Pierre Boulez (1925-2016)

[not edward]

But I read an interview from about 5 years ago where Boulez's attitude towards Dutilleux has mellowed considerably. Can't find it right now, however.

Yes, I remember this too, and can't find it either. I think Boulez did explicitly state that he'd like to conduct Timbres, Espace, Mouvement -- a work I could see him doing an excellent job with.

As for recent Boulez, I also find almost all of his recent work far too long for its ideas (even the enjoyable sur Incises could IMO do with some trimming). I think the last large-scale Boulez piece that I can give an entirely unquestioned two thumbs up to would be Rituel.

[karlhenning]

... and I've never liked Pli Selon Pli.

Well, but if you'd use your ears, James . . . .

; )

[bhodges]

[interesting comments excised]

The composer did receive a standing ovation at the end, not surprisingly. I joined in too, but for the very great career as a whole, and not the unfortunate work at the end of it.

Can't add much to this, other than figurative nodding in agreement.  It was a wonderful evening in many ways: these days I treasure the chances to see Boulez in person (not to mention Elliott Carter and some of the others in the audience).  But I wish I'd enjoyed Dérive II more.  It wasn't "agonizing," just without that Boulezian grip that seizes you in his best work (like Répons).

But loved, loved, loved the performance of Dérive--my favorite of the night.

--Bruce

[CRCulver]

Just as some fans hope that with Stockhausen's death comes the possibility of performing LICHT without the composer's lame staging ideas, so too I hope that after Pierre's gone (and I do hope he's got many more years ahead of him) performers can start going back to the original versions of many works. I'd much rather go to a concert of an earlier, shorter and more passionate version of Pli selon pli or a recital with the original 1994 version of Incises which is one of my favourite piano works of all time, while I detest the bloated monstrosity he unveiled in 2001.

One wonders if Boulez would have kept expanding Derive II if he hadn't been on such a Mahler kick. That composer is definitely a bad role model for keeping things lean.

[petrarch]

while I detest the bloated monstrosity he unveiled in 2001.

Have you seen the "masterclass" he gave on it, available as a bonus on the Juxtapositions DVD? Sure it is long, but there is a lot of stuff to dig through and enjoy.

[CRCulver]

To clarify, the "bloated monstrosity" of 2001 that I was referring to was the 10-minute version of Incises for solo piano as opposed to the 3.5 minute version of 1994. I love sur Incises as it is and am happy Boulez came up with the piece.

[(poco) Sforzando]

But loved, loved, loved the performance of Dérive--my favorite of the night.

--Bruce

I agree here too. I realize also I left out the name of the soprano soloist in my long post because it escaped me. Her name was Mary Elizabeth Mackenzie.

[lescamil]

hmmm has the original 3.5 minute version turned up anywhere on a broadcast or recording?

I remember finding a recording of the smaller version just doing a simple Google search for it. I'm sure it's also on YouTube. Also, for the record, I happen to love both the later versions of Incises and Dérive II. I like Dérive I just fine, but I thought that the 1994 version of Incises ended too abruptly. Of course, I am very familiar with Sur Incises, and this affects my decision.

[MDL]

har har ... but I have and every single recording available of it too, I still don't care for it. Oh well.

Oh, dear! Well, nobody can accuse you of not trying. I too have all the recordings of Pli selon Pli. I think my fave is the early CBS/Sony version; I like my Pli with a bit of bite. It's probably the Boulez work that I love best, although I've never been entirely convinced by the fifth movement (sublime coda excepted).

[not edward]

hmmm has the original 3.5 minute version turned up anywhere on a broadcast or recording?

It's been recorded once on DG by the then very-young Gianluca Cascioli:

[(poco) Sforzando]

A portion of the New York Times review, speaking of Dérive II:

A huge score now, it unfolds organically, with intricate rhythms and pointillistic textures giving way to insistent, forward drive and richly contrapuntal sections. Except for its spiky accent, stretches of the work could have been 19th-century chamber music; in fact, the way into this daunting piece is to focus on the vital interplay between individual instruments and the full ensemble. In a long section toward the end an angular violin theme is taken up in turn by the oboe, clarinet, bassoon (with oboe) and cello, often with ensemble passages setting apart the solo turns.

Other surprises in "Dérive II" included a syncopated tandem passage for clarinet and oboe that had a decidedly (if fleetingly) jazzy sound, and a tremolando chordal passage, near the end, that seemed an allusion to one of Steve Reich's signature moves — something one hardly expects in Mr. Boulez's music.

