Pierre Boulez

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Biography

Born: March 26, 1925   Country: France   Period: 20th Century
Pierre Boulez (b. 1925), French composer, conductor, and music theorist, is regarded as a leading composer of the post-Webern serialist movement who also embraced elements of aleatory and electronics. As a child Boulez demonstrated a formidable aptitude in mathematics, but left for Paris in 1942 to enroll in the Paris Conservatoire. His studies there often ran into difficulties, as he was rapidly developing revolutionary -- "Praise be to amnesia" Read more -- attitudes towards all things traditional. But two decisive influences during those years helped to shape his musical personality. The first was Messiaen's famous analysis course, the other was René Leibowitz, who introduced him to serial music, where Boulez found "a harmonic and contrapuntal richness and a capacity for development an extension of a kind I have never found anywhere else."

By the late 1940s, Boulez began using a technique known as total serialization. A work which soon gave Boulez public notice was his Second Piano Sonata (1948), following a much publicized concert in Darmstadt in 1952 by Yvonne Loriod, Messiaen's wife. The piece from the 1950s that sealed his reputation was Le Marteau sans Maître from 1954 (revised in 1955), for singer and chamber ensemble. The instrumentation gives prominence to exotic percussion, extended vocal techniques, and textures that are often brittle but also lyrical. Rigorously organized, Le Marteau nonetheless goes beyond strict serialism to a more personal style. The premiere took place in Germany in 1955 under Hans Rosbaud. The Südwestfunk Radio underwrote an astounding 50 rehearsals in order that the piece be properly performed. During the latter 1950s he began allowing greater freedom for the performer in works like Improvisations sur Mallarmé for soprano and chamber ensemble. In his Third Piano Sonata (1957), the pianist can reorder the five movements in a variety of ways, and certain passages within the movements offer alternate paths, thereby making the artist select which to play and which to omit. In 1957, Boulez embarked on Pli Selon Pli, a work in five movements for soprano and orchestra to texts by Mallarmé, making use of a more restrained open-form technique. The middle movements are scored for sub-groups of the orchestra, balancing the larger forces of the outer movements. Boulez is also known for withdrawing and rewriting his compositions, making nearly everything he writes "a work in progress." For instance, ...explosante-fixe..., first sketched in 1971 has engendered a number of works and transitory phases over approximately twenty five years, including a 1996 version for Solo MIDI Flute and Chamber Ensemble. In 2000, he also received the prestigious Grawemeyer Award in Composition for his forty minute chamber piece Sur Incises for three pianos, three harps, and three percussionists.

Boulez is also one of the twentieth century's most influential conductors, known for extraordinarily precise performances of contemporary works by Bartok, Ligeti, Messiaen, and Varése, among many others. In 1968 he was named Music Director of both the BBC Symphony Orchestra and New York Philharmonic. In 1969, the Cleveland Orchestra named him Principal Guest Conductor. In 1970 French President Pompidou announced the experimental electronic music institute, Institut de Recherche et de Coordination Acoustique/Musique (IRCAM) to be under Boulez's administration, eventually causing him to withdraw from the BBC and New York posts. In 1975, he formed the Ensemble Inter Contemporain, an ensemble devoted entirely to the performance of new music, including his own Repons (1980). He was also appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1995. As a conductor, Boulez has made many notable recordings; in 1996 he won a Grammy for his recording of Debussy's La Mer with the Cleveland Orchestra. Read less

Featured Pierre Boulez CDs & DVDs:

Boulez: Pli Selon Pli / Boulez, Bryn-Julson, BBC Symphony Orchestra
Boulez: Pli Selon Pli / Boulez, Bryn-Julson, BBC Symphony Orchestra
Release Date: 02/27/1998   Label: Erato  
Catalog: 88074   Number of Discs: 1
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Pierre-Laurent Aimard - The Warner Recordings
Pierre-Laurent Aimard - The Warner Recordings
Release Date: 09/25/2012   Label: Warner Classics  
Catalog: 2564660448   Number of Discs: 6
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Browse 1-25 of 85 Available Recordings
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  • 1.
