Pierre Boulez (1925-2016)

[San Antone]

Concert last month at the Cité de la Musique in Paris by the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France conducted by Pascal Rophé; now available on medici.tv.

Featured is Le Visage Nuptial.

Premiered in 1946, but reworked in 1989, Le Visage nuptial ("The Nuptial Face") is one of Pierre Boulez's most lyrical pieces. Written after a poem by René Char (excerpt from Fureur et Mystère), this secular cantata for soprano, contralto, women's choir and orchestra is a sensual work which evokes the colourful sonorities of Debussy. Divided in five movements, Le Visage nuptial is made up of contrasting musical parts bearing witness of the different influences that have marked Boulez's artistic path. Laura Aikin and Hilary Summers join forces with Pascal Rophé to perform Le Visage nuptial, a masterpiece wich, according to Dominique Jameux, "holds the 'aura' of works that have taken on mythic status".

The concert begins with French premières of Armonica by Jörg Widmann (with one of the greatest performers of glass harmonica, Christa Schoenfeldinger) and Change by Johannes Boris Borowski.

[EigenUser]

Not that odd. The bergs are often thick and creamy, very Tristan. Boulez has brighter lighter textures in the pieces I have sat through. I'll take him over Webern.

Yes, I think that you hit the nail on the head. I've been listening to some Boulez recently and I find much of it way more accessible for me than the 2nd Viennese School. In fact, a lot of it reminds me of Messiaen.

[North Star]

Yes, I think that you hit the nail on the head. I've been listening to some Boulez recently and I find much of it way more accessible for me than the 2nd Viennese School. In fact, a lot of it reminds me of Messiaen.

Excellent! Yes, Messiaen is certainly a large influence.

[Mirror Image]

Yes, I think that you hit the nail on the head. I've been listening to some Boulez recently and I find much of it way more accessible for me than the 2nd Viennese School. In fact, a lot of it reminds me of Messiaen.

I still don't see how anyone couldn't wrap their heads around Berg's Violin Concerto or Schoenberg's Five Pieces for Orchestra for example. I can understand something like Berg's Chamber Concerto or Schoenberg's Variations for Orchestra opposing some problems for listeners, but not the afore mentioned works. Don't give up and keep listening!

[EigenUser]

I still don't see how anyone couldn't wrap their heads around Berg's Violin Concerto or Schoenberg's Five Pieces for Orchestra for example. I can understand something like Berg's Chamber Concerto or Schoenberg's Variations for Orchestra opposing some problems for listeners, but not the afore mentioned works. Don't give up and keep listening!

Again, I think that Ken articulated it nicely -- it's very thick music (of course, I don't mean 'thick' in its insulting meaning, haha, but in describing textures). Take a work like "Verklarte Nacht", for instance. I love it, but I have trouble listening to the whole thing because at about 3/4 of the way through, I feel like I'm starting to have to force myself to eat a very fancy and very heavy meal. I'm not sure I can explain it any better, but that's how it makes me feel.

Now, about the Berg violin concerto: it, too, is very thick. However, the music is also hard to follow for me, which isn't true for "Verklarte Nacht". It's like I'm trying to eat a meal that is exquisite, but that I haven't acquired a taste for yet. And I'm full.

I've also found myself to be getting less and less from the later romantics, which is probably why I like Mendelssohn and (recently) Schumann. That being said, I won't give up! Even if I never truly appreciate the aforementioned works (which is unlikely), at least I recognize them as important.

[Mirror Image]

Again, I think that Ken articulated it nicely -- it's very thick music (of course, I don't mean 'thick' in its insulting meaning, haha, but in describing textures). Take a work like "Verklarte Nacht", for instance. I love it, but I have trouble listening to the whole thing because at about 3/4 of the way through, I feel like I'm starting to have to force myself to eat a very fancy and very heavy meal. I'm not sure I can explain it any better, but that's how it makes me feel.

Now, about the Berg violin concerto: it, too, is very thick. However, the music is also hard to follow for me, which isn't true for "Verklarte Nacht". It's like I'm trying to eat a meal that is exquisite, but that I haven't acquired a taste for yet. And I'm full.

I've also found myself to be getting less and less from the later romantics, which is probably why I like Mendelssohn and (recently) Schumann. That being said, I won't give up! Even if I never truly appreciate the aforementioned works (which is unlikely), at least I recognize them as important.

If listening becomes a 'chore' then you should stop listening to whatever it is you're listening to and find something else. In time, you will come to appreciate the Second Viennese School. And if you never do, at least you can say you honestly tried. Let me say that one reason you could be having trouble following Berg's Violin Concerto is because you're not familiar with the musical language.

[EigenUser]

If listening becomes a 'chore' then you should stop listening to whatever it is you're listening to and find something else.

I wouldn't necessarily call my listening to "Verklarte Nacht" a chore. I love the piece! It's just very thick, harmonically. Again, it's like I'm trying to force myself to finish eating a delicious meal when I'm already full. Ever since someone here compared Messiaen's "Turangalila-Symphonie" to eating ice cream from the carton (which I find to be true and hilarious), I took the food-analogies and ran  .

Sometimes listening is a chore for me, though. For example, I will sometimes listen to Stockhausen because I think that it is historically important music, but it does nothing for me. Same with Boulez, but I ended up really liking "Derive" in the process, so it was a gain. I've also been listening to some Haydn symphonies recently. Much of it has flew past me and I've been indifferent, but I have definitely been taken by 88, 89, and 90. Damn 88 is still stuck in my head, three days later  .

