New Music By Karlheinz Essl

Binaural production - listen with headphones! Generative soundscape based on a two-dimensional random walk between four binaural soundscapes recorded at the Conservatorio di Milano on May 27th, 2025: 1) Inside the conservatory yard 2) Walking through the conservatory 3) In the cafeteria of the conservatory 4) On the roof terrace of Babila Hostel, next to the conservatory Info: https://essl.at/works/HEAD.html

Karlheinz Essl's last piece for toy piano. Performed live by himself during his farewell concert on May 5th, 2025 at the Klangtheater of the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien. https://www.essl.at/works/ bricolage.html https://www.essl.at/concerts/2025.html#mdw

Im Gespräch mit der trans-Art Künstlerin Astrid Rieder spricht Karlheinz Essl über die Zeit, „Zufall und Notwendigkeit“ (Jacques Monod), über die Dialektik von Gemütlichkeit und Unbequemlichkeit in der kollektiven Performance und die Improvisation als Rettung. Nach langjähriger Erfahrung mit digitalen Werkzeugen experimentiert Karlheinz Essl seit einiger Zeit mit einem hochempfindlichen analogen modularen Synthesizer namens 0-COAST, den er in Interaktion mit der Zeichnerin und trans-Art Performerin Astrid Rieder allein aus den Schwingungen des Geräts zum Klingen bringt. Hier die Transkription dieses Interviews: https://essl.at/bibliogr/essl-rieder_3.html

Binaural production - listen with headphones! Generative soundscape based on a two-dimensional random walk between four binaural soundscapes recorded in Brno, Czech Republic on Feb 6th, 2025: 1) A walk through Brno's main station 2) Garbage collection in the morning 3) Soundcheck on the stage of Divadlo na Orli with Karlheinz playing the toy piano 4) Listening to cars and trams from above Info: https://essl.at/works/HEAD.html

Free improvisation on a MakeNoise 0-COAST modular synthesizer in three parts: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. Performed live at Studio kHz on Dec 20th, 2024. No overdubs, no edits. https://essl.at/works/coastlines.html

Free improvisation on a MakeNoise 0-COAST modular synthesizer in four parts, dedicated to the four seasons. Performed live at Studio kHz on Dec 19th, 2024. No overdubs, no MIDI, no sequencer, no arpeggiator - just manual control in real time! Watch: https://youtu.be/Htd_AuqimMk https://www.essl.at/works/coastlines.html

Binaural production - listen with headphones! Generative soundscape based on a two-dimensional random walk between four binaural soundscapes recorded in Rome, Italy between November 29-30, 2024: 1) A street demonstration during the general strike 2) At the bar of a popular café near S. Maria Maggiore 3) In the archives of the Isabella Scelsi Foundation 4) A nun decorating the altar of the Basilica Quattro Coronati Released: 14 Dec 2024

First encounter between the organist Jeremy Joseph and the composer Karlheinz Essl on his 0-COAST modular synth on 2 December 2024. We met in St. Ursula, a beautiful baroque church in Vienna which houses three fine organs, one of which - a sublime 7-rank Italian instrument from the 18th century - is used on this track. There were no preconceived musical ideas or any kind of preparatory sketches for the improvisation. It is simply an atmospheric late-night ‘jam session’ recorded in the darkness of the sanctuary. It captures us getting to know each other, finding one another and it illustrates the process of musical consolidation through improvisation. https://essl.at/div/becoming-one.html

Soundtrack for a stop-motion movie by Hervé Bacquet, performed on a 0-COAST modular synthesizer. Produced at Studio kHz 2024. Watch the film: https://youtu.be/1kp6zm9oWSY

V.A.N.N. (Viewing A Nasty Neigbourhood) - BINAURAL by Karlheinz Essl

In dieser Folge des Podcasts "Warum Klassik?" porträtiert Leo Eröd den Composer/Performer Karlheinz Essl, der nicht nur die Grenzen zwischen den Kunstdisziplinen, sondern auch die Grenze zwischen Komponist und Interpret aufhebt. Veröffentlicht am 23.10.2024. Der vollständige Beitrag kann hier abgerufen werden: https://sound.orf.at/podcast/oe1/warum-klassik/punk-und-sprayer Webfassung: https://essl.at/bibliogr/essl_warum-klassik.html