    La Folie Francaise [4-CD Set]
    La Folie Francaise [4-CD Set]
    Label: Virgin Classics   Catalog: 356292 Release Date: 02/26/2013   Number of Discs: 4
    Composer:  Georges Bizet,  Charles Valentin Alkan,  César Franck,  Camille Saint-Saëns  ... 
    Performer:  Barbara Hendricks,  David Fray,  Maggie Cole,  Philippe Dervaux  ... 
    Conductor:  Richard Hickox,  Michel Plasson,  Jean-Bernard Pommier
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Quatuor Ebčne
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  • 2.
    Micromania: 85 Piano Miniatures
    Micromania: 85 Piano Miniatures
    Label: Tyx Art   Catalog: 12009 Release Date: 02/26/2013   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Carl Nielsen,  Domenico Scarlatti,  Franz Joseph Haydn,  John Bull  ... 
    Performer:  Matthias Veit
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  • 3.
    Essential 20th Century Classics
    Essential 20th Century Classics
    Label: Emi Classics   Catalog: 234372 Release Date: 01/22/2013   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Sergei Prokofiev,  Joaquin Rodrigo,  Aram Khachaturian,  Sir Edward Elgar  ... 
    Performer:  Jacqueline Du Pré,  Cécile Ousset,  Peter Donohoe,  Stomu Yamashta  ... 
    Conductor:  André Previn,  Simon Rattle,  Yuri Temirkanov,  Sir John Barbirolli  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Ensemble Modern
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  • 4.
    Boulez: Le Marteau Sans Maitre / Summers, Ensemble Intercontemporian
    Boulez: Le Marteau Sans Maitre / Summers, Ensemble Intercontemporian
    Label: Deutsche Grammophon   Catalog: 001767202 Release Date: 12/11/2012   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Pierre Boulez
    Conductor:  Pierre Boulez
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Ensemble InterContemporain
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  • 5.
    Stephen Beville In Karlsruhe
    Stephen Beville In Karlsruhe
    Label: Divine Art   Catalog: 25108 Release Date: 10/09/2012   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Frédéric Chopin,  Pierre Boulez,  Ludwig van Beethoven,  Robert Schumann
    Performer:  Stephen Beville
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  • 6.
    Pierre Boulez & The Piano
    Pierre Boulez & The Piano
    Label: Cybele   Catalog: 4 Release Date: 09/25/2012   Number of Discs: 3
    Composer:  Pierre Boulez
    Performer:  Dmitri Vassilakis
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  • 7.
    Pierre-Laurent Aimard - The Warner Recordings
    Pierre-Laurent Aimard - The Warner Recordings
    Label: Warner Classics   Catalog: 2564660448 Release Date: 09/25/2012   Number of Discs: 6
    Composer:  Claude Debussy,  Charles Ives,  György Ligeti,  Olivier Messiaen  ... 
    Performer:  Pierre-Laurent Aimard,  Tabea Zimmermann,  Alexei Lubimov,  Sophie Cherrier
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  • 8.
    Terrestre / Claire Chase
    Terrestre / Claire Chase
    Label: New Focus   Catalog: 122 Release Date: 03/27/2012   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Kaija Saariaho,  Franco Donatoni,  Elliott Carter,  Pierre Boulez  ... 
    Performer:  Kivie Cahn-Lipman,  Claire Chase,  Nathan Davis,  Nuiko Wadden  ... 
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  • 9.
    Boulez: Memoriale, Derive 1, Derive 2 / Kawka, Ensemble Orchestral Contemporain
    Boulez: Memoriale, Derive 1, Derive 2 / Kawka, Ensemble Orchestral Contemporain
    Label: Naive   Catalog: 782183 Release Date: 02/28/2012   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Pierre Boulez
    Performer:  Fabrice Jünger
    Conductor:  Daniel Kawka
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Ensemble Orchestral Contemporain
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  • 10.
