MANTRA

Stockhausen's masterpiece to be performed at Howard College Theatre on June 30.

There will a performance of Stockhausen's masterpiece, Mantra, at Howard College Theatre, UKZN on June 30.

This forms part of the SASRIM conference which the university is hosting. Written for two pianos, crotales, woodblocks and electronics, the work has only been performed twice before South Africa. The pianists are Jill Richards and Lisa Joubert, with sound engineer Shaughn Macrae, and Jean Pierre de la Porte as producer.

Unlike those digital versions (also performed by Richards and Joubert), this performance recreates the original technical specifications that Stockhausen used in 1970, the date the work was written. This particular technical setup using module 69b is something which Stockhausen himself developed, during the course of many live and electronic performances.

Mantra is a culmination of the work that preceded it. The ring modulation which is an inherent part of Mantra changes and distorts the sound. The expressive characteristics of this analogue sound are diametrically different from the digital version, in that the louder the sounds that are made, the more the distortion increases - exactly the opposite from the digital version, which becomes ring modulation in name only. This performance respects the composer's intentions to the utmost.

The concert starts at 19h30 at Howard College Theatre, UKZN. There will be a short introduction to the work given by the pianists from 18h45 to 19h15. Tickets at the door.