Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928 - 2007)

Karlheinz Stockhausen

“On Thursday, December 13th 2007, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. it will be possible to personally say farewell to Karlheinz Stockhausen in the chapel of the Waldfriedhof in Kuerten (Kastanienstrasse).”
– (http://stockhausen.org/stockhasuen_passes.html)
I wish I could go.
Interesting video to go along with KONTAKTE.

Stockhausen lecturing:

Walter Kempowski in the Academy of Arts

The Academy of Arts in Berlin will open its exhibition on the life and works of Walter Kempowski tonight. No other book in recent years has fascinated me as much as Kempowski’s Echolot. A collective diary, as Kempowski call his opus magnus in the subtitle, the book brings together thousands of autobiographical reports, letters, diaries, [...]

Walter Kempowski und die SS

“Dann eines Tages kam ein Ritterkreuzträger in unsere Unterkunft und wir mußten alle antreten - so einer mit einem Arm, ein Kriegsversehrter, er war Offizier, mit zwei eisernen Leuten : ‘So sagt er, Kameraden, jetzt meldet ihr euch alle freiwillig zur SS, wir wollen das Hitler zum Geburtstag schenken,’ das muß so ungefähr der 15 [...]

musica reanimata revives music of Karel Reiner

musica reanimata is the name of an ambitious association of musicians and musicologists in Berlin that revives the music of composers persecuted by the Nazis. The association organizes concerts, conferences, and publishes books. For their efforts they have recently been awarded the prestigious Kritikerpreis für Musik 2006.
Yesterday, at the Konzerthaus Berlin, musica reanimata hosted a [...]

C. Bechstein in Kreuzberg

Walking around in my neighbourhood today I came across the old C. Bechstein piano manufactury in Ohlauer Strasse. This is virtually around the corner from where I live but I had no idea it existed! It was a nice coincidence that I had my camera with me to take this shot of the C. Bechstein [...]

Looking Bismarck over the Shoulder

Riding my bike along the numerous paths through the Tiergarten today, a friend of mine showed me a spot where one can see Begas’ Bismarck monument from behind. Set back from the huge traffic circle on the Großer Stern, it sits there between trees and bushes, almost hidden from those who rush by in their [...]

Vergangenheitsbewältigung

Spuren alter Reklame an Hauswänden. Schilder längst nicht mehr vorhandener Geschäfte und Werkstätten. Hinterhöfe voller leerstehender Garagen und Schuppen - wer arbeitete und lebte hier einst? Geschichten der einsamen Alten. Unterirdische Kanäle und Tunnel.
Wie lassen sich die Zeitschichten einer Stadt freilegen?