example: sun, supernova).
The last tones of a ‘secret wish’ should be sustained (decrescendo) until the next one begins.
The construction of constellations should continue throughout the piece and produce a very individual, new kind of music (no melodies or motifs!)
The internal tempo of the constellations must be very varied.
In the course of the piece, a kind of stylistic unity should be realised.
Unusual repetitions, figures or melody fragments make too strong an impression on the memory and thus cover up the constellations and dialogues.
The ‘nocturnal forest’ must be clearly active in order to end the preceding static situation
In the dialogues “do not interrupt the opponent’s speaking”
It is extremely important for the realisation of AWAKE that each player “has the whole process of the development towards dialogues in his mind.”