Collegium Vocale Köln
Encyclopedia
Collegium Vocale Köln is a German vocal ensemble, founded in 1966 as a quintet when its members were still students at the Rheinische Musikschule in Cologne
. It is directed by Wolfgang Fromme, who also sings tenor
in the ensemble. They are best-known as the group for which Karlheinz Stockhausen
composed Stimmung
in 1968, a work which they had performed more than three hundred of times throughout the world by 1986. The original impetus for the ensemble's founding, however, was an appearance by Alfred Deller
at the Cologne Courses for Early Music, and the group has always performed both early and contemporary works (Fuhrmann 1986).
In addition to Stimmung, the Collegium Vocale performed other works by Stockhausen, notably as part of the ensemble of musicians who appeared with him at Expo '70
in Osaka
, Japan, between March and September 1970, where individual singers of the group performed Spiral
for a soloist with a short-wave radio (Stockhausen 1971, 140). On 5 June 1971 the Collegium Vocale participated in the world premiere of Stockhausen's Sternklang in Berlin, and appeared also in subsequent performances in Munich, at the Shiraz Arts Festival
in 1972, in La Rochelle in 1974, and in Paris-St. Cloud in 1975. Four members of the group also took part in a studio recording of the work made in June 1975 (Stockhausen 1978a, 170–71, 176). In the meantime, they had also participated in the world premiere of his Alphabet für Liège
on 23 September 1972 (Stockhausen 1978b, 185–88, 191).
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
. It is directed by Wolfgang Fromme, who also sings tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
in the ensemble. They are best-known as the group for which Karlheinz Stockhausen
Karlheinz Stockhausen
Karlheinz Stockhausen was a German composer, widely acknowledged by critics as one of the most important but also controversial composers of the 20th and early 21st centuries. Another critic calls him "one of the great visionaries of 20th-century music"...
composed Stimmung
Stimmung
Stimmung, for six vocalists and six microphones, is a piece by Karlheinz Stockhausen, written in 1968 and commissioned by the City of Cologne for the Collegium Vocale Köln. Its average length is seventy-four minutes, and it bears the work number 24 in the composer's catalog...
in 1968, a work which they had performed more than three hundred of times throughout the world by 1986. The original impetus for the ensemble's founding, however, was an appearance by Alfred Deller
Alfred Deller
Alfred George Deller CBE , was an English singer and one of the main figures in popularizing the return of the countertenor voice in Renaissance and Baroque music during the 20th Century....
at the Cologne Courses for Early Music, and the group has always performed both early and contemporary works (Fuhrmann 1986).
In addition to Stimmung, the Collegium Vocale performed other works by Stockhausen, notably as part of the ensemble of musicians who appeared with him at Expo '70
Expo '70
was a World's Fair held in Suita, Osaka, Japan between March 15 and September 13, 1970. The theme of the Expo was "Progress and Harmony for Mankind." In Japanese Expo '70 is often referred to as Ōsaka Banpaku...
in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan, between March and September 1970, where individual singers of the group performed Spiral
Spiral (Stockhausen)
Spiral , for a soloist with a shortwave receiver, is a composition by Karlheinz Stockhausen, written in 1968. It is Number 27 in the catalogue of the composer’s works.-Conception:...
for a soloist with a short-wave radio (Stockhausen 1971, 140). On 5 June 1971 the Collegium Vocale participated in the world premiere of Stockhausen's Sternklang in Berlin, and appeared also in subsequent performances in Munich, at the Shiraz Arts Festival
Shiraz Arts Festival
The Shiraz Arts Festival was an arts festival held annually from 1967 to 1977 in the Iranian city Shiraz. Its creation was suggested by Farah Pahlavi and sponsored by National Iranian Radio & Television...
in 1972, in La Rochelle in 1974, and in Paris-St. Cloud in 1975. Four members of the group also took part in a studio recording of the work made in June 1975 (Stockhausen 1978a, 170–71, 176). In the meantime, they had also participated in the world premiere of his Alphabet für Liège
Alphabet für Liège
Alphabet für Liège, for soloists and duos, is a composition by Karlheinz Stockhausen, and is Work Number 36 in the composer's catalog of works. A performance of it lasts four hours....
on 23 September 1972 (Stockhausen 1978b, 185–88, 191).
