13.5 Desirable or undesirable consequences?

a full score in record time, drawing the tape sounds graphically in the score. It was the first graphic representation of a tape piece.

In contrast to his Studie 1 and 2, Kontakte is made from sounds that are chopped up193; the frequency of the chopping results in a pitch. This method of working resembles Gruppen in an electronic way.

Unlike the RTF studio, that of the WDR was a collective achievement, a collaboration between Werner Meyer-Eppler, Gottfried Michael Koenig, Karlheinz Stockhausen (who soon became the head of the studio) and Herbert Eimert.

In Milan as well, a studio was established in 1955, at the initiative of the Radio Audizione Italiane (RAI). Leading figures and composers from the studio were Luciano Berio, Bruno Maderna, and Luigi Nono.

In Paris the electronic studio of IRCAM was established in 1970, led by Pierre Boulez. It opened in 1977 and its aim was to integrate the computer in the composing process of Young Music. This studio, which is still at its original location in the basement of the Centre Georges Pompidou was incredibly expensive at the time, and to make matters worse, for a long time this studio did not produce much of artistic value, with the exception of Boulez’ Répons (1984). Later, composers from the spectral school began using this studio, demonstrating at last a logical and necessary use of the computer as a tool for composing.

Developments of the computer itself have by now significantly reduced the need for electronic studios. In 2006 Apple released the Macbook Pro and on this computer - and later also on those of competing brands - a complete electronic studio could be installed in software. It often happens that students have a better studio available on their computers than the one the conservatoire has to offer.

There are also a number of very advanced freeware(!) programs available, notably Super Collider, a programming language for real-time audio synthesis and algorithmic composition that makes high demands on users; and IRCAM developed Max, which is much more intuitive to use (but not for free).

13.5 DESIRABLE OR UNDESIRABLE CONSEQUENCES? The influence of the electronic studio on the thinking and aesthetics of the composers of Young Music cannot be overestimated. The production process, the strategies involved in applying certain manipulations, and the total control over the results influence the musical thinking of many

193The pulses of an impuls-generator is fed into a Band-Pass filter, which is called an Abstimmbarer Anzeigeverstärker (made by Rohde und Schwarz, type UBM

BN 12121/2), after that, reverb is added to the result.