    Earle Brown Contemporary Sound Series 4
    Earle Brown Contemporary Sound Series 4
    Label: Wergo   Catalog: 6937 Release Date: 02/14/2012   Number of Discs: 3
    Composer:  Pierre Boulez,  Giacinto Scelsi,  Earle Brown,  Iannis Xenakis  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Quatuor Parrenin,  Hamburg Chamber Soloists
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  • 11.
    Wanted - Boulez, Carter, Schaathun / Hakon Austbo
    Wanted - Boulez, Carter, Schaathun / Hakon Austbo
    Label: Norway Music   Catalog: 5071 Release Date: 01/31/2012   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Pierre Boulez,  Elliott Carter,  Asbjorn Schaathun
    Performer:  Haakon Austbö,  Asbjorn Blokkum Flo
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  • 12.
    20th Century Collection / Maurizio Pollini
    20th Century Collection / Maurizio Pollini
    Label: Deutsche Grammophon   Catalog: 001632502 Release Date: 12/20/2011   Number of Discs: 6
    Composer:  Béla Bartók,  Claude Debussy,  Alban Berg,  Luigi Nono  ... 
    Performer:  Maurizio Pollini,  Slavka Taskova
    Conductor:  Claudio Abbado
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Chicago Symphony Orchestra,  Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra,  Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
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    CD: $31.49
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  • 13.
    2010 Salzburg Festival Opening Concert
    2010 Salzburg Festival Opening Concert
    Label: C Major   Catalog: 706808 Release Date: 08/30/2011   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Ludwig van Beethoven,  Pierre Boulez,  Anton Bruckner
    Performer:  Daniel Barenboim,  René Pape,  Elina Garanca,  Klaus Florian Vogt  ... 
    Conductor:  Daniel Barenboim
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra,  Vienna State Opera Chorus
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  • 14.
    2010 Salzburg Festival Opening Concert [Blu-ray]
    2010 Salzburg Festival Opening Concert [Blu-ray]
    Label: C Major   Catalog: 706904 Release Date: 08/30/2011   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Ludwig van Beethoven,  Pierre Boulez,  Anton Bruckner
    Performer:  Daniel Barenboim,  Klaus Florian Vogt,  Elina Garanca,  René Pape  ... 
    Conductor:  Daniel Barenboim
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra,  Vienna State Opera Chorus
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  • 15.
    Pierre Boulez In Rehearsal
    Pierre Boulez In Rehearsal
    Label: Kultur Video   Catalog: 4573 Release Date: 05/31/2011   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Alban Berg,  Pierre Boulez
    Conductor:  Pierre Boulez
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
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  • 16.
    Frank Zappa's Classical Selection
    Frank Zappa's Classical Selection
    Label: Chrome Dreams (Usa)   Catalog: 5049 Release Date: 03/08/2011   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Richard Wagner,  Igor Stravinsky,  Anton Webern,  Gustav Holst  ... 
    Performer:  Ilse Hollweg
    Conductor:  Hans Knappertsbusch,  Igor Stravinsky,  Gustav Holst,  Maurice Ravel  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Gate 5 Ensemble of the World
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  • 17.
    Darmstadt Aural Documents Box 1: Composers - Conductors
    Darmstadt Aural Documents Box 1: Composers - Conductors
    Label: Neos   Catalog: 11060 Release Date: 11/30/2010   Number of Discs: 6
    Composer:  Spoken Word,  Earle Brown,  René Leibowitz,  Wolfgang Fortner  ... 
    Performer:  Earle Brown,  Ilona Steingruber,  Rudolf Kolisch,  Friedrich Wildgans  ... 
    Conductor:  Earle Brown,  René Leibowitz,  Wolfgang Fortner,  Ernst Krenek  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Internationales Kammerensemble Darmstadt,  Ungarisches Kammerensemble Budapest,  Ensemble Köln  ... 
    On sale! $137.98
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  • 18.
    111 - The Collector's Edition 2 [56-CD Set - Limited Edition]
    111 - The Collector's Edition 2 [56-CD Set - Limited Edition]
    Label: Deutsche Grammophon   Catalog: 4779142 Release Date: 11/09/2010   Number of Discs: 56
    Composer:  Georges Bizet,  Sergei Prokofiev,  Maurice Ravel,  Ludwig van Beethoven  ... 