Binaural rendering of a 6-channel version from 2017 with REAPER and dearVR (Studio kHz, 18 Oct 2024). Generative sound environment for an art installation by Beat Zoder, written in MaxMSP. In 2006, Swiss artist Beat Zoderer and Austrian composer Karlheinz Essl were commissioned to create a collaborative work for the music festival Stanser Musiktage. In an abandoned repository situated in the heart of the Swiss alps, both artists were setting up a room installation made of sewer pipes. Those plastic parts of different lengths were equipped with funnel speakers driven by a customized computer program written in MaxMSP by Karlheinz Essl. Utilizing realtime composition algorithms which the composers develops since 1985, his software created an ever-changing sonic environment which never repeated itself. Seen from outside, the structure resembled a giant jackstraw heap which invited the public to explore the space. Sounds that were projected from the loudspeakers through the pipes commuted through the air, creat

Binaural production - listen with headphones! In tempore belli... Generative soundscape based on a two-dimensional random walk between four binaural soundscapes recorded in Mantua, Italy between September 10-14, 2024: 1) A walk through the historical center of Mantua 2) A gelataria with the best ice cream in town 3) Inside the Basilica di Sant'Andrea 4) A rehearsal of the ensemble "nova ars cantandi" in the Basilica Palatina di Santa Barbara, singing "Dona Nobis Pacem" from an unknown mass by Antonio Nola (1642-1715). Released: Sep 23rd, 2024 Info: https://essl.at/works/HEAD.html

Binaural production - listen with headphones! Generative soundscape based on a two-dimensional random walk between four binaural soundscapes recorded in Krems, Horn and Gars/Kamp between August 31st and September 1st, 2024. Dedicated to my friend Gerhard Eckel: 1) At the Taffa creek near Horn 2) Gerhard Eckel and Jack Hauser performing under a resonant bridge 3) A train ride along the river Kamp 4) Sound from MONOCOLOR's audio-visual installation SCREEN—SPACE at the NÖ Landesgalerie Krems Released: Sep 2nd, 2024 https://essl.at/works/HEAD.html

Binaural production - listen with headphones! Generative soundscape based on a two-dimensional random walk between four binaural soundscapes recorded at various locations of Salzburg in July 2024: 1) Mirabell Garden with church bells ringing at noon 2) On the shore of the lake St. Wolfgang 3) In the pedestrian zone of the city center of Salzburg 4) The main train station of Salzburg Released: August 4th, 2024 Info: https://essl.at/works/HEAD.html

Sound performance with a MakeNoise MATH function generator controlling the VCO and VCF of a Doepfer DARK ENERGY synthesizer. Performed live at Studio kHz on July 25th, 2024. Have a look at at the video: https://youtu.be/M-QavH4j5xk

Binaural production - listen with headphones! Generative soundscape based on a two-dimensional random walk between four binaural soundscapes recorded in Gars/Kamp between July 5th and 6th, 2024: 1) the audience at the opening of the "Temple of Sound" in Gars, the first museum for electroacoustic music 2) Karlheinz Essl's "Gesualdo-Fragmente", performed there 3) forest next to a country road 4) the river Kamp flowing through the city of Gars Released: July 7th, 2024 Info: https://essl.at/works/HEAD.html

Excerpt of a live performance on Wed 12 June 2024 at the Jesuit Church in Vienna during a rehearsal for the world première of "Verkündigung" on June 26th, 2024. Performed on an 0-COAST modular synth played through a BOSE L1 speaker. https://essl.at/works/verkuendigung.html

Binaural production - listen with headphones! Generative soundscape based on a two-dimensional random walk between four binaural soundscapes recorded at the Volkskundemuseum Vienna (the former Schönborn Palace) on June 4, 2024 during the Vienna Festival project "Haus der Republik": 1) in the garden 2) Cider bar in the courtyard 3) Walking through the exhibition 4) People walking up the main staircase Released: June 5th, 2024 Info: https://essl.at/works/HEAD.html

Binaural production - listen with headphones! Generative soundscape based on a two-dimensional random walk between four binaural soundscapes recorded at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (mdw) on 24 May 2024 before and during a concert of Luigi Nono's last compositions: 1) setup in the library 2) sound check 3) excerpts from "Lontananza" for violin and tape feat. Youngseo Kim and Karlheinz Essl 4) excerpts from "Hay que caminar soñando" for two violins feat. Youngseo Kim and Reina Yoshioka