Those who attended may recognize that, three mentions notwithstanding, the instrument used in D. II was an English horn and not an oboe. Great reviewers the Times is getting these days.

[Joaquimhock]

In the NYT review they say that Dérive  II lasts 53 minutes. Is it a new-new version ? I've listened to the 2006 version a few months ago it it was about 42-44 minutes I think...

[bhodges]

In the NYT review they say that Dérive  II lasts 53 minutes. Is it a new-new version ? I've listened to the 2006 version a few months ago it it was about 42-44 minutes I think...

Yes, that's the latest one.  (The performance the other night could have been a bit slower.)

--Bruce

[Joaquimhock]

Currently listening to Boulez's ...explosante fixe... 



A wonderful marriage of the computerized world & the instrumental world.

You can see a live performance of Explosante... fixe (in Berlin a few month ago) on the Berlin Philharmoniker website with Boulez conducting and Emmanuel Pahud playing the flute solo. It's not free unfortunately, but this is a great opportunity to "see" this spectacular piece. The interview of Boulez by Pahud about Explosante.. Fixe is free if you just register.


http://www.digitalconcerthall.com/en/concert/1658

[petrarch]

You can see a live performance of Explosante... fixe (in Berlin a few month ago) on the Berlin Philharmoniker website with Boulez conducting and Emmanuel Pahud playing the flute solo. It's not free unfortunately, but this is a great opportunity to "see" this spectacular piece. The interview of Boulez by Pahud about Explosante.. Fixe is free if you just register.

http://www.digitalconcerthall.com/en/concert/1658

I attended a performance of it in the late 90s with Boulez at the wheel and the Ensemble InterContemporain . Memorable indeed, and made me pay closer attention to the piece, which I didn't consider particularly interesting until then.

[Joaquimhock]

As some have pointed out Boulez has mellowed considerably with the years. The neo-tonals have not, however - they are still around, they still define themselves against Boulezian avant-garde, they are as intolerant as ever, they still want the exclusive possession of French musical life they briefly enjoyed during the Vichy period - and the composers they uphold are still as mediocre as ever.

Those who do not  agree with the latter judgment are welcome to listen as much as they want to the music of Marcel Landowski, Henri Tomasi, Jean-Michel Damase, Jean-Louis Florentz, Nicolas Bacri, Thierry Escaich or Guillaume Connesson. Does everyone not deserve a chance at what they wish for? Especially at this time of year, lol.

The only one I would save in this list is the very talented Jean-Louis Florentz who died too young, alas...

Funny to see that NOBODY plays Landowski anymore in France... Perhaps a proof that his reputation was due to his socializing habilities and not to his talent which was very small as a composer indeed.

[CRCulver]

As some have pointed out Boulez has mellowed considerably with the years. The neo-tonals have not, however - they are still around, they still define themselves against Boulezian avant-garde, they are as intolerant as ever, they still want the exclusive possession of French musical life they briefly enjoyed during the Vichy period - and the composers they uphold are still as mediocre as ever.

Indeed, I've never thought of that before. It's indeed funny that Boulez is called an intolerant "my way or the highway" serialist when he has championed the music of e.g. Dalbavie (post-spectralist crowdpleasers), Neuwirth (post-Lachenmann creaking) and Kurtag (very in touch with Hungarian tradition).

[snyprrr]

The only one I would save in this list is the very talented Jean-Louis Florentz who died too young, alas...

Funny to see that NOBODY plays Landowski anymore in France... Perhaps a proof that his reputation was due to his socializing habilities and not to his talent which was very small as a composer indeed.

Florentz doesn't have that much by way of cd? A lone cello piece is all I see.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Well, perhaps if Boulez orchestrated Bagatelle sans Tonalité that would keep most parties happy... 

Yes, but while that piece is highly chromatic and modulatory, it is in no way atonal in the Schoenbergian sense.

As for Liszt, Boulez has always had a considerable respect for that composer's music. In fact, in his second NY Philharmonic season, he programmed retrospectives of both Liszt and Berg. You can probably find out which works he specifically programmed by searching the NY Phil archives:
http://history.nyphil.org/nypwcpub/dbweb.asp?ac=a1

Unfortunately, the search engine is severely crippled by the fact that you can search for only one term at a time. (E.g., I can search for Boulez, or I can search for Liszt. But I cannot search for Liszt as performed by Boulez.) Hopefully they'll do better with this in time.

[greg]

All transient stuff, these concerts. I wish he'd focus on putting his own notes to manuscript paper instead.

He should. He's 85 years old... I'd like to hear a new Boulez work before he dies.