The parameters, including the dynamics, timbre, rhythm and register are not determined, which means that the most diverse beginnings are possible.
After each player concludes his first extremely long sound, it will be necessary to pause, in order to allow the other players’ sounds to emerge, the art of making each individual audible. All playing situations (solo, duet, trio, general pause, tutti) are possible, or even intended, in order to avoid too homogeneous of a total impression.
Innumerable kinds of attack transients are possible for the first entrance at the beginning of the piece. It is important to give the tone a personal, characteristic beginning, and after it takes its course, to end it just as distinctly (“Each tone has a head, a belly and a tail.”). Above all, the entrance and conclusion of a sound should be particularly clear (“No head exists in the world twice.”).
The first entrance can take place in succession or collectively. A gesture for synchronisation such as a hand signal may be used. A decisive presence is necessary for every entrance.
The individual, unique character of each member of the ensemble should be communicated by the individual forming and timbre of the sounds.
The performance instruction “extremely long” means a length of more than 16 seconds for one sound, because durations of this length cannot be remembered and the audible impression of extreme length emerges. The durations of the sounds performed are relative to the planned duration of the entire piece, which should be determined in advance (especially for a recording), since it should not be left up to chance.
“Until each one seems like an instant” means to concentrate so intensely on the “now”, the present character of the sounds while playing, that one constantly introduces something new into the sound and it has a completely instant character because of the extremely dense changes in its inner being. A ‘nervously trembling’ sound should be realised with an irregular, fast and intensively lively inner texture, continuously unique (similar to an extremely fast Morse code).
Between the planned duration of the piece and the prescribed minimum length of the sounds, the maximum number of sounds available should become clear. In addition, each player’s pause should be observed during a quartet of the complete pieces (for a quartet – for other-sized groups more or less, respectively).
One tone/ one sound does not necessarily mean a constant pitch. One desirable forming element is a glissando for example, in order to lead the tone.
On keyboard instruments, tremoli and trills can be used to liven up a sound, for example.
About the relevance of artistic decisions, the author’s role and the creative co-responsibility of the performers: “This is 12 minutes of our life...You really have to compose too...Now I am only a helpful listener.”
The general pauses that occur are problematic, because they might give the impression that the piece is over, or that it is musically divided into movements (as in a suite). Thus, the last player who concludes his sound before the general pause must be the first to begin after the general pause. In addition, the same sound, the same musical material should be used after the pause. By beginning with completely new material, the piece is divided into too clear sections.
The pauses that occur should be ‘fulfilled’ pauses. They have to seem goal-oriented and intentional. There are some rules of thumb to help bridge over a very long pause (e.g. 8 seconds) without creating the impression of musically separate blocks, for example by having one performer hold a very soft note, while the energy and intensity of the ensemble’s playing takes a break (‘coloured pauses’).
The inner time structure of the piece must be observed, e.g. the instant character of the sounds should not begin too early. Recommendation: Each player should wear an watch in order to check the complete duration and to form the sound process more precisely (“I am going to build a piece of music that lasts about 12 minutes”).
If a player uses sounds that are too long (e.g. 50 seconds or more), he will become the soloist of the piece, or this refers to a different kind of thinking, a different formal structure of the piece (e.g. 30 minutes duration). Basically, this should not be an objective, or, at least it should be balanced by another soloist player.
The fast reduction of a sound (concentrating on the moment, instant character) and a large amount of continuing inventions produces textures. These textures must always be given a direction (crescendo, decrescendo, ritardando, accelerando, glissandi).
The energy should not be ‘spent too early’, the ensemble’s performance should not be too intense after only 3 or 4 minutes.
The number of each player’s tones must be limited. It might even be enough if each player of the ensemble only plays 3 or 4 minutes within a complete duration of ca. 12 minutes.
The conclusions of sounds tend to be very similar, but they should be made different. A concluding motion upwards and downwards using glissandi is also possible.
Play sounds that have different amplitude-modulations, frequency-modulations, timbre-modulations and interruptions and then concentrate more and more on the instant character.
The high density that can easily evolve from collective ensemble playing should be thinned out by each player’s pauses.
The extremely long sounds should not be given a rhythm too early.
“You have to plan that you are actually alone in this piece. It is not a piece with dialogues, or in which you just have to pay attention to each other, [...] but rather you are really alone and each person has a process to develop. But the four processes cause an increasing concentration of ‘instants’ in the end. That is why you should begin a little bit later to point out what is happening in the tone. And towards the end, until the end, you should maintain this ‘instant’ nature.”
Towards the end you draw the attention to the individual partial durations (of a – in reality – long sound), rather than to the complete duration.
The stationary sounds at the beginning should be clearly different from the internally active sounds with instant character.
The calm sounds must “make the length noticeable”.
Differentiated attack transients for the long sounds and different dynamic levels should be realised.
“Make sure that you give the whole piece a direction. One must notice a goal.”
It is advisable for each player to prepare himself by reading the text right before the recording/performance in order to be sure of the goal of the process.