Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.
All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item(s) in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.
Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Xipeng (class of 2024) and features a biography of French composer and conductor Pierre Boulez. Thanks, Xipeng!
Pierre Boulez by Dominique Jameaux
Pierre Boulez (1925-2016), born in Montbrison, France, was a composer, conductor, and theorist whose innovative composition revolutionized traditional ideas about contemporary classical music. He studied piano and composition at the Paris Conservatoire, and his early works were influenced by the serialist techniques of Arnold Schoenberg and Anton Webern. However, Boulez quickly developed his own distinctive style of complex rhythms and unconventional harmonies. Several of his groundbreaking works include: “Le Marteau sans maître (The Hammer without a Master)” for chamber ensemble and solo alto voice, “Répons” for soloists, ensemble, and electronics, and “Pli selon pli (Fold by Fold),” a cycle of five songs for soprano and orchestra based on texts by the French poet Stéphane Mallarmé.
Besides being known for his remarkable works of composition, Boulez was also renowned for his precision, clarity, and commitment to the score as a conductor. With traditional practices of classical conducting, he also applied his own modern interpretations. Boulez was known for his adventurous programming, featuring works by contemporary composers alongside more established repertoire. Boulez’s advocacy for new music and his willingness to challenge audiences with innovative and challenging works helped to shape the direction of classical music in the 20th century and beyond.
The book Pierre Boulez by Dominique Jameux in our music library talks about the intellectual and career biography of Pierre Boulez, including detailed discussions of his 12 representative compositions. We also have a concert film In rehearsal Pierre Boulez, which recorded Boulez running through his own compositions with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.