# What do you think about Pierre Boulez?



## PresenTense (May 7, 2016)

Pierre Boulez and Olivier Messiaen










Pierre Boulez and Frank Zappa










Pierre Boulez and Karlheinz Stockhausen


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Amazing conductor. I've never heard the works he composed, but versions of the Rite of Spring, Symphony of Psalms, Varese's works pack a huge wallop.


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## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

I prefer Messiaen over Boulez but I prefer Boulez over Zappa.


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## Heliogabo (Dec 29, 2014)

I love Pierre Boulez work as conductor. I feel atracted to his compositions as well: Le marteau sans maître, Pli selon pli, Explosant fixe, the piano sonatas, Livre pour cordes (need to explore more).
Two years ago I had the opportunity to visit in Paris a great exposition which celebrated his 90th birthday, and was there that my appreciation on him growth a lot on me.


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

He had the most incredible "ear" of any musician I ever met.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

A Master Muso.......................


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

I attended all subscription concerts of the New York Philharmonic when Pierre Boulez was the music director.

I heard terrific performances of Mahler 3, Ravel's Daphnis et Chloe and La Valse and Liszt's Legend of St. Eliabeth.

The music critics were so busy hating him, they missed his greatness. Idiots!

A terrific conductor of razor-sharp clarity. When he conducted, you could write the score.


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## Janspe (Nov 10, 2012)

He was and is my favourite conductor. I'm also very fond of a lot of his music: _Pli selon pli, Le marteau sans maître, Anthèmes 2, Notations, Messagequisse, Memoriale_...


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## isorhythm (Jan 2, 2015)

Like many Europeans, he fundamentally didn't understand pop music (or jazz), as shown by the above quote....

But I like a lot of his music from _Le marteau_ on.

I'm actually less keen on him as a conductor. I've never come to like his Mahler; his _Lulu_ is probably the best one on record but it's not a crowded field, and I'm not sure he gets at the heart of it. That said he is probably best in the Second Viennese School.

I also have him conducting the three Ligeti concertos, which I almost never listen to for some reason.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Related topics:

http://www.talkclassical.com/search.php?searchid=2852870


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