Boulez at the BBC

[@stephenjablonsky1941]

Because I was a student of Pierre's at Harvard in 1963 we became lifelong friends. While I loved to observe his music making, I was always delighted to socialize with him. Yes, he was one of the great geniuses of the 20th century but he was also a sweet, lovable person who needed a home cooked meal every once in a while and conversation that was not about music.

[@stephenhall3515]

I was in late teens when I first saw Boulez conducting at a Proms concert and knew very little of his own music, except that it was crystal clear but with plenty of air around it. When he walked on to conduct it was without fuss and he appeared to be checking that every musician was settled. The opening work was Bartok SPC and what Sir William Glock said in this video was exactly what I felt -- that there were invisible lines between Boulez and every instrument. It was uncanny and although I thought I knew the piece pretty well, by the end I appreciated the whole structure for the first time. The movements had seemed separate before but here was a conductor who not only drew out the beauty of my favourite parts but showed this 18 year old the 'architecture' seemingly without effort. A somewhat older musician friend who had taken me to the concert as a birthday treat seemed elated and grave at the same time and told me during the interval that the BBC SO musicians clearly had worked hard for 'their' conductor. He was experienced enough in orchestral playing to pick up the magic of the team effort. I hardly understood that at the time but began to get my head around a conductor's role, others I had seen and what was different about this unassuming Frenchman. I attended London concerts when I could from "up north" and what my friend had surmised was true. The musicians told me in dribs and drabs over some years and I was lucky enough to attend a rehearsal, having got to know Birtwistle on the northern universities circuit. Boulez was obliged to conduct some BBC commissions of works by 'mayfly' composers but treated these with no less concentration and attention than famous works. I often wondered what he really thought of such pieces. When Boulez recorded 19th century music and critics sometimes accused him of being 'cold' I simply could not see that. If anything, it was his Parsifal which started to break down some former antipathy to Wagner I had which needed a good kick. This video gives a good glimpse into the life of a supreme musician who lived for music.

[@stephenjablonsky1941]

Think of all the composers, living and dead, who were happy to have their music performed properly by Pierre. I am happy to say I was one of them.

[@paulhoffmann3405]

Such a great human being, a great musician, artist... his work will be discovered more and more in the upcoming years I am sure. His recordings are imortal even now. Every conductor reacted to him somehow. Even conservative ones like Thielemann looked at him and took notes. I feel privileged seeing him live at least once when he conducted Mahlers 2nd symphony! Pure poetry.

[@Hs3u39]

What a great honor.

[@srothbardt]

Great musician. I like his own music, too. He tended to be best as a conductor in 20th century music, but his Bruckner and Mahler and Wagner is very good and interesting.

[@JosephD1986]

Errrr, has your channel been hacked...? 🙈

[@stephenjablonsky1941]

@@JosephD1986 Why do you ask?

[@Twentythousandlps]

So many tantalising excerpts of old telecasts with PB - I hope more of them will be released in complete form. This show is from 2005.

[@vauxtc]

Thanks so much for uploading this, priceless

[@srothbardt]

Didn’t know he conducted Ives. Wish we could see whole thing,

[@bensmith4827]

...and such a great composer also -ridiculously slandered as "elitist" and so on when his works seemed to me immediately engaging to anyone with a real interest in music (not simply "academic" or Modernist, classical etc)

[@mikern2001]

I have trying to relate to his compositions for 50 years. I am not any closer. I just don’t get his music.

[@bensmith4827]

@@mikern2001 yes that is not uncommon ...I think my instant appreciation is more unusual (I still can't get along with the piano sonatas though)

[@srothbardt]

I always liked his own music as well as his conducting of 20 th Century music and such earlier composers as Bruckner, Mahler, Wagner.

[@nout1972]

With my personality, the emotional type rather than the rational and analytical , it would be more likely I'd enjoy music performed by an emotional conductor like Bernstein. But almost without exception I prefer Boulez' recordings over everyone else's.

[@JT29501]

A lot of composers are emotive enough, they don't need the conductor adding their own heightened emotions to the music also. Boulez often simply lets the score do the talking, and how well does he achieve such clarity of orchestral texture, such that you really can enjoy the composers intentions!

[@Alix777.]

Bernstein is nothing.

[@fennelleastman8816]

SO DATED!!!! Thanks for this documentary about Boulez sadly now a largely forgotten figure i think.Young musicians i know don't understand his music and are looking elsewhere for good contemporary music both in classical and jazz music.Sad but true.Boulez's music is fine as long as you don't have to listen to it.

[@Alix777.]

What a stupid comment.

[@lancevance60]

Bullshit.