Karlheinz Stockhausen (August 22, 1928 - December 5, 2007) experienced true horror and carnage as an orphaned teenager on active service near the end of WWII. He then went on seemingly to redefine contemporary music: from Kreuzspiel, the early electronic Kontakte, the intuitive works, the hour-long a-capella Stimmung, to the Licht cycle of seven operas. His influence is widely felt, even in unexpected places within the world of popular music.