Pierre Boulez (1925-2016)

[Henk]

http://www.youtube.com/v/JRfxlCHOoWk

Pianist Taka Kigawa performs Pierre Boulez's Second Sonata, in his sold-out recital at (le) Poisson Rouge, New York City in August 2011. The composer highly praised his playing of this music, as well as his Third Sonata, etc., as "very much impressed by the brilliant way he performed them. He was precise, and at the same time inventive."

Impressive indeed. I really don't know what to think of Boulez's music however. It's good, but does it also affect me? It's kind of abstract music, not very emotional. It's rather flat, as serial music is. It's theoretical.

I need to check out some Donatoni again. I think Donatoni's music is a sort of contender with Boulez's. But it sounds probably less serial to me. He has a much more developed style, a unique sound at least.

I listened also to Beat Furrer today. This is also this kind of rapid music, it seems to me he tries to develop something in this, but it left not much impression on me.

[petrarch]

Impressive indeed. I really don't know what to think of Boulez's music however. It's good, but does it also affect me? It's kind of abstract music, not very emotional. It's rather flat, as serial music is. It's theoretical.

I need to check out some Donatoni again. I think Donatoni's music is a sort of contender with Boulez's. But it sounds probably less serial to me. He has a much more developed style, a unique sound at least.

I listened also to Beat Furrer today. This is also this kind of rapid music, it seems to me he tries to develop something in this, but it left not much impression on me.

It is as theoretical as I-IV-II-V-I or a fugue. It is also quite emotional, and not flat at all; you are probably looking for points of reference that are too far removed to give you a sense of discourse or direction, but give it time, and the rewards are worth it. To my ears, Boulez's music, when compared to Donatoni's or Furrer's, stands out as exquisitely put together, with a delicate ear for timbre and sound. Anyway, good of you to at least try and be open about it.

[Henk]

It is as theoretical as I-IV-II-V-I or a fugue. It is also quite emotional, and not flat at all; you are probably looking for points of reference that are too far removed to give you a sense of discourse or direction, but give it time, and the rewards are worth it. To my ears, Boulez's music, when compared to Donatoni's or Furrer's, stands out as exquisitely put together, with a delicate ear for timbre and sound. Anyway, good of you to at least try and be open about it.

Yes I will try more, but where I really like a modern composer like Donatoni (I just listened to some Donatoni, and it's always nice to listen to his music, my feeling for his music gets better), Boulez surely makes much impression on me (where his fellow Carter does not), but as I said it doesn´t affect me much. I don´t feel a typical Boulez style or sound, it stays for me an example of what serial music sounds like. It may be brilliant music however, and I can reward it on it´s merits, but I would like to experience something more when I listen to music. Of course I may be wrong, but I think I formed my opinion on Boulez (I just confirmed my opinion by listening to a work of Boulez, Notations for piano).

[petrarch]

Interesting interview, from last year:

theartsdesk Q&A: Composer Pierre Boulez
Godfather of the avant-garde on how he changed music forever
http://www.theartsdesk.com/classical-music/godfather-avant-garde-how-he-changed-music-forever?page=0,0

[snyprrr]

New 3 disc release coming .. Pierre Boulez and the Piano

12 Notations (1945)
Piano Sonatas Nos. 1-3 (1946-57/63)
Incises (1994/2001)
Une page d'éphéméride (2005)

Dimitri Vassilakis, piano

Additionally, Mirjam Wiesemann talks with Pierre Boulez and Dimitri Vassilakis.

[asin]B008L69IPS[/asin]

Yikes, 3cds!

I wanted to give a shout out for the Notations No.7 for orchestra, a very nice single movement that had a rolling 'joyousness' to it, a friendly Boulez piece I think! So, he's only done 1-4 & 7?

[snyprrr]

Yup .. he's been working on these since the 1970s and that's all he's managed to get done, not even half of the cycle. At this rate maybe it will be complete when he's 117 years old. And this 3 disc set is an odd release .. essentially 1 disc and a bit of music, mostly old stuff .. and the rest is talk, talk and more talk (something he favours to composing it seems!) Though he's been fairly silent on the conducting scene for a few months now due to an eye condition; so perhaps he has been devoting most of his time and energies to composing finally. He's getting up there!

Notation 7 sounds nothing like the 2 minute piano piece. But I do like it better...

Ohhhh how I hate those "2 discs of talk" sets. I think Hartmann has one. Ugh, who wants thaaat?? Are they charging,... what? Oh, don't get me started,... I get a visceral reaction to dumb cd ideas.

