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 2000
Catalogue Nr. 11 (1/2)
Instruments Other - Sound Director
Piano
Woodblock - Multiple
Vibraphone
Cow bell - Alpine Cow Bell
Glockenspiel
Celesta - Amplified
Cymbal - Multiple ; Antique Cymbals
Piano
Woodblock - Multiple
Vibraphone
Cow bell - Alpine Cow Bell
Glockenspiel
Celesta - Amplified
Cymbal - Multiple ; Antique Cymbals
Autotranslations beta Karlheinz Stockhausen: 3 x Refrain 2000, Nr. 11 (1/2)
Karlheinz Stockhausen: 3 x Refrain 2000, Nr. 11 (1/2)
Karlheinz Stockhausen: 3 x Refrain 2000, Nr. 11 (1/2)