Gesang der Jünglinge is also noted for is its use of spatiality (it was originally recorded for playback in five channels). Stockhausen continued to experiment with spatialization of music in Gruppen (Groups), a piece composed for three orchestras who are to be situated on the left, on the right, and in front of the audience in performance. Kontakte (Contacts), composed for electronic sounds, piano, and percussion, is a four-channel piece using a rotation table to swirl the sounds from speaker to speaker.
In the ’60s, Stockhausen introduced live electronics in pieces such as Mixtur for orchestra and electronics and Mikrophonie II for choir, Hammond organ, and four ring modulators. Another noteworthy piece from this time period is Hymnen (Anthems), in which Stockhausen manipulates recordings of approximately 40 different national anthems; Hymnen in fact served as inspiration for the Beatles’ “Revolution No. 9.” Stockhausen spent his later years focusing on a Licht (Light), a cycle of seven cosmically themed operas.
Stockhausen’s music has touched numerous artists, from Frank Zappa to Herbie Hancock to Bjork. Miles Davis was fascinated by Stockhausen, and his influence can be heard on the 1972 album On the Corner.