Pierre Boulez as Composer & Mahler Conductor

Two playlists to celebrate the 87th birthday of Pierre Boulez, French composer, conductor and winner of 26 Grammys. First one collects his compositions in reverse chronological order, with a brief and appropriate intro at the beginning: seven extracts of his most important works, from the DG compilation Pierre Boulez at 80: The Conductor and The Composer. Boulez often rework and expand earlier works dramatically; I included all the versions available on Spotify.

Works in this playlist includes (with dates of completion/revision):

• Dérive 2 (expanded and completed 2006)
• Dérive 2 for eleven instruments (revised 2002)
• Sur incises for three pianos, three harps and three percussionists (1996–1998)
• Anthèmes 2 for violin and live electronics (1997)
• Dialogue de l'ombre double (transcribed for bassoon and electronics, 1985/1995)
• Incises for piano (1994)
• Anthèmes for violin (revised and expanded 1994)
• "...explosante-fixe..." for solo MIDI flute, two "shadow" flutes, chamber orchestra, and electronics (1991–93)
• Anthèmes for violin (1991) 
• Pli selon pli for soprano and orchestra (1957–58; revised 1989)
• Le visage nuptial for soprano, mezzo-soprano, chorus and orchestra (1946; revised 1988-89)
• Mémoriale ("...explosante-fixe..." originel) for flute and ensemble (1985); an arrangement of the central section from "...explosante-fixe..."
• Dialogue de l'ombre double for clarinet and electronics (1985)
  
• Dérive 1 for six instruments (1984)
• Répons for two pianos, harp, vibraphone, xylophone, cimbalom, ensemble and live electronics (1980; revised and expanded 1982; revised and expanded 1984)
• Notations for orchestra (1978- )
• Messagesquisse for solo cello and six cellos (1976)
• Rituel - in memoriam Bruno Maderna for orchestra in eight groups (1974)
• Cummings ist der Dichter for chorus and ensemble (1970; revised 1986)
• Domaines for clarinet and six instrumental groups (1968)
• Domaines for clarinet (1968)
• Figures-doubles-prismes for orchestra (1957–58, as Doubles; revised 1964; revised 1968)
• Livre pour cordes (1968; string orchestra version of Livre pour quatuor)
• Éclat for ensemble (1965)
• Le soleil des eaux for soprano, chorus and orchestra (1948; revised 1965)
• Piano Sonata no.3 (1955-57/63); unfinished
• Pli selon pli for soprano and orchestra (1957–58, as Improvisations sur Mallarmé 1–2; completed 1959–62)
• Structures II for two pianos (1961)
• Poésie pour pouvoir for tape and 3 orchestras (1955/58); withdrawn
• Le marteau sans maître for alto and six instruments (1953–55; revised 1957)
• Structures I for two pianos (1951–52)
• Polyphonie X for ensemble (1950–51); withdrawn
• Piano Sonata no.2 (1948)
• Sonatine for flute and piano (1946)
• Piano Sonata no.1 (1946)
• Douze notations for piano (1945)

Second playlist is the complete Mahler recordings Boulez made with DG, including the ten symphonies (plus an individual recording of Totenfeier from "Resurrection"), Das Lied and two albums of other songs; arranged in the order of composition date. I also put Boulez's only Bruckner recording to date, a monumental 8th, at the end.

Here are the Spotify playlists: Boulez as Composer: Reverse Chronological Collection With Intro (111 tracks, total time: 14 hours); Boulez Conducts Mahler & Bruckner (99 tracks, total time: 16 hours). Ctrl (CMD) + G to browse in album view.

Happy 87th birthday; still waiting for Godot.

Music Of Our Time: DG's 20/21 Series On Spotify

After the mammoth Beethoven playlist, it's time for some fresh contemporary air.

Here's the official site of Deutsche Grammophon's 20/21 series.

And here's the Spotify playlist that collected all the 20/21 albums in one place: 20/21.(574 tracks, 2.1 days)

I also put in another Luigi Nono album at the end of the playlist, it's from DG's 20th Century Classics series, features the beautiful "....Sofferte onde serene....for piano and magnetic tape" played by Pollini. Below is a well made video of Berio's Sinfonia, one of the many modern masterpieces that gorgeously represented in this splendid series. It's so refreshing to see Sir Simon Rattle in a suit, not that fluffy turtleneck;)

Two more link for this wonderful piece of work. The wiki page, which lists all the works Berio quoted in the 3rd movement, and a very informative introduction in the Modern World. Welcome to post any interesting links that you found on the composers and works in this series:)