Overview
“Eötvös Conducts Stockhausen: Gruppen, Punkte” is an album that contains two orchestral works, “Gruppen” and “Punkte”, composed by Karlheinz Stockhausen, a German composer of the 20th and early 21st centuries, who is known for his groundbreaking works in serialism and electronic music, and for introducing aleatoric elements and space concept into music.
“Gruppen” was recorded in 1997 by Spanish conductor Arturo Tamayo (conductor), Hungarian composer and conductor Peter Eötvös (conductor), French conductor Jacques Mercier (conductor), and WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln.
“Punkte” was recorded in 2004 by Peter Eötvös (conductor) and WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln.
The album was released in 2006 by BMC (Budapest Music Center) Records, Hungary.
Gruppen (1955–57)
“Gruppen (Groups)” for three orchestras (1955–57) is a large-scale stereophonic work based on serialism and group composition.
It is performed by three conductors and three orchestras (109 players in total) as “groups” in a semicircle (the left, front, and right) around the audience.
It is difficult to perform in a normal concert hall. Listening to it on two-channel stereo recording is only a simulated experience of its spatial effect.
In this recording, the three orchestras are conducted by Tamayo (left), Eötvös (front), and Mercier (right).
Punkte (1952–93)
“Punkte (Points)” for orchestra (1952/62/66/93) is a composition based on serialism and punctualism.
The first draft of “Punkte” was composed in 1952. It was revised in 1962, and was premiered in 1963, conducted by Pierre Boulez. After its premiere, Stockhausen drastically revised it two more times in 1964 and 1966. This album includes the performance based on the 1993 final version and recorded live in the presence of the composer.
