Photo: Kathinka Pasveer / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Public records list Karlheinz Stockhausen as a composer, musicologist and music educator. Karlheinz Stockhausen was born in Mödrath, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany on August 22, 1928. Death is recorded on December 5, 2007, at the age of 79. Education on record includes University of Bonn. Recorded honors include Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (1974), Order of Merit of North Rhine-Westphalia (1992), Bach Prize of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (1995) and 2 more.
My Take
Stockhausen fascinates me precisely because he's so hard to fully grasp. He didn't just write music, he rethought what music could be, pioneering electronic and spatial sound in ways that still feel radical. The fact that he earned the Ernst von Siemens Prize and major honors while remaining genuinely divisive tells me he never softened to win approval. His Licht cycle, seven operas written over decades, is an almost insane act of ambition. I won't pretend I understand all of it, but that's exactly why he compels me. He's a giant I'd rather wrestle with than dismiss, a true visionary of the twentieth century.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Karlheinz Stockhausen
- Name (Japanese)
- カールハインツ・シュトックハウゼン
- Reading
- かーるはいんつ・しゅとっくはうぜん
- Born
- August 22, 1928 – December 5, 2007
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Leo / Dragon
- Origin
- Mödrath, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
- Occupation
- composer / musicologist / music educator / music theorist / university teacher
2. Background
- University
- University of Bonn
Awards & achievements
- 1974 Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- 1992 Order of Merit of North Rhine-Westphalia
- 1995 Bach Prize of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg
- 1986 Ernst von Siemens Music Prize
- Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Mixtur | — | |
| Notable work | Jubilee | — | |
| Notable work | Momente | — | |
| Notable work | Solo | — | |
| Notable work | Licht | — | |
| Notable work | Klang | — |
4. Links
- Official sitehttps://www.karlheinzstockhausen.org
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karlheinz%20Stockhausen
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%AB%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AB%E3%83%8F%E3%82%A4%E3%83%B3%E3%83%84%E3%83%BB%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A5%E3%83%88%E3%83%83%E3%82%AF%E3%83%8F%E3%82%A6%E3%82%BC%E3%83%B3
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154556
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Karlheinz Stockhausen born?
Born August 22, 1928.
When did Karlheinz Stockhausen die?
Died December 5, 2007, aged 79.
Where was Karlheinz Stockhausen from?
Karlheinz Stockhausen was from Mödrath, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
What did Karlheinz Stockhausen do?
Karlheinz Stockhausen worked as composer, musicologist, music educator, music theorist, university teacher.
What was Karlheinz Stockhausen known for?
Notable works include Mixtur, Jubilee, Momente.
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