Helicopter String Quartet (1996)

Helicopter String Quartet (1996) poster

One morning, the late Karlheinz Stockhausen awoke from a dream that told him to take to the sky. Stockhausen envisioned four helicopters swirling in the clouds, with each of a quartet’s members tucked inside his own chopper, communicating through headsets, stringing away in sync to the rotor-blade motors. He immediately set forth to make that dream a reality. In 1995, Dutch film director Scheffer followed Stockhausen in the days leading up to the premiere performance of his Helicopter String Quartet in Amsterdam. The resulting film offers a rare glimpse of Stockhausen as he patiently dictates every agonizingly detailed measure to the Arditti Quartet.

Director: Frank Scheffer
Genre: Documentary, Music
Runtime: 81 min
Release Date:

Cast

Screenplay

Cinematography: René van der Eijk, Joost van Gelder
Editing: Jan Wouter van Reijen
Production: Allegri Film
Country: Netherlands
Language: Deutsch, English
Original Language: de

Keywords

composer, classical music, avant-garde

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More Films in Genre: Documentary, Music

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Helicopter String Quartet about?
One morning, the late Karlheinz Stockhausen awoke from a dream that told him to take to the sky. Stockhausen envisioned four helicopters swirling in the clouds, with each of a quartet’s members tucked inside his own chopper, communicating through headsets, stringing away in sync to the rotor-blade motors. He immediately set forth to make that dream a reality. In 1995, Dutch film director Scheffer followed Stockhausen in the days leading up to the premiere performance of his Helicopter String Quartet in Amsterdam. The resulting film offers a rare glimpse of Stockhausen as he patiently dictates every agonizingly detailed measure to the Arditti Quartet.
Who directed Helicopter String Quartet?
Helicopter String Quartet was directed by Frank Scheffer.
Who stars in Helicopter String Quartet?
Helicopter String Quartet stars Karlheinz Stockhausen, Irvine Arditti, Graeme Jennings, Garth Knox, Rohan de Saram.
How long is Helicopter String Quartet?
Helicopter String Quartet has a runtime of 1h 21m (81 minutes).
What genre is Helicopter String Quartet?
Helicopter String Quartet is a Documentary, Music film.
Where was Helicopter String Quartet produced?
Helicopter String Quartet was produced in Netherlands.