1962
E. Horn, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, horn, trombone, 2 pianos
UA: 13/2/1963, Paris, Théâtre Odéon, ‘Domaine Musical’, Cond.: Konrad Boehmer
DE: 20/7/1963, Darmstädter Ferienkurse, Cond.: Pierre Boulez
ZEITLÄUFTE (1962) was commissioned by Pierre Boulez for his ‘Concerts du Domaine Musical’.
Originally he had intended to conduct ‘Variation’ himself, but as his close enemy André Malraux, then Minister of Culture, had cut the subsidies shortly before the beginning of the season, I had to compose a piece of chamber music.
I wrote the piece in the house of Urich Brecht, in whose ‘Ulmer Theater’ I was rehearsing and conducting the experimental theatre piece “Offen” by Ferdinand Kriwet at that time.
Shortly before the programmed premiere, Boulez wrote me that he was unable to conduct the piece because he had to replace the sick Leonard Bernstein in New York. Though I never had conducted in my life, I finally did the job myself: if you want to learn to swim, you have to jump into the water.
ZEITLÄUFTE is based on seven structural principles which constantly permeate and tie up. This leads to various gestures and degrees of complexity.
You can download the score here: Zeitlaufte.pdf