Catherine Christer Hennix, Swedish Experimental Musician, Dies at 75

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Catherine Christer Hennix, a remarkable figure in the world of experimental music, has passed away at the age of 75. The news of her demise was announced by the experimental music nonprofit Blank Forms, a platform that frequently showcased Hennix’s groundbreaking work. According to The New York Times, her death was attributed to complications arising from an undisclosed illness, with Hennix having previously battled cancer.

Hennix’s journey into the world of music began in her native Stockholm in 1946. Born to a jazz composer mother, she started playing drums as a child and commenced formal lessons at the age of 13. It was around this time that she had her first encounter with the live performances of iconic musicians such as John Coltrane and Miles Davis, leaving an indelible mark on her musical sensibilities. Her exploration of music took a unique turn in 1969 when she started creating compositions using computers at Stockholm’s Electric Music Studio (ESM). This newfound passion also kindled her interest in logic and mathematics, which she pursued at the graduate level. Impressively, Hennix also shared her knowledge by teaching mathematics at the State University of New York at New Paltz and serving as a visiting professor of logic at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.

Hennix’s pioneering work in the realm of drone music can be traced back to her immersion in New York’s downtown music scene during the late 1960s. Her enthusiasm for this genre was deeply influenced by her earlier exposure to the music of John Coltrane and Karlheinz Stockhausen during her time as a linguistics graduate at Stockholm University. It was in this vibrant music scene that she crossed paths with minimalist composer La Monte Young. Reflecting on this encounter in a 2010 interview, she mentioned that it took her a mere “about 60 seconds to decide that this was the sound.” While continuing to experiment with synthesizers, drones, and the concept of just intonation, an alternative to standard Western tuning, Hennix also delved into poetry, drama, and equations. Her diverse creative pursuits culminated in the organization of a 10-day festival known as “Brouwer’s Lattice” at Stockholm’s Moderna Museet in 1976. This festival provided a platform for Hennix to showcase her work alongside other minimalist artists.

One of Hennix’s most renowned compositions, “The Electric Harpsichord,” was performed at the Brouwer’s Lattice festival. In this composition, Hennix delivered an improvisational masterpiece over a constant underlying drone, skillfully playing a Yamaha keyboard tuned to just intonation and adding a tape delay to the mix. The recording of this performance lasts for 25 minutes, yet Hennix’s visionary approach envisioned the piece to be without a fixed ending, embodying her concept of an “infinitary composition.” The impact of this piece was profound, with fellow artist Henry Flynt, a frequent collaborator of Hennix, describing it as a “life-changing revelation.”

Catherine Christer Hennix leaves behind a legacy that transcends the boundaries of conventional music, blending mathematics, logic, and artistry to create a unique and enduring contribution to the world of experimental music. Her work continues to inspire and challenge the boundaries of what is possible in the realm of sound and composition.

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More about Experimental Music Pioneer

• Catherine Christer Hennix – Wikipedia
• Blank Forms – Experimental Music Nonprofit
• The New York Times – Catherine Christer Hennix Obituary
• Electric Music Studio (ESM) – Stockholm
• La Monte Young – Minimalist Composer
• Brouwer’s Lattice Festival – Moderna Museet
• John Coltrane – Jazz Legend
• Miles Davis – Jazz Icon
• Just Intonation – Musical Tuning
• Infinitary Composition – Exploring Boundaries in Music