In the late 1950s, avant-garde musicians were exploring new ways of expressing their experimental compositions in writing. Searching for a universal language that would reach far beyond music, they no longer considered the traditional system of musical notation as sufficient. By progressing into electronic music, as well as by linking music and performance, they blurred the boundaries between different genres and inevitably changed the notation of music.

Karlheinz Stockhausen, who was one of the leading pioneers in those days, used every conceivable form in order to give expression to his musical universe like no other. This publication, for the first time ever, provides insights into an aspect of his work that has been previously overlooked. It features drawings showing that Stockhausen developed a unique pictorial language for ideas which could not be expressed through music or words. The book includes sheets that explore performance practices or even present time specifications, different timbres, or dynamics in colors.

All works reflect Stockhausen’s determination to create the widest possible range of associations and mental images. By uniting writing, drawing, and music, a truly exceptional, autonomous body of work has evolved.