[snyprrr]

Yes the Notations for Orchestra should be a fab cycle if he ever manages to complete it .. and like Stockhausen,
it illustrates in his own way .. how he can take an idea, and really do something with the material. I love that.

Have you heard Notation 7? I notice that Boulez prefers a 'rolling' sound, things tumbling as if in a dryer. I got a distinctly 'African' feel from this piece.

[snyprrr]

Just curious .. anyone get this one? Seems hardly worth it for the price tag .. it basically contains 78 minutes of music and the rest of the 3 disc set is rounded out with interviews in German??!?!

Are you QUESTIONING the integrity of the High Council?!?!

oooo,... ve have vays, ve have vays...

[Karl Henning]

Dang, thought you were announcing an obit.

(j/k)

[San Antone]

New 3 disc release coming .. Pierre Boulez and the Piano

12 Notations (1945)
Piano Sonatas Nos. 1-3 (1946-57/63)
Incises (1994/2001)
Une page d'éphéméride (2005)

Dimitri Vassilakis, piano

Additionally, Mirjam Wiesemann talks with Pierre Boulez and Dimitri Vassilakis.

[asin]B008L69IPS[/asin]

Ambitious project from a pianist I've known only from his jazz recordings.  He's good, but I had no idea he'd put out something like this.

[CRCulver]

Ambitious project from a pianist I've known only from his jazz recordings.  He's good, but I had no idea he'd put out something like this.

Where has Dmitri Vassilakis, a veteran pianist for the Ensemble Intercontemporain and an expert on Stockhausen and Boulez, recorded jazz? Are you sure you're not thinking of Greek saxophonist Dimitrios Vassilakis or Greek jazz pianist Vassilis Tsabropolous?

[San Antone]

Where has Dmitri Vassilakis, a veteran pianist for the Ensemble Intercontemporain and an expert on Stockhausen and Boulez, recorded jazz? Are you sure you're not thinking of Greek saxophonist Dimitrios Vassilakis or Greek jazz pianist Vassilis Tsabropolous?

You're right - I was thinking of the Greek saxophonist, and felt there was something wrong about him playing piano.  Thanks for the correction.  I had just Googled him and found my error.  Very similar names, but not as confusing as the two Israeli musicians both named Avishai Cohen, one a bassist and the other a trumpeter.

[PaulSC]

Waiting for Godot

Metaphorically speaking, he's been doing this one for years, hasn't he? 

[Karl Henning]

It has all the appearance of a hoax taking the piss out of Monsieur B ; )

[not edward]

Ambitious project from a pianist I've known only from his jazz recordings.  He's good, but I had no idea he'd put out something like this.

The company behind this seems to like doing 3-CD sets with more interviews than music. They did a Hartmann set with 85 minutes of music on 3 CDs too.

[Joaquimhock]

It has all the appearance of a hoax taking the piss out of Monsieur B ; )

In fact it was not a joke, he said in an interview that he thought about it. But he will never do it really, that's sure.

On the Boulez front you can note that he recently revised parts of his "impossible to perform" Livres pour quatuor. It is played this month by the very good quatuor Diotima: http://bouffesdunord.com/fr/saison/500eb31858568/quatuor-diotima

[snyprrr]

He is still composing, too. Currently he is trying to finish Notations – 12 pieces for piano, some dating back to 1945, which he has been reworking for orchestra. He would also love to adapt Beckett's Waiting for Godot – but will he really tackle it? "If you can give me an elixir of long life," Boulez twinkles.


(from Pierre Boulez: A very modern maestro - August 31, 2012)

The odds are against him though, statistically, generally, understandably .. composers of such advanced age aren't as prolific Elliott Carter .. but maybe he'll surprise us with tidal wave of new works before the end. Stockhausen pumped out ca.20 compositions in his final year alone including such works as COSMIC PULSES, GLANZ & FÜNF WEITERE STERNZEICHEN. Boulez has been fairly silent this year, so you never know what he's been up to ..

Your German must be improving over the years, hmm??

[snyprrr]

A guide to Pierre Boulez's music
If you want one piece to convince you that the highest
achievements of contemporary music are the opposite of
desiccated, solipsistic experimentalism, listen to Boulez's
Notations



Is THAT PB??? ???

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/tomserviceblog/2012/jul/16/pierre-boulez-contemporary-music-guide

[Karl Henning]

On the Left Bank, they call him the musical Dorian Gray . . . .

[MDL]

Almost makes me wish I hadn't bought about three quarters of these CDs individually over the years. What a treasure trove for newbies. There are some fantastic performances in this box. I don't think the BBC Five Pieces for Orchestra or Variations have ever been bettered and (assuming it's included), I liked the performance of Erwartung more than many critics did on its release.