Pierre Boulez (1925-2016)

[bwv 1080]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacher_hexachord

Cool, had not heard of it

[ritter]

Does anyone know if there's a place online where I can read "Sonate, que me veux-tu?"? I have the LP which Rosen made of the third sonata, transferred to FLAC. I'll upload it to symphonyshare if anyone expresses an interest. I wonder what are people's experiences with the this music, whether people have heard any recordings which are particularly satisfying.

Boulez recorded it in 1958. Is it available anywhere?

Concerning Sonate, que me veux-tu? you'll find excerpts (in English) here: http://www.themodernword.com/joyce/music/boulez_sonata.html (scroll down a bit, and you'll get to it)... I only have the complete text in book form in an old Spanish translation of Points de repère (which I can scan, if that's of any use to you)...

I didn't know Boulez had recorded his Third Sonata in 1958, and actually don't recall such a recording listed in any discography (old or new) of his music. I know he did perform it: Antoine Goléa, in his Rencontres avec Pierre Boulez, mentions a performance in Berlin in 1957 which leads him to say that "everyone present was unanimous about Boulez's extraordinary pianism, his stunning virtuosity", etc., etc., and to conclude that Boulez is (or was--the book is from 1958) "the greatest pianist-composer since Bartok"  (boy, was this Goléa prone to exaggeration!--and Boulez's conducting career hadn't even really taken off at the time  ).

The only recorded performance of Boulez as a pianist that I know is that of the world premiere of Structures II from Donaueschingen (from 1961, with Yvonne Loriod).

If you find recordings of Boulez on the piano (particularly that elusive Third Sonata ) please do let me know, Mandryka!  And it's about time they issue the Rosen / Boulez disc on CD (ArkivMusic, are you there?  ).

Regards,

[Mandryka]

Concerning Sonate, que me veux-tu? you'll find excerpts (in English) here: http://www.themodernword.com/joyce/music/boulez_sonata.html (scroll down a bit, and you'll get to it)... I only have the complete text in book form in an old Spanish translation of Points de repère (which I can scan, if that's of any use to you)...

I didn't know Boulez had recorded his Third Sonata in 1958, and actually don't recall such a recording listed in any discography (old or new) of his music. I know he did perform it: Antoine Goléa, in his Rencontres avec Pierre Boulez, mentions a performance in Berlin in 1957 which leads him to say that "everyone present was unanimous about Boulez's extraordinary pianism, his stunning virtuosity", etc., etc., and to conclude that Boulez is (or was--the book is from 1958) "the greatest pianist-composer since Bartok"  (boy, was this Goléa prone to exaggeration!--and Boulez's conducting career hadn't even really taken off at the time  ).

The only recorded performance of Boulez as a pianist that I know is that of the world premiere of Structures II from Donaueschingen (from 1961, with Yvonne Loriod).

If you find recordings of Boulez on the piano (particularly that elusive Third Sonata ) please do let me know, Mandryka!  And it's about time they issue the Rosen / Boulez disc on CD (ArkivMusic, are you there?  ).

Regards,

This paper by Peter O'Hagen mentions Boulez's 1958 recording

http://tinyurl.com/meyl3y4

I may email him to see if he can send me the recording.

Thanks for the link to the translation of "Sonate que me veux-tu?", which I find really intersting. I did not know he was aware of Ulysses, I did not know about his ideas about meaning. I appreciate your offer to scan the spanish translation - but I don't speak spanish! I may well stump up for a copy in French.

It's an atmospheric  piece of music, at least when Idil Biret plays it

[petrarch]

I may well stump up for a copy in French.

FWIW, it's also available in this english translation, which I got at Patelson's for $5 :

[asin]0674643763[/asin]

Although for Boulez's own articles, I prefer to read in the original.

[Mandryka]

I'm embarrassed to say I have that book, so I'm sorry for wasting your time.

I've just posted the Rosen recording on symphonyshare. It's my favourite performance after Biret.

[Kontrapunctus]

I'm hearing Pierre-Laurent Aimard play Boulez's complete piano works in Berkeley on 3/12/2015--should be intense, to say the least! (He's joined by Tamara Stefanovich for "Structures, Book 2, for Two Pianos, Four Hands.")

[Leo K.]

I'm embarrassed to say I have that book, so I'm sorry for wasting your time.

I've just posted the Rosen recording on symphonyshare. It's my favourite performance after Biret.

The Rosen recording is fantastic, I agree! I was just listening to the Third Sonata. Such a brilliant work. Aces!

[Mandryka]

My latest Boulez discovery is the collection of essays on Pli selon pli, published by Contrechamps (in French) Excellent for anyone who's interested in the text/music relationship, Boulez's ideas about Mallarmé.

[snyprrr]

Activity surrounding Boulez seems awfully quiet this year. Anyone read what he's up to? I haven't seen much. 

mmm... I've already got my rant filled post at the ready for whenever TheBigDay arrives. i've been listening to Babbitt to soften the blow.

[ritter]

My latest Boulez discovery is the collection of essays on Pli selon pli, published by Contrechamps (in French) Excellent for anyone who's interested in the text/music relationship, Boulez's ideas about Mallarmé.

Thanks for the tip, Mandryka  . Is the book it veeeery technical in style, or is it approachable for a broad(er) audience?

Regards,

[EigenUser]

Activity surrounding Boulez seems awfully quiet this year. Anyone read what he's up to? I haven't seen much. 

I hope he's doing alright. I'm growing to like him as a composer. I certainly like him more than I did six months ago. Those "Notations" for orchestra are phenomenal, as is "Repons" and "Derive I".

That last piece from "Notations"! What a thrilling ride! ... and people say Boulez is cold and calculating (i.e. me six months ago -- god I was so stupid ).

[Mandryka]

Thanks for the tip, Mandryka  . Is the book it veeeery technical in style, or is it approachable for a broad(er) audience?

Regards,

There's hardly any musical notation in the book, it's not about formal analysis of the music. It's about Boulez's intentions and his understanding of Mallarme.

[7/4]

And one of the aspects that I love about Boulez's art and in fact most, all of the composers I hold dear is it's intellectual ferocity.

[Karl Henning]

Intellectual ferocity is like wet consideration;  the adjective fails to modify, or have aught to do with, the noun.  Boulez is an intellectual, which is neither good nor bad, but just his character;  and questions of good or bad are determined by other criteria.  Where he has been ferocious, please, let us not unctuously rationalize it as a virtue by lauding it as a pursuit of the intellect.

[7/4]

cash.

[jochanaan]

...intellectual ferocity.

That phrase could just as easily apply to Adolf Hitler!

[EigenUser]

Hahaha .. they all seem to be extremely happy in his presence! Wonder what's in the briefcase?

Why, the score to "Repons", of course!

[7/4]

[EigenUser]

Haha! Mahler/Berg hammer!

[EigenUser]

The Master has a hammer.

Oh, I didn't even think of that! So I guess you could say that the hammer has found its master.