# Boulez Complete...work in progress



## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

In less than two weeks I will purchase this from a wonderful little local shop










What's the general consensus? As far as Boulez goes, everything he's ever written seems to be in a constant revisionary process and not much is "complete," but everything on here appears to be included with his own supervision. Does anyone here have it and can tell me a bit of info about which versions of which pieces are available in this box?


----------



## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

That box set is the bomb. I plan to get it off iTunes.


----------



## Guest (Jan 20, 2015)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> In less than two weeks I will purchase this from a wonderful little local shop
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hi CoAG. I have this set, but I don't have the time to type out the contents for you! A better solution for you: here's a link to Deutsche Grammophon where you can read the details and versions from the (quite thick) booklet :
http://www.deutschegrammophon.com/fr/cat/4806828


----------



## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

I like Boulez's music. I have collected a number of his albums. His constant revising is tedious, however. I recall a line from _Sitting Targets_ by Peter Hammill:

"Sign the picture, and throw it away."

Couldn't he just accept imperfection and write a new piece, instead of having to rework his old ones? Once or twice is okay, but over a lifetime?

[But, I think I can understand his position. I likely hold the record for the most revisions  ]


----------



## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Looks like an awesome set, but I do think releasing a "complete works" set while a composer is still alive and (apparently) still composing is a little odd.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

tdc said:


> Looks like an awesome set, but I do think releasing a "complete works" set while a composer is still alive and (apparently) still composing is a little odd.


I've been wondering if it should have just been called something like "Boulez: His Own Works" or "Original Compositions" instead. I can't really imagine him composing any substantial new composition any time soon though, despite the rumours. I do hope he at least finished orchestrations of his _Notations._ I would definitely buy a completed version of that in addition to this box set.


----------



## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I've been wondering if it should have just been called something like "Boulez: His Own Works" or "Original Compositions" instead. I can't really imagine him composing any substantial new composition any time soon though, despite the rumours. I do hope he at least finished orchestrations of his _Notations._ I would definitely buy a completed version of that in addition to this box set.


Exactly. Or "Boulez: Edition" like the recent Debussy set on DG.


----------



## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

tdc said:


> Looks like an awesome set, but I do think releasing a "complete works" set while a composer is still alive and (apparently) still composing is a little odd.


It also doesn't include the works he has disowned, such as Poesie pour pouvoir or Polyphony X. I suppose it's complete as much as the Sony Webern set was "complete".


----------



## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

Wow. It looks like the Boulez fans have something to look forward to.


----------



## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

Whether it's not really complete, I will get it because it's easy to find a ton of Boulez pieces all in one shot .


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Does anyone know what the individual cardboard sleeves look like? I really like the covers on DG's 20/21 series of Boulez recordings but I suppose I'd miss out on them in this box set format.


----------



## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Does anyone know what the individual cardboard sleeves look like? I really like the covers on DG's 20/21 series of Boulez recordings but I suppose I'd miss out on them in this box set format.


Unfortunately, they all have the same rather unremarkable picture:


----------



## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

Mahlerian said:


> Unfortunately, they all have the same rather unremarkable picture:


Looks like an Andy Warhol painting.


----------



## Frasier (Mar 10, 2007)

I like his ones of Marylyn better.


----------



## Guest (Jan 29, 2015)

I bought this about a year ago...practically right after Schoenberg clicked for me. I now adore it like few others. To my knowledge, it only lacks the works Mahlerian mentioned and then some alternate versions (I want to here the explosante-fixe for vibraphone and electronics!). But you still get things like Incises (predecessor to Sur Incises) or Anthemes (predecessor to Anthemes II). 

I really can't recommend this set enough. Nearly every work is a gem unique from the others. Honestly I don't know that I love it any less than the Complete Webern set.


----------



## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> In less than two weeks I will purchase this from a wonderful little local shop
> 
> 
> 
> ...


For some of the music which interests me the most, I didn't find it very satisfying - the 3rd piano sonata, Pli selon pli, Marteau sans maître. You can do better for these pieces.


----------