    Performer:  Stuart Harling,  Robert Lloyd,  Sherrill Milnes,  Placido Domingo  ... 
    Conductor:  Claudio Abbado,  John Nelson,  Leonard Bernstein,  Jerzy Semkow  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  London Symphony Orchestra,  Ambrosian Singers,  George Watson's College Boys' Chorus  ... 
    On sale! $169.98
    CD: $159.99
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  • 19.
    Daniel Barenboim [4-DVD box set]
    Daniel Barenboim [4-DVD box set]
    Label: Euroarts   Catalog: 2058238 Release Date: 10/26/2010   Number of Discs: 4
    Composer:  Franz Liszt,  Astor Piazzolla,  Carlos Gardel,  Julio De Caro  ... 
    Performer:  Daniel Barenboim,  Leopoldo Federico
    Conductor:  Daniel Barenboim
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Buenos Aires Philharmonic Orchestra,  West-Eastern Divan Orchestra,  Chicago Symphony Orchestra
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  • 20.
    Grosses Festspielhaus Salzburg - 50 Years [25 CDs]
    Grosses Festspielhaus Salzburg - 50 Years [25 CDs]
    Label: Deutsche Grammophon   Catalog: 001469202 Release Date: 09/14/2010   Number of Discs: 25
    Composer:  Franz Schubert,  Sergei Rachmaninov,  Johannes Brahms,  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart  ... 
    Performer:  Martha Argerich,  Nelson Freire,  Alfred Brendel,  Placido Domingo  ... 
    Conductor:  Pierre Boulez,  Claudio Abbado,  Sir Georg Solti,  James Levine  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra,  Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra,  Chicago Symphony Orchestra  ... 
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  • 21.
    Karlheinz Stockhausen & Pierre Boulez: New Directions In Music
    Karlheinz Stockhausen & Pierre Boulez: New Directions In Music
    Label: Cherry Red   Catalog: 2931933 Release Date: 08/24/2010   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Karlheinz Stockhausen,  Pierre Boulez
    Performer:  Donald Christlieb,  William Ulyate,  Donald Muggeridge,  Arthur Gleghorn  ... 
    Conductor:  Robert Craft
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  • 22.
    Zen Piano
    Zen Piano
    Label: Virgin Classics   Catalog: 28435 Release Date: 05/18/2010   Number of Discs: 3
    Composer:  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,  Johann Sebastian Bach,  Ludwig van Beethoven,  Domenico Scarlatti  ... 
    Performer:  Jean-Bernard Pommier,  Francois-René Duchable,  Christian Zacharias,  Piotr Anderszewski  ... 
    Conductor:  Jean-Bernard Pommier,  Hans Vonk,  David Fray,  Mikhail Pletnev  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Grieg Trio,  Nash Ensemble
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  • 23.
    Idil Biret Archive Edition, Vol. 4: Berg, Webern, Boulez
    Idil Biret Archive Edition, Vol. 4: Berg, Webern, Boulez
    Label: Naxos   Catalog: 8571277 Release Date: 04/27/2010   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Pierre Boulez,  Anton von Webern,  Alban Berg
    Performer:  Idil Biret
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  • 24.
    Pierre Boulez & The Lucerne Festival Academy - Inheriting The Future Of Music
    Pierre Boulez & The Lucerne Festival Academy - Inheriting The Future Of Music
    Label: Euroarts   Catalog: 2058048 Release Date: 04/27/2010   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Ondrej Adamek,  Karlheinz Stockhausen,  Igor Stravinsky,  Pierre Boulez  ... 
    Conductor:  Pierre Boulez
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra
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  • 25.
    Dialogues
    Dialogues
    Label: Stradivarius   Catalog: STR33625 Release Date: 03/16/2010   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  György Kurtág,  Philippe Schoeller,  Pierre Boulez
    Performer:  Pascal Gallois,  Sarah O'Brien,  Nicholas Isherwood,  Garth Knox
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