Prom 17 (26.7.12): Beethoven & Boulez

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Thursday 26 July at 10.15 p.m.
Royal Albert Hall

Beethoven: Piano Quintet in E flat major (25 mins)
Pierre Boulez: Le marteau sans maître (35 mins)

West–Eastern Divan Orchestra (members)
Conducted by François-Xavier Roth

Chamber music by Beethoven complements the current Proms cycle of his complete symphonies and is matched by Pierre Boulez's revolutionary work for voice and ensemble from the 1950's depicting 'the hammer without a master' in settings of texts by the Surrealist poet Rene Char.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Somehow, I feel more "comfortable" with the juxtaposition of "Le marteau sans maître" with a Beethoven chamber work, than with two symphonies. I'll definitely be listening to this Prom.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Wow. Full of character and exciting music making.

[Ferretfancy]

I would like to have been there tonight, if only because I remember this anecdote -- Some of you may remember TV music documentaries made by a fine director, Barry Gavin. Quite early in his career, at the time when John Culshaw had been made Director of Television Music, Barry made a studio documentary entirely about Le Marteau sans Maitre, with lots of musical examples, and diagrams of the structure. After transmission Culshaw called Barry into his office. " I liked your programme, but next time could you get an audience of more than thirty ? "

Luckily this did not deter Barry, who went on to make some of the very best programmes about music, and it seems to me to say more about Culshaw's taste than the skill of Barry Gavin or the genius of Boulez.

[JohnSkelton]

Listened last night, and partially on iPlayer early this morning: I thought Le marteau sans maître was captivating. I've enjoyed listening to later Boulez scores in these concerts, but for me this and other scores around its time are still what matters most about Boulez.

Was anyone from here at the concert?

[JohnSkelton]

Any thoughts from anyone about Le marteau sans maître? I found Roth's interpretation very interesting (and the realisation most impressive): it seemed to take the music back to its 1950s 'roots' rather than read it in light of later Boulez. Well worth going to the iPlayer for.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Not yet listened to it, John. Sounds like an excellent performance, though.

[heliocentric]

Any thoughts from anyone about Le marteau sans maître? I found Roth's interpretation very interesting (and the realisation most impressive): it seemed to take the music back to its 1950s 'roots' rather than read it in light of later Boulez. Well worth going to the iPlayer for.

Just been listening to it. I see what you mean, John, it's a great deal more spiky and brittle than for example the 2000 Boulez recording I was listening to the other day. Sometimes the rhythms aren't quite as precise as they could be, but the whole performance has more character than many I've heard.

[JohnSkelton]

Just been listening to it. I see what you mean, John, it's a great deal more spiky and brittle than for example the 2000 Boulez recording I was listening to the other day. Sometimes the rhythms aren't quite as precise as they could be, but the whole performance has more character than many I've heard.

I had a listen to his recording with the Domaine Musical Ensemble yesterday and reckon Roth has too . Nothing in the least wrong with that, of course (bit of HIPP). Listening to his Sony recording I take your point about the rhythms; I suppose I meant some of the individual playing (the flute sounded extremely good).

Pity it was tucked away late night.

[heliocentric]

some of the individual playing (the flute sounded extremely good).

Indeed. Speaking of recordings, one I'd recommend that seems very little known is a CD on the CordAria label with Peter Rundel conducting Das Neue Ensemble (a group from Hannover), which I think has the intensity and the exactitude. It's very well worth seeking out (and also contains Improvisations sur Mallarmé I and II and Dérive I).

[pursuivant]

Morrie Plugg

For many years the Daily Mail published a cartoon strip entitled Flook by Trog. The creation of the strange little creature Flook, the friend of Rufus, was by Wally Fawkes. Various authors provided stories - including the musicians George Melly and Humphrey Lyttleton (himself a notable cartoonist). Satirical stories running over a period of days was the format and one most memorable example was when Flook was involved in a musical competition. The distinguished judge of the competition was portrayed as tall and bald-headed with a flowing moustache; he rejoiced in the name of Sir Julian Nutt. There was also another character from the other side of music, named Morrie Plugg who aimed to get his music recognised. It seems too much of a co-incidence that at that time the press was accusing Norrie Paramor, successful producer of many top hit recordings and composer of much film music, of using his own numbers as the B-side items on many top-selling singles by famous artists - all very good for Paramor royalties of course.
Turning to today: Daniel Barenboim the excellent pianist who moved on to conducting in mid-career being only grudgingly accepted in the latter rôle at first but now graduated to the rank of mature, experienced and skilful conductor, has been much favoured by the BBC and he was asked to conduct all Beethoven's Symphonies in one week at the Proms with his own West-Eastern Divan Orchestra and this has drawn large audiences.
Now there is a past BBC favourite, the composer and conductor Pierre Boulez who for around three years in the 1970s was chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. On hearing his compositions the average music lover would assume that this musician would not recognise a melody if he fell over one in the street (or if he did recognise one he would kick it out of the way) but he compensates for this defect by using bizarre instrumentation and supplementary electronic devices. Well here was the opportunity to revive his career and the recent broadcasts came up with the clever notion of putting a number of his works between the two Beethoven Symphonies being broadcast in each concert from the Royal Albert Hall in the Barenboim series. This ensured that none of the audience would leave before the end lest they missed the Beethoven Symphony that concluded the concert.
In this way it appears that Pierre Boulez has become the Morrie Plugg of the twenty first century.

[heliocentric]

For many years the Daily Mail

Enough said.

[JohnSkelton]

Indeed. Speaking of recordings, one I'd recommend that seems very little known is a CD on the CordAria label with Peter Rundel conducting Das Neue Ensemble (a group from Hannover), which I think has the intensity and the exactitude. It's very well worth seeking out (and also contains Improvisations sur Mallarmé I and II and Dérive I).

Thanks, that sounds very interesting. Amazon have 2nd hand copies but at steep prices (and CordAria no longer seem to have a website - or if they do I can't find it). I'll keep my eyes open for the CD .

(Just seen it can be downloaded http://www.dasneueensemble.de/media.html).

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Turning to today: Daniel Barenboim the excellent pianist who moved on to conducting in mid-career

Whilst it is irritating to let little things like facts get in the way of an enjoyable prejudice, it is perhaps pertinent to point out that Barenboim received conducting tuition from Igor Markevich at Salzburg from the age of twelve and started his conducting career when he was 24. A peculiar interpretation of the phrase "mid-career" when applied to someone who's "career" has lasted (so far) 62 years.

[heliocentric]

Pardon me for also getting all facty, but Barenboim's collaboration with Boulez began actually in 1964 when Boulez conducted Bartók's First Concerto with Barenboim as soloist, and subsequently the two have worked together on a wide range of piano/orchestra performances including most recently a CD of Liszt concertos. Barenboim first conducted a work of Boulez in the 1970s; soon afterwards while music director of the Orchestre de Paris he commissioned Notations from Boulez, and recorded it for a CD (together with Rituel) at the beginning of the 1990s. Some of Barenboim's thoughts on Boulez as composer and conductor can be consulted here: http://www.danielbarenboim.com/index.php?id=39