BaL 10.02.18 - Boulez: Le marteau sans maître

[ardcarp]

I shall listen with interest to this. (Given the low number of recordings, it may need a bit of padding out from Andrew!) It was a work of great interest when I was a music student, as were all things Boulez. I agree, it will be very hard to gainsay a version conducted by PB himself. However, I think Robert Craft shared the same meticulous approach to conducting/directing as Boulez himself, maybe the reason why Barbs finds Craft's Stravinsky a bit 'dry'. I know Craft had a close friendship with Stravinsky in the latter's older years. Did he likewise know Boulez well?

PS Apropos of nothing, there's a couple of 'Marteaux' on Youtube

[CallMePaul]

Very pleased to see this! Also pleased with the format (although I see the forum's elderly conservatives have already begun their predictable banal moaning!).

Can't believe Bryn doesn't already have that excellent mono Craft recording!

Paul (can I call you that?) - I think that if a work is sufficiently important, it ought to be in one's library. If there is more than one recording, then a choice must be made. So I think that although the number of complete recordings does not quite reach double figures, I think this is a legit BaL

I have:

Jeanne Deroubaix, Solistes du Domaine Musical, Pierre Boulez
Yvonne Minton, Ensemble Musique Vivante, Pierre Boulez
Hilary Summers, Ensemble Intercontemporain, Pierre Boulez
Marjorie MacKay, Robert Craft

I don't have the Hilary Summers, West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, Pierre Boulez, but it seems very tempting from the reviews ...........

I will listen with interest. I have heard only a limited amount of Boulez's work as composer and not this one, so I will be approaching it without any pre-formed views about interpretation.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I think Robert Craft shared the same meticulous approach to conducting/directing as Boulez himself, maybe the reason why Barbs finds Craft's Stravinsky a bit 'dry'. I know Craft had a close friendship with Stravinsky in the latter's older years. Did he likewise know Boulez we

Craft respected the composer (at least up to about 1960) -- but disliked the man; especially after Boulez made disparaging comments about both Craft's conducting and the extent to which Stravinsky contributed to the Craft/Stravinsky conversation books .

[BBMmk2]

I do not like these two-fers.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I do not like these two-fers.

You are not alone.

[umslopogaas]

There are two versions of Le Marteau Sans Maitre in the The Complete Columbia Album Collection of Boulez's conducting:

Elizabeth Lawrence and the Ensemble Intercontemporain
Yvonne Minton and Ensemble Musique Vivante

The Lawrence version doesnt seem to have been mentioned in this thread. Of course, the collection may no longer be available. I cant remember when I bought it, but it would be a few years ago.

[Bryn]

There are two versions of Le Marteau Sans Maitre in the The Complete Columbia Album Collection of Boulez's conducting:

Elizabeth Lawrence and the Ensemble Intercontemporain
Yvonne Minton and Ensemble Musique Vivante

The Lawrence version doesnt seem to have been mentioned in this thread. Of course, the collection may no longer be available. I cant remember when I bought it, but it would be a few years ago.

As mentioned in #4 there are also two recordings in the Domain Musical box, in addition to the famed recording with Jeanne Deroubaix there is the earliest recording of the work, with Marie-Thérèse Cahn.

[Beef Oven!]

You are not alone.

Ok, 100 lines by tomorrow morning -

"I must grow up and stop being childish and petulant about the BaL format every single time there's a variation from tradition, even though I don't like change".

[Beef Oven!]

As mentioned in #4 there are also two recordings in the Domain Musical box, in addition to the famed recording with Jeanne Deroubaix there is the earliest recording of the work, with Marie-Thérèse Cahn.

So what is the total of available full recordings now? I'm getting lost.

[Richard Barrett]

So what is the total of available full recordings now? I'm getting lost.

I note that one of my favourites hasn't been mentioned: Peter Rundel's with "Das Neue Ensemble", Luisa Castellani as soloist, released on the CordAria label in 2000. I don't really see why one Boulez's own recordings necessarily has to be the best, especially as his interpretation has changed over the years.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Ok, 100 lines by tomorrow morning -

"I must grow up and stop being childish and petulant about the BaL format every single time there's a variation from tradition, even though I don't like change".

Or you might return the compliment by writing the following just once:-

"I shall endeavour to be tolerant of viewpoints other than my own, and if I disagree with an opinion expressed, I shall do so without attacking the individual with whom I disagree."

[Beef Oven!]

I note that one of my favourites hasn't been mentioned: Peter Rundel's with "Das Neue Ensemble", Luisa Castellani as soloist, released on the CordAria label in 2000. I don't really see why one Boulez's own recordings necessarily has to be the best, especially as his interpretation has changed over the years.

I've never come across that one.

Neither do I believe that PB's own direction of this work needs to be the best. He may well have the most authentic idea of how it should go, but he may not be the best executioner. I will leave aside the thorny question of whether his ideas about how the the work should go are necessarily the best ideas!

[Bryn]

I've never come across that one.

Nor I, but it appears to be available from amazon.fr in mp3 format for an inflated price.

https://www.amazon.fr/Pierre-Boulez-Marteau-sans-Ma%C3%AEtre/dp/B01MZ08ECX

[Beef Oven!]

Nor I, but it appears to be available from amazon.fr in mp3 format for an inflated price.

https://www.amazon.fr/Pierre-Boulez-.../dp/B01MZ08ECX

Well spotted Bryn.

mp3

Inflated, definitely. Exorbitant? Possibly not. I'm not partaking, currently.

[Bryn]

Well spotted Bryn.

mp3

Inflated, definitely. Exorbitant? Possibly not. I'm not partaking, currently.

Also on iTunes, but for a little less:

https://itunes.apple.com/de/album/pierre-boulez-le-marteau-sans/id329310573