In time, you will come to appreciate the Second Viennese School. And if you never do, at least you can say you honestly tried. Let me say that one reason you could be having trouble following Berg's Violin Concerto is because you're not familiar with the musical language.

I don't doubt this at all. 

[Mirror Image]

I wouldn't necessarily call my listening to "Verklarte Nacht" a chore. I love the piece! It's just very thick, harmonically. Again, it's like I'm trying to force myself to finish eating a delicious meal when I'm already full. Ever since someone here compared Messiaen's "Turangalila-Symphonie" to eating ice cream from the carton (which I find to be true and hilarious), I took the food-analogies and ran  .

Sometimes listening is a chore for me, though. For example, I will sometimes listen to Stockhausen because I think that it is historically important music, but it does nothing for me. Same with Boulez, but I ended up really liking "Derive" in the process, so it was a gain. I've also been listening to some Haydn symphonies recently. Much of it has flew past me and I've been indifferent, but I have definitely been taken by 88, 89, and 90. Damn 88 is still stuck in my head, three days later  .

Good to hear you enjoy Verklarte Nacht. It is a great work and I've always enjoyed it, but I don't listen to it very often as I would rather listen to something like Five Pieces for Orchestra, the Chamber Symphonies, the concertante works, among others.

I also don't listen to any music that doesn't give me pleasure of some kind. Otherwise, what's the point of listening to music? I don't really care what composer is 'historically important'. What matters to me is I'm enjoying what I'm hearing. That's it. Nothing else.

[Henk]

Good to hear you enjoy Verklarte Nacht. It is a great work and I've always enjoyed it, but I don't listen to it very often as I would rather listen to something like Five Pieces for Orchestra, the Chamber Symphonies, the concertante works, among others.

I also don't listen to any music that doesn't give me pleasure of some kind. Otherwise, what's the point of listening to music? I don't really care what composer is 'historically important'. What matters to me is I'm enjoying what I'm hearing. That's it. Nothing else.

My victory over MI.

[ritter]

I have just received confirmation form amazon here in Europe that this recent book has shipped, and should be delivered to me in a couple of days  :

[asin]1107687233[/asin]

From the back cover:

"While acknowledging that Pierre Boulez is not a philosopher, and that he is wary of the potential misuse of philosophy with regard to music, this study investigates a series of philosophically charged terms and concepts which he uses in discussion of his music. Campbell examines significant encounters which link Boulez to the work of a number of important philosophers and thinkers, including Adorno, Lévi-Strauss, Eco and Deleuze. Relating Boulez's music and ideas to broader currents of thought, the book illuminates a number of affinities linking music and philosophy, and also literature and visual art. These connections facilitate enhanced understanding of post-war modernist music and Boulez's distinctive approach to composition. Drawing on a wide range of previously unpublished documentary sources and providing musical analysis of a number of key scores, the book traces the changing musical, philosophical and intellectual currents which inform Boulez's work."

Let's see if it offers any interesting insights...

[snyprrr]

I AM sorry- but EVERY time I see this Thread bumped, it's, "Did he die today?" What other Boulez news can there be???

[Karl Henning]

Thinking about composing Déploration sur la mort de Boulez . . . .

[EigenUser]

I AM sorry- but EVERY time I see this Thread bumped, it's, "Did he die today?" What other Boulez news can there be???

Oh my god, that's horrible!  ...

...But, I laughed. 

[Ken B]

Thinking about composing Déploration sur la mort de Boulez . . . .

A neo-classical piece built on a theme from Honegger would be my approach.

[lescamil]

I AM sorry- but EVERY time I see this Thread bumped, it's, "Did he die today?" What other Boulez news can there be???

You are not the only one...

[not edward]

Thinking about composing Déploration sur la mort de Boulez . . . .

I suppose you could use a similar procedure to Boulez's use of the SACHER chord in recent years....

Random fun fact: If you take the alphabetical positions of B-O-U-L-E-Z and map them onto a twelve-note scale, the resulting short note row is diatonic and even contains a dominant seventh chord:

(eg: Bb-B natural-F-Ab-Db-Bb)

[amw]

Hmm...

Schoenberg's name has four repeated notes in it, and starts and ends on the same pitch. No wonder he never tried to subject it to serial transformations.

(D#-B-E-B-C#-A#-A#-C#-D-D#)

Ravel's Minuet on the name of Haydn could have been written on a motive that went more like E-A-A-C-Bb. I am not totally sure how he came up with the one he did use, actually.

Malayalam is a piece by Scelsi.

[Joaquimhock]

He's selling his house in Provence. If you like "concrete" musi... euh Architecture... ;-)

http://www.valeursactuelles.com/guide-immobilier-maison-pierre-boulez-provence

[EigenUser]

He's selling his house in Provence. If you like "concrete" musi... euh Architecture... ;-)

http://www.valeursactuelles.com/guide-immobilier-maison-pierre-boulez-provence

I love modern architecture, but I'm sorry -- that's not modern. That's an atrocity.

It looks like a Soviet-era USSR attempt at modernism.

I do still like "Derive I", though.  And, of course, his conducting.

[Cato]

I love modern architecture, but I'm sorry -- that's not modern. That's an atrocity.

It looks like a Soviet-era USSR attempt at modernism.

Amen!   0:)  That is just double-bug ugly!

Maybe it is nice inside, but...