Boulez, Pierre (
b Montbrison, 1925). Fr. composer and conductor. Went to Paris Cons. in 1942, studying comp. with Messiaen 1944–5. Studied counterpoint with Andrée Vaurabourg-Honegger (wife of Arthur
Honegger) and 12-note technique with René Leibowitz. In 1946 became mus. dir. and cond. of Barrault-Renaud co. at Théâtre Marigny, Paris, travelling with them to N. and S. Amer. and European cities during next 10 years. In 1953, with Barrault's help, founded the Concerts Marigny, later re-named Domaine Musical when the venue was moved to the Odéon in 1959. In this series Boulez introduced to Paris audiences not only works by Schoenberg, Webern, and Berg, but mus. of his contemporaries. At this time, est. contacts with Maderna and Stockhausen and joined teaching staff at the Int. summer sch. for new mus., Darmstadt. Salzburg Fest. début 1960 (Cologne Radio SO). In early 1960s cond. engagements increased and dir. several major European orchs., incl. the Vienna PO at Salzburg, 1962. Cond. f. Fr. stage p. of
Wozzeck, Paris 1963. In 1963 visiting prof. at Harvard Univ.; made Amer. conducting début with Cleveland Orch. 1964. In 1966 cond.
Parsifal at Bayreuth and in same year severed connection with Paris life as a protest over a ministerial appointment. Guest cond. BBC SO in London 1964 and in USA in 1965 and on its Russ. tour in 1967. Gave up conductorship of Domaine Musical, 1967. Prin. guest cond., Cleveland Orch., 1969–70 and chief cond. of the BBC SO 1971–5 and NYPO 1971–7. His BBC period was notable for remarkable perfs. of 20th-cent. music, especially Schoenberg, Webern, and Debussy. Cond. centenary cycle of
Ring at Bayreuth, 1976. From 1976 dir. Fr. Govt.'s research institute into techniques of modern comp. (IRCAM). Cond. first complete perf. of
Lulu, Paris, 1979.
Boulez's importance and originality as an
avant-garde composer were evident from the first. He came to prominence with the
Sonatine for fl. and pf. and the pf. sonata No.1. The cantata
Le visage nuptial, to poems by René Char, made use of choral speech, spoken glissandi, crying, and whispering. Boulez's orthodox use of serialism is found in
Structures I for 2 pf.
Le Marteau sans maître, to text by Char (f.p. Baden-Baden June 1955, cond. Rosbaud) made him a celebrity. His most ambitious work to date is
Pli selon pli for sop. and orch. This 5-part portrait of Mallarmé developed from
Improvisation sur Mallarmé. These are now flanked by 2 outer movements,
Don and
Tombeau, all 5 containing extracts from Mallarmé sung or declaimed in many ways. There are elements of indeterminacy in the 3 sections of the improvisations. The work has constantly been radically rev., in accordance with Boulez's view that a comp. is never finished.
Boulez experimented with
musique concrète in early 1950s and combined it with elec. sounds in
Poésie pour pouvoir (1958). His use of indeterminacy dates from about 1957 with the 3rd pf. sonata, the 5 movements of which can be played in any order except for the 3rd which must be central. Like Mahler and Richard Strauss, Boulez has pursued parallel careers as cond. and composer. Hon. CBE 1979. Prin. comps.:INCIDENTAL MUSIC:
L'Orestie (Aeschylus/Obey) (1948);
Le Crépuscule de Yang Kouī-Feī (Louise Fauré), for radio (1967);
Ainsi parla Zarathoustra (Nietzsche/Barrault) (1974).ORCH.:
Doubles (1957–8), expanded as
Figures-Doubles-Prismes (1963, 1968);
Tombeau (1959–62);
Livre pour Cordes, orch. of
Livre pour quatuor, str. qt. (1968);…
explosante fixe…, unspecified forces (1971), fl., cl., tpt., hp., vib., vn., va., vc., elec. (1972, unpub.), fl., elec. (1989, unpub.);
Mémoriales (1973–5);
Rituel in memoriam Bruno Maderna (1974–5);
Notations (rev. of early pf. pieces) (1980);
Répons, 24 players, 6 instr. soloists, chamber ens., computers, live elec. (1981);
Initiale, fanfare, 7 brass instr. (1987).ENS.:
Le Visage nuptial (Char), sop., alto, 2 ondes Martenot, pf., perc. (1946–7), rev. sop., alto, women's ch., orch. (1951–2), third version for sop., mez., ch., and orch. (1985–9);
Éclat, 15 instr. (1965), expanded as
Éclats/Multiples, 27 instr. (1966, in progress);
Domaines, cl., 21 instr. (1961–8);
Dérive, fl., cl., vn., vc., vib., pf. (1984),
Dérive II for 11 instr. (1988).VOCAL:
Le Soleil des eaux (Char), mus. for radio play, v. and orch. (1948), rev. as cantata for sop., ten., bass, chamber orch. (1948, withdrawn), rev. sop., ten., bass, ch., orch. (1958), rev. sop., ch. and orch. (1965);
Le Marteau sans maître (Char), alto, alto fl., guitar, vib., xylorimba, perc., va. (1953–5, rev. 1957);
Improvisation sur Mallarmé I, sop., hp., bells, vib., perc. (1957), alternative version, sop., orch. 1962; II, sop., celesta, hp., pf., bells, vib., perc. (1957); III, sop., orch. (1959) 2nd version (1983–4), definitive version for sop. and orch. (1983–4);
Don, sop., pf. (1960), alternative version sop., orch. (1962), new version for sop. and orch. (1989–90);
Tombeau, sop., orch. (1959–60);
Pli selon pli (
Don,
Improvisation sur Mallarmé I–III,
Tombeau) (1957–90);
cummings ist der dichter, (e.e. cummings), 16 solo vv., 24 instr. (1970), rev. version (1986).CHAMBER MUSIC:
Sonatine, fl., pf. (1946);
Livre pour quatuor, str. qt. (1948–9), new version (1989, unpub.);
Strophes, fl. (1957);
Domaines, cl. (1961–8), alternative version, cl. and 21 instr. (1961–8);
Messagesquisse, vc. solo, 6 vc. (1976);
Dialogue de l'ombre double, cl., elec. (1984);
Mémoriale (‘
…explosante fixe…’ originel), fl., 8 instr. (1985);
Anthems, vn. (1991).PIANO:
12 Notations (1945); sonatas: No.1 (1946), No.2 (1946–8), No.3 (1955–7);
Structures, Book I, 2 pf. (1951–2), complete (1953); Book II, 2 pf. (1956–61).TAPE:
Etudes I, sur un son, II, sur sept sons, 1-track tape (1951–2);
Symphonie Mécanique (mus. for film), 1-track tape (1955).
