Messagesquisse Archive

“Hommage a Boulez” = BOULEZ: Derive 2; Dialogue; Memoriale; Le Marteau; Anthemes 2; Messagesquisse – West-Eastern Divan Orchestra/Daniel Barenboim – DG

by Audiophile Audition | Jun 19, 2017 | Classical CD Reviews

“Hommage a Boulez” = Pierre BOULEZ: Derive 2; Dialogue de l’ombre double; Memoriale; Le Marteau sans maitre; Anthemes 2; Messagesquisse – West-Eastern Divan Orchestra/Daniel Barenboim – Deutsches Grammaphon 479 7160 (3/24/17) 2 CDs, 142:27, ***1/2: Complex and fascinating music in excellent performances. The music of the late Pierre Boulez is not an easy listen. It is never harsh or overtly and purposefully atonal but his works have always required careful and patient listening. The result, if one devotes the time, is to appreciate the pallet of rich sonorities that Boulez always gave his ensembles and to try to follow the motives and snippets of ‘theme’ that ripple through his scores. What is most interesting and valuable about this very fine collection is to realize the connection and years worth of collaboration between the composer and conductor Daniel Barenboim and the composer; a relationship that goes back to 1975 and continued right through Barenboim’s tenure as music director of the Chicago Symphony and beyond. I knew but one of these works going into this recording but the dedication and precision that Barenboim brings to these complex, cerebral works is apparent. I was glad to see the inclusion of Boulez’s 1953 masterwork […]