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I recently learned that Karlheinz Stockhausen, one of my artistic idols, died on December 5 at age 79 – this is a terrible loss for the music world and the art community in general.

Stockhausen’s music found me as recently as 2003, when I took a class in contemporary electronic music as an eager music undergraduate. His Gesang der Jünglinge will remain one of the most simultaneously disturbing and uplifting works of all time and one of my personal favorites. Stockhausen was a pioneer in his use of sound and experimentation with the limits of musicality.

The following is his obituary from Pitchfork:

A man content to exist outside the classical establishment, Stockhausen saw his influence extend beyond it as well. Among his advocates were the Beatles, who included the composer on the collage cover of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. (more…)