“Ach Golgatha!” by Karel Goeyvarts in the Aspect of Synthesis of Serialism, Aleatory Technique and Minimalism

Abstract

Karel Goeyvaerts was a Belgian composer whose musical output exerted an influence on Western
European serial and electronic music. the compositional techniques which he incorporated into his
music at various periods of time always served his main goal – to manifest the ideas of the Absolute
and Perfection. During the 1970s and the 1980s the composer focused his attention on the aleatory
technique and minimalism. His best compositions from those years include five “Litanies” written
for various instrumental ensembles and the opera project “Aguarius”. The present article focuses
its attention on the composition “Ach Golgatha!”, which was created in 1975 and turned out to be
one of Goeyvaerts’ first minimalist works. Virtually the entire material of the composition is based
on a single quotation – a one-measure accompaniment to the recitative “Ach Golgatha” sung by the
alto voice in Johann Sebastian Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion” which is subjected to deconstruction.
The composition is written for harp, organ and percussion, while the score is written by means of
graphic notation.
On the basis of detailed analysis of the musical material, its pitch, rhythmical, registral
and timbral structure, the author arrives at conclusions that this composition synthesized in an
organic way Goeyvarts’ parametrical thinking, characteristic for the serial period of is work and
distinctive for its analytical approach, and new tendencies connected with the aleatory technique
and minimalism, which determined the variable nature of the musical text and the commenting type
of thinking.

Keywords: 20th century music, Karel Goeyvaerts, “Ach Golgatha!,” serialism, aleatory
technique, minimalism, repetitive technique.