HOCH-ZEITEN for choir and orchestra is a combination of the 5th and 6th scenes of SUNDAY from LIGHT. It is notated in two scores: HOCH-ZEITEN for choir and HOCH-ZEITEN for orchestra. The present volume is the score of

          HOCH-ZEITEN for orchestra.

A second volume contains the score of HOCH-ZEITEN for choir.

In HOCH-ZEITEN, the choir and orchestra simultaneously perform the work in 2 separate halls, quasi synchronously (with meeting points). Seven times during the performance, the orchestra is blended into the choir, and the choir into the orchestra, over loudspeakers.

In the intermission, either the audiences or the choir and orchestra change halls. (Duration: 2 x circa 35 minutes.)

The conductor and the five assistant conductors individually rehearse the five groups, the duets and trios. Each assistant conductor is responsible for rehearsing his group: he conducts all rehearsals and the concert. The assistant conductors sit with their backs to the wall, facing the audience.
     The conductor checks the sectional rehearsals, leads the tutti rehearsals, plays the synthesizer (pages 95–100) and conducts the end (pages 119–122).

The five groups almost always play in 5 different tempi.
     For the group rehearsals (and also during the performance), 5 synchronous click-tracks with pulses and spoken bar numbers (Stockhausen) are needed. The pitches of the pulses for each click-track correspond to the pitches of the respective group. (Click-tracks are also available for tuning pitch A = 440 Hz.)
     The page numbers of the score are spoken on track 6 of the tape (Kathinka Pasveer); therefore, track 6 (page announcement) has to be mixed to each click-track. The dynamic balance between the click-track and page announcement can be set individually using a separate small mixer having 6 inputs and 6 outputs (to the 5 assistant conductors and – if desired – to the conductor).
     Several of the notated metronome tempi are approximations. Minor time discrepancies at the synchronous places were compensated in the click-tracks. The tracks are played back using an 8-track tape machine, and each assistant conductor (wearing an inconspicuous small earphone) hears the click-track of his group and track 6 with the page numbers.

Each orchestra member must receive his part and a compact disc with the click-track of his group in plenty of time. The musicians must prepare their parts in advance. None of the parts can be sight-read nor can they be learned during the normal rehearsal time, especially due to the bar and tempo changes, glissandi, noises, mute technique, etc.

There is a separate part for each orchestra group. The consecutive page numbers of the score stand above each system.
     The duets and trios, printed separately on larger pages, are included with the rental material.

After the five groups have rehearsed alone, they rehearse together. The conductor corrects and balances the groups. Then, the simultaneous rehearsals begin, with the orchestra in one hall and the choir in another hall.

In a performance, either the audiences or the orchestra and choir change halls for the second performance. Due to the different technical installations, it is better for the audiences to change halls.

Blend-ins

In the score, the beginhings and ends of the 7 blend-ins of the choir from the other hall are indicated. When the tutti rehearsals begin, a sound projectionist must balance the groups. At the places indicated in the score, he blends the choir in and out, and he makes envelope curves by ear. (See the positions of the 5 loudspeakers on page XIII.) The blend-ins should never cover the orchestra

In a performance, the orchestra must begin to play 18 seconds earlier than the choir. Accordingly, the click-tracks of the orchestra and choir are started I8 seconds apart. The two sound projectionists need to be able to communicate and to see each other (video) at all times.

To rehearse the sound projection – especially of the 7 blend-ins – it is possible to order two 8-track tapes from the publisher: one with the 5 choir tracks and another one with the 5 orchestra tracks. For this, 2 8-track tape machines, 5 loudspeakers and a mixing console (10 → 5) are needed. For comparison, an 8-track tape of Stockhausen's mix-down of the orchestra with the 7 choir blend-ins may be used.
     This information also applies to HOCH-ZEITEN for choir.

Suggestion for clothing

If possible, the colours of the clothing should correspond to the colours used in the first sketches:

Also the assistant conductors wear these colours.

Staged performance

SUNDAY from LIGHT has 5 scenes, which should be performed on three days in succession:

The HOCH-ZEITEN of the five groups in the orchestra and choir should be celebrated in five different cultures when staged. But also in concert performances, in the orchestra the duets and the couples in the two trios (clarinet and violin in the first trio, flute and viola in the second trio) are played, if possible, by a man and a woman – facing each other – from memory, with sympathetic gestures while mutually approaching each other.

In the choir, the five groups celebrate Indian, Chinese, Arabian, European and African HOCH-ZEITEN ( MARRIAGES ). Several dancer- mimes stand next to each choir group, and according to the language exchanges in the score, they visit other groups, bearing and exchanging gifts. All gestures and movements should be choreographically related to the scenes ANGEL PROCESSIONS and SCENTS — SIGNS. For rehearsals, recordings of the individual choir groups on compact discs, and the 8-track synchronous recording of all the choir groups may be used.

For a staging, if it is decided to perform the two parts successively in the same auditorium and to project recordings of the two times seven blend-ins over loudspeakers, then the orchestra part should be performed first, followed by the choir part after an intermission. Five-track or two-track recordings of the blend-ins may be ordered from the publisher.

Quasi concert world première

HOCH-ZEITEN was commissioned by Rafael Nebot (with Hans-Martin Höpner as liason) for the Festival de Música de Canarias 2003. The world première, performed by the choir and symphony orchestra of the West German Radio Cologne, took place on February 2nd 2003 in Las Palmas at the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, in the Sala Sinfonica and the Sala de Cámera simultaneously. The German premiere took place on February 14th 2003 in Cologne at the Philharmonic Hall and the large broadcasting auditorium (WDR).
     Choir conductor: Rupert Huber and 5 choir members; orchestra conductor: Zsolt Nagy with 5 assistant conductors.
     Synthesizer players: Antonio Pérez Abellán and Benjamin Kobler. (For the first performances the scone still included several moments with two synthesizers in addition to the five orchestra groups. However, during the mixdown, Stockhausen deleted them because their sound was covered by that of the orchestra.)
     Sound projection at the Philharmonic Hall: Karlheinz Stockhausen; at the large broadcasting auditorium (WDR): Bryan Wolf.
     Management of the choir: Patricia Just; management of the orchestra: Hans-Martin Höpner.