Meaning: This quote by composer Luc Ferrari provides insight into the approach of two other composers, Pierre Schaeffer and Karlheinz Stockhausen, and their use of sound in their work. To understand the quote fully, it's important to have some background on the composers mentioned and their contributions to the field of electronic music.

Pierre Schaeffer was a French composer, writer, broadcaster, engineer, musicologist, and acoustician. He is known as the pioneer of musique concrète, a form of electroacoustic music that utilizes recorded sounds as its material. Schaeffer's work focused on the manipulation and transformation of everyday sounds through recording and editing techniques. He is also credited with coining the term "acousmatic music," referring to music that is heard without seeing the source of the sound.

Karlheinz Stockhausen, on the other hand, was a German composer widely acknowledged as one of the most important composers of the 20th and early 21st centuries. He was a leading figure in the development of electronic and serial music. Stockhausen's compositions often involved complex structures and innovative use of electronic sounds and techniques. His work pushed the boundaries of traditional musical forms and explored new possibilities for the integration of technology and music.

Luc Ferrari, the author of the quote, was a prominent figure in the field of electroacoustic music. He was known for his innovative approach to sound composition and his exploration of the relationships between music and environmental sounds. Ferrari's work often incorporated field recordings and found sounds, blurring the boundaries between music and the sounds of the world around us.

In the quote, Ferrari refers to Schaeffer and Henry (likely a reference to Pierre Henry, another influential figure in the development of musique concrète) as "working like samplers" and aiming to capture sounds that were "too complex in character" to be serially calibrated. This statement sheds light on the approach of these composers to sound and composition.

The term "working like samplers" suggests that Schaeffer and Henry approached sound in a manner similar to how a sampler in electronic music functions. In electronic music, a sampler is a device or software that allows the recording and playback of audio samples. It enables musicians and composers to manipulate and recombine sounds in new and creative ways. By likening Schaeffer and Henry's approach to that of samplers, Ferrari may be highlighting their use of recorded sounds as raw material for their compositions.

Furthermore, the mention of capturing sounds that "couldn't be serially calibrated" due to their complexity speaks to the idea that Schaeffer and Henry were interested in working with sounds that defied traditional methods of musical notation and organization. Serialism, a compositional technique associated with composers such as Stockhausen, involves the systematic ordering of musical elements according to a pre-determined series or set of rules. However, some sounds may be too intricate, nuanced, or unpredictable to conform to such rigid structures.

In essence, Ferrari's quote illuminates the pioneering spirit of Schaeffer and Henry in their exploration of sound as a fundamental element of music. Their approach to capturing and utilizing complex sounds laid the groundwork for the development of electroacoustic music and pushed the boundaries of traditional compositional practices.

In conclusion, the quote by Luc Ferrari provides valuable insight into the innovative approaches of composers Pierre Schaeffer and Karlheinz Stockhausen in the realm of electronic and electroacoustic music. It underscores their pioneering efforts to capture and manipulate sound in ways that defied conventional musical practices, laying the foundation for the evolution of electronic music as a vibrant and boundary-pushing artistic discipline.