Refrain was composed in June and July 1959 on commission from Gerhart von Westerman (de) for the Berlin Festwochen, and is dedicated to Ernst Brücher (de) (Stockhausen 1964, 101). It was premiered on 2 October 1959 by David Tudor (piano), Cornelius Cardew (celesta), and a percussionist from the WDR Symphony Orchestra, Siegfried Rockstroh (vibraphone), at the Berlin Congresshalle, as part of an all-Stockhausen concert that also included Kreuzspiel, Zeitmaße, Zyklus, and the Klavierstücke I, IV, V, VII, VIII, and XI (Kurtz 1992, 98).

Date of composition 1959 (June-July)
Premiered 1959, October 2nd (Berlin Congresshalle) in Berlin, Germany
Dedicated to Ernst Brücher
Catalogue Nr. 11
Instruments Woodblock - Multiple
Vibraphone
Cow bell - Alpine Cow Bell
Celesta - Amplified
Cymbal - Multiple ; Antique Cymbals
Piano
Woodblock - Multiple
Vibraphone
Cow bell - Alpine Cow Bell
Celesta - Amplified
Cymbal - Multiple ; Antique Cymbals
Autotranslations beta Karlheinz Stockhausen: Refrain, Nr. 11
Karlheinz Stockhausen: Refrain, Nr. 11
Karlheinz Stockhausen: Refrain, Nr. 11