Main content

Boulez at 100: Total Immersion - Pli Selon Pli

With Kate Molleson from the Barbican in London, the ѿý Symphony Orchestra, ѿý Singers, pianist Tamara Stefanovich and soprano Anna Dennis perform landmark works by Pierre Boulez.

Introduced by Kate Molleson. Live from the Barbican in London, the ѿý Symphony Orchestra, ѿý Singers, pianist Tamara Stefanovich and soprano Anna Dennis perform landmark works by Pierre Boulez.

The ѿý Symphony Orchestra’s Total Immersion day-long deep-dive into the life and work of Pierre Boulez reaches a truly monumental climax. Across an evening that spans his whole creative career, pianist Tamara Stefanovich plays the brilliant Notations and Incises, and the ѿý Singers join the ѿý SO to perform the extraordinary, playful Cummings ist der Dichter.

And then soprano Anna Dennis joins an expanded ѿý Symphony Orchestra for a rare complete performance of Boulez’s single largest work, his five-movement epic masterpiece, Pli selon Pli. Part Mallarmé song cycle, part self-portrait and part era-defining manifesto for the possibilities of musical modernism, every performance is a major occasion. Boulez himself recorded it with the ѿý Symphony Orchestra, making it the perfect way for the orchestra to salute the 100th birthday of its most revolutionary chief conductor.

Boulez: Deux Études, musique concrète for tape
Boulez: 12 Notations
Boulez: Incises
Boulez: Cummings ist der Dichter

c.7.45pm
During the interval, Kate is joined by Jonathan Cross and Gillian Moore to consider Boulez's legacy - a discussion recorded earlier in the day at the Barbican.

c.8.15pm
Boulez: Pli selon pli

Tamara Stefanovich, piano
Anna Dennis, soprano
ѿý Symphony Orchestra
ѿý Singers
Martyn Brabbins, conductor

10 days left to listen

2 hours, 59 minutes

Music Played

  • Pierre Boulez

    Deux Etudes

    Performer: Anonymous.
  • Pierre Boulez

    12 Notations

    Performer: Tamara Stefanovich.
  • Pierre Boulez

    Incises

    Performer: Tamara Stefanovich.
  • Pierre Boulez

    Cummings Ist Der Dichter

    Choir: ѿý Singers. Orchestra: ѿý Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Martyn Brabbins.
  • Pierre Boulez

    Pli Selon Pli, Portrait De Mallarme

    Performer: Anna Dennis. Orchestra: ѿý Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Martyn Brabbins.
  • Maurice Ravel

    Concerto for Piano Left Hand

    Performer: Pierre‐Laurent Aimard. Orchestra: The Cleveland Orchestra. Conductor: Pierre Boulez.
    • Ravel, The Piano Concertos: Aimard/Cleveland Orchestra/Boulez.
    • Deutsche Grammaphon.
    • 1.

Broadcast

  • Sun 30 Mar 2025 19:00