Discography
- Banchieri, AdrianoAdriano BanchieriAdriano Banchieri was an Italian composer, music theorist, organist and poet of the late Renaissance and early Baroque eras. He founded the Accademia dei Floridi in Bologna.-Biography:...
. Barca di Venetia per Padova: dilettevoli Madrigali à 5 voci (Madrigalkomödie). Collegium Vocale Köln; Gianrico Tedeschi, narrator; Colin Tilney, harpsichord; Pere Ros, viola da gamba and violone. Reflexe. LP recording. EMI Electrola 1C 063-30 128 Q. Cologne: EMI Electrola, 1976. - Gesualdo, CarloCarlo GesualdoCarlo Gesualdo, known as Gesualdo di Venosa or Gesualdo da Venosa , Prince of Venosa and Count of Conza, was an Italian nobleman, lutenist, composer, and murderer....
. Madrigals (Book VI). Collegium Vocale Köln, dir. Wolfgang Fromme (Recorded 7–11 December 1981, Deutsche Evangelische Christuskirche, Paris). LP recording. CBS Masterworks IM 37758. New York: CBS, 1983. - Moro Lasso. Works by Carlo Gesualdo, Peter Eötvös, Claudio Monteverdi, Guillaume Dufay Demetres Terzakes Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, and Ernst Widmer. Collegium Vocale Köln, dir. Wolfgang Fromme. LP recording. EMI Electrola 1 C 065-28 830. Cologne: EMI Electrola.
- The Most Beautiful Madrigals / Les Plus beaux madrigaux / Die schönsten Madrigal. Collegium Vocale Köln, dir. Wolfgang Fromme. 3-LP set. CBS Masterworks 79 333. [New York]: CBS Masterworks, 1980. Reissued as Madrigals. 2-CD recording. CBS Odyssey MB2K 45622. [New York]: CBS Odyssey, 1989.
- Stockhausen, Karlheinz: Stimmung (Paris Version). Collegium Vocale Köln (Dagmar Apel, Gaby Rodens, Helga Albrecht, Wolfgang Fromme, Georg Steinhoff, Hans-Alderich Billig) (recorded WDR, Cologne, 30 & 31 October 1969). Avant Garde. Deutsche Grammophon 2543 003 (LP), and in Avant Garde Vol. 3 DG 2720 025 (6LP boxed set). Hamburg: Deutsche Grammophon, 1971.
- Stockhausen, Karlheinz: Stimmung (Paris Version). Collegium Vocale Köln (Dagmar von Biel, Gaby Ortmann-Rodens, Helga Hamm-Albrecht, Wolfgang Fromme, Helmut Clemens, Hans-Alderich Billig) (recorded 1982). In Deutscher Musikrat: Zeitgenössische Musik in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland 7. Harmonia Mundi DMR 1019-21 (3LP boxed set).
- The above two recordings together have been rereleased on CD in the Stockhausen Complete Edition CD 12 A-B (2 CDs).
- Zeitreisen. Works by Péter Eötvös (Hochzeitsmadrigal), Georg Kröll (Parodia ad Perotinum), Matthias Pintscher (Départ and Monumento 3), Krzysztof Meyer (Hommage à Johannes Brahms op. 59), Michael Denhoff (Nachtbild), and Johannes Kalitzke (Jardins paradoxaux). Collegium Vocale Köln; Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken, cond. Hans Zender; Ensemble Varianti, cond. Mathias Pintscher; Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester, cond. Antoni Wit. Andere Welten 5. CD recording. Schwann Musica Mundi 3 50 372. Munich: Koch International, 1996.