Pierre Boulez, RIP

[Roslynmuse]

Sad news indeed. I wonder how many other members of this forum had their first experience of the Ring with the BBC`s showing of his Bayreuth recording from 1979/80? Certainly highly instrumental in introducing me to my lifelong love of Wagner, and although I moved on to other conductors (tons of them) I still love that cycle. And his Parsifal too. The only time I saw him live was in Debussy`s Pelleas in Birmingham , early 1990s?

Yes, this was my introduction the Ring cycle too - ten weekly episodes shown in autumn 1982 IIRC. Went on to Goodall and Solti, and have since seen (and even worked on) many more. I bought the DVDs some years back - thanks for the reminder!

[jean]

Someone's just reminded me of this srange incident...

[Pianoman]

Aah, it made me think of my fondest memory of the man, a wonderful and probing interview with George Benjamin at the 1989 HCMF, the very year this was taken

[Beef Oven!]

- Boulez' wasn't the first Wagner I ever heard, but it was the one that made the composer "click" for me - and, yes; for all my adoration of other conductors' readings of this repertoire, Boulez remains very high in my affections and admiration.

I've received an e-Mail from an ex-student of mine (now in his mid-20s) which I think sums up so many essential points succinctly:

Very sad to hear of Boulez's passing today. Truly one of the greats. I was very lucky to hear Peter Eötvös conduct Livre pour cordes and Rituel with the LSO in April, and Pli selon pli with the BBCSO in March. Illuminating sonorities, meticulous structures and a sense of poetry that was innate in everything he wrote.

[Alison]

I only saw him live a couple of times. Revere his performances of Le Sacre.

His was the first recording I heard of the Mastersingers Overture which led to a lifelong passion for that work.

I loved it when Pierre was a regular visitor to the Proms. How we've missed him in recent years.

[Nick Armstrong]

I wonder how many other members of this forum had their first experience of the Ring with the BBC`s showing of his Bayreuth recording from 1979/80?

Oh my goodness, yes - I'd forgotten that!

I was living in Paris then, when the Boulez/Chéreau Ring aired there, and we were hooked... I can still feel the same frissons at the opening, the steam billowing, the quality of the performance, the emergence of the 'industrial revolution' river architecture...

[richardfinegold]

He has been a permanent Guest Conductor here for 20 years or so (his actual title has some Fat Cat Donor name attached to it). He canceled his last scheduled performances here so in view of his advanced years the news was not that surprising.
I've been to several performances led by him, more than I can count or remember, and judging from the comments here
I would surmise that he must have been more active in the States (even discounting his past tenure in New York) than the U.K., or at least with Chicago and Cleveland.
My first memory is hearing him perform Handel's Water Music with the NYP, not a work that one would tend to reflexively associate with Boulez. It was plenty lively but not a\sure how the HIPP movement would have judged it.
I have heard both he and Daniel Barenboim conduct his own music.
As a Conductor I will mainly appreciate his Mahler, because after being weaned on the Mahler of Walter, Bernstein, Solti, and Horenstein, he seemed to consciously "objectify" the Composer. It was as if he decided to neuter and remove subjectivity, and some of the shmaltz. At first my taste rebelled against the approach, but I began to appreciate it over time. I think one of the tests of Greatness for great music is that it still appears to be great despite a variety of stylistic approaches. Boulez opened my eyes to the Universality of Mahler's music.
I also enjoyed his Rite with Szell's Orchestra (for years, the only version that I would listen to) and his later Debussy recordings with Cleveland. Some Composers that didn't seem to come off under his baton were Bruckner (I would think that he would have had a low tolerance for the repetitions) and Mozart.

[Bryn]

Apart from performances of his own works, and those of Webern, my fondest memories are of his Mahler with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, especially the 5th and 8th. When it came to Stravinsky, with the exception of his party-piece, Le Chant du Rossignol, and the full Le Rossignol, I must admit to coming away somewhat disappointed, much as I did re. his Messiaen performances in the latter decades of his life, though his performances of his teacher's work in the '60s and '70s were magnificent. I still recall the eager anticipation with which I awaited delivery of the CBS LP of Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum and Couleurs de la Cité Celeste when it came out. I had previously only heard the former via a Third Programme broadcast by the BBCSO under Antal Dorati, which paled in to insignificance compared to what Boulez achieved with the Groupe instumental a percussion de Strasbourg and the Orchestre du domaine musical, the first recording I ever ordered in advance of its release.

