Described as a "twilight fantasy", Sternklang (Star Sound, in English) is conceived as an outdoor performance, under an open sky with a clear view of the stars so that the singers and instrumentalists, who are distributed as spatially far apart groups in the sound field, can read some of their notes directly from the heavens.
"Sternklang," says Stockhausen, "is music for concentrated listening in meditation, for the sinking of the individual into the cosmic whole".
With every concert BCMG do, we like to inspire our younger musicians, composers, and noise makers too. Have a go at home with some of our space and stars-inspired music activities for young people. Read more
BCMG's musicians talk about Karlheinz Stockhausen's Sternklang, what it's like to perform such a magical piece, and what it Sternklang means to them. Read more
Watch video extracts from BCMG's performance of Sternklang by Karlheinz Stockhausen in Hannover, 29 August 2020. Read more
BCMG's Executive Director, Seb Lovell-Huckle writes about the experience of organising an international tour of Stockhausen's Sternklang in the midst of a pandemic. Read more
As part of their entry to BCMG's Sternklang Digital Diaries we asked musicians to describe Stockhausen's 'Sternklang' in one sentence: 'Sternklang is... ?' Read more
Paul Griffiths writes about Karlheinz Stockhausen's Sternklang, his inspirations and how it came to life. Read more