 Although both the tape-alone version and the version with soloists were performed in London in 1971 (at the Round House during the English Bach Festival, and at St John, Smith Square with members of Stockhausen's own group), these both used the two-channel stereo reduction made for the DGG record.The four-channel version did not receive its UK premiere until 18 August 1975, in the version with soloists performed by Triquetra-Plus, with newly revised parts for the soloists .The German title means "(national) anthems", and the substance of the work consists of recordings of national anthems from around the world.