His own compositions are a treasure trove to which I return again and again, and that includes what we have of the three piano sonatas.

[Bryn]

... Some Composers that didn't seem to come off under his baton were Bruckner (I would think that he would have had a low tolerance for the repetitions) and Mozart.

Really? I know he famously said he could not tell Bruckner's 5th from the 8th, but his recording of the latter I find magnificent, his use of the Haas edition, with its bits of re-composition by its editor, notwithstanding. His K537 with Curzon was also quite magical, to my ears.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Really? I know he famously said he could not tell Bruckner's 5th from the 8th, but his recording of the latter I find magnificent, his use of the Haas edition, with its bits of re-composition by its editor, notwithstanding.

There's a very good Live performance of the Ninth in the vaults of some Radio company or other, too. It would be a significant addition to both the Bruckner and the Boulez discography if it were ever released.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Think I only heard him live once: Mahler 2 at the Proms, 27/8/74 as a student with my girlfriend who'd never heard the work. She nearly fell off her chair at the big percussion crescendos and was completely transported by the finale.

It's very possible that going to that concert persuaded her that I was worth persevering with. Said girlfriend has been Mrs LMP since 1977 so if so, many thanks, PB

[But sadly, she still has no truck with your compositions...]

[cloughie]

Sad news indeed. I cannot say I'm close to understanding many of his compositions but I will continue trying but over recent years I have found his recordings as conductor superb. His DG Ravel recordings, Mother Goose for example are a match for any. RIP Pierre.

[Petrushka]

Very sad news indeed but not entirely unexpected. I saw frustratingly little of Boulez but, like others here, I was present at the National Youth Orchestra Prom performance of Gurrelieder in 1987, I was also at a 1997 Prom with the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra where I caught his own Notations and The Rite of Spring. Boulez also gave a wonderful pre-Prom talk prior to that concert in his typical rapid fire English. Another memorable Prom was in 1992 with the VPO which included his own Livre pour Cordes and the Bartok complete Miraculous Mandarin. My final sighting was his last Prom, a rather unsuccessful foray into Janacek in 2008.

My favourite amongst his compositions is unquestionably Rituel In Memoriam Maderna and it's a fitting memorial to Boulez himself.

[Beef Oven!]

He has been a permanent Guest Conductor here for 20 years or so (his actual title has some Fat Cat Donor name attached to it). He canceled his last scheduled performances here so in view of his advanced years the news was not that surprising.
I've been to several performances led by him, more than I can count or remember, and judging from the comments here
I would surmise that he must have been more active in the States (even discounting his past tenure in New York) than the U.K., or at least with Chicago and Cleveland.
My first memory is hearing him perform Handel's Water Music with the NYP, not a work that one would tend to reflexively associate with Boulez. It was plenty lively but not a\sure how the HIPP movement would have judged it.
I have heard both he and Daniel Barenboim conduct his own music.
As a Conductor I will mainly appreciate his Mahler, because after being weaned on the Mahler of Walter, Bernstein, Solti, and Horenstein, he seemed to consciously "objectify" the Composer. It was as if he decided to neuter and remove subjectivity, and some of the shmaltz. At first my taste rebelled against the approach, but I began to appreciate it over time. I think one of the tests of Greatness for great music is that it still appears to be great despite a variety of stylistic approaches. Boulez opened my eyes to the Universality of Mahler's music.
I also enjoyed his Rite with Szell's Orchestra (for years, the only version that I would listen to) and his later Debussy recordings with Cleveland. Some Composers that didn't seem to come off under his baton were Bruckner (I would think that he would have had a low tolerance for the repetitions) and Mozart.

Wonderful anecdotes, Richard. Very interesting to read your experience re PB's Mahler.

PB's Bruckner is rather good, though. I have an excellent live DVD from St Florian's of the eighth symphony and the DG CD, that more than prove the point.

[ahinton]

Well of course.

Yes, I have for some time had this (from the horse's mouth, so to speak)...