New Year New Music

A very rare complete performance of one of the great works of the late twentieth century avant garde: Karlheinz Stockhausen's iconic electroacoustic masterpiece Hymnen.

Taking as the starting point a December live performance by the London Sinfonietta of Hymnen's 3rd Region (originally composed to a commission by Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic), Radio 3 has also acquired copies of the original four-channel tapes of the remaining Regions 1,2 and 4 of Hymnen from The Stockhausen Foundation for Music in Germany. This will be the first time that the whole piece has been broadcast in 4.0 surround sound - a world premiere and seismic broadcasting event in the history of modern music.

The German title 'Hymnen' means '(national) anthems', and the work has a utopian theme, blending and transforming recordings of national anthems from around the world with many other sounds and atmospheres to create a powerfully immersive experience.

Presented by Robert Worby.

A complete performance of Stockhausen's celebrated electroacoustic work Hymnen.

Complete performances of works from the late 20th and early 21st century

Episodes

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Stockhausen: Hymnen20160101