History of Stop (Stockhausen) in Timeline

Stop is an orchestral composition by Karlheinz Stockhausen (opus 18). It exists in three performance versions: the original Stop, Stop + 1/2, and Stop + 2/3.

1965: Composition of Stop

In 1965, Stop was composed in a single session at the blackboard during a composition seminar at the Cologne Courses for New Music 1964–65. The work was created in response to a student's request for a demonstration of the process of creating a work.

June 1969: World Premiere of Paris Version

On June 2, 1969, the "Paris Version" of Stop, for nineteen instruments, was given its world premiere under the direction of Diego Masson at the Théâtre National Populaire, Palais de Chaillot. It was part of a series of seven concerts of Stockhausen's works.

March 1973: Performance in London

On March 9, 1973, a version of Stop was conducted by the composer in London. Although the score specifies that the six groups be placed "as far apart from one another as possible", this performance did not differentiate them spatially.

1973: Creation of London Version

In 1973, a "London Version" of Stop was made. Though performed and recorded, the London version is close to the Paris version and has neither been published nor given a separate number in the composer's catalog.

2001: Publication of Stop und Start

In 2001, Stop und Start (Stop and Start) for six instrumental groups (twelve performers) was published as version Nr. 18+2⁄3. The altered title of the 2001 version simply reflects the fact that a new sound group starts up after each interruption.