Karlheinz Stockhausen : Cosmic Pulses
a concert laser sculpture [2017]
Strictly following the geometry of the musical score, eight lasers create a three dimensional ephemeral sculpture of light above the audiene.
Score
The musical score of Cosmic Pulses combines a rigid formal approach with a fluid set of performance instructions, which were carried out when recording the piece to tape. The formal part defines the succession of 24 audio loops, with exact times of appearance, duration and musical content.
The fluid part is about tempo and pitch modulation of the loops, turning the piece into a whirlwind of glissandi and rhythmical reorganisation. The loops are constantly re-distributed to the 8 loudspeakers, and the work has no inherent sense of spatial directivity, all channels are equal.
Lasers
The lasers are located next to the loudspeakers and the beams connect them, forming a star-like shape. The temporal appearance of the beams is guided by the score, as well as the changes in beam diameter and beam color which are informed by the loop's length and note duration.
Colors and movement speeds of the lasers are further modified in real time. As a result, the laser sculpture is a mix of pre-defined behaviour and spontaneous expression.
Credits
Software programming and performance by Robert Henke, lasers by LaserAnimation Sollinger.
The work is a commission of the Barbican Centre, London, UK, in cooperation with the Karl Heinz Stockhausen Stiftung, Kuerten.
Premiere:
November 20 2017
Barbican Concert Hall
London, UK
