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Pierre Boulez: Sensual intellectualism

For the final show in the series, Kate Molleson and Gillian Moore explore a piece which placed its composer at the vanguard of mid-century modernism: Le marteau sans maître.

Kate Molleson and Gillian Moore conclude their landmark series exploring the pivotal 'modern' musical works of the 20th Century, the groundbreaking composers who created them, and the radical cultural and artistic movements which gave rise to them. In this final show, they share highlights from the series and pay tribute to some of the composers who they haven’t had the chance to feature. Their primary work for this last dive into the radical sounds of the previous century is one of its landmark works, the piece which placed Pierre Boulez at the vanguard of mid-century modernism: Le marteau sans maître.

Produced by Sam Phillips
A Reduced Listening production for BBC Radio 3

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28 days left to listen

59 minutes

Last on

Sunday21:00
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Pierre Boulez

    Le Marteau sans maitre - III

    Performer: Theodore Norman. Performer: Walt Goodwin. Performer: Dorothy Remsen. Performer: William Kraft. Performer: Arthur Gleghorn. Performer: Milton Thomas. Singer: Margery MacKay. Conductor: Robert Craft.
    • Boulez: Le Marteau sans Maître; Stockhausen: Nr. 5 Zeitmasse for 5 woodwinds.
    • SONY CLASSICAL.

  • Galina Ustvolskaya

    Composition II: Dies Irae

    Ensemble: Schönberg Ensemble. Conductor: Reinbert de Leeuw.
    • Ustvolskaya – Schönberg Ensemble • Reinbert de Leeuw – Compositions I, II, III.
    • Philips.

  • Edgard Varèse

    Ameriques

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sakari Oramo.
    • Ameriques.

  • Pauline Oliveros

    To Valerie Solanas And Marilyn Monroe In Recognition Of Their Desperation

    Orchestra: Orchestra of Wesleyan University.
    • To Valerie Solanas And Marilyn Monroe In Recognition Of Their Desperation.
    • Roaratorio.

  • Toru Takemitsu

    From Me Flows What You Call Time

    Ensemble: Nexus. Orchestra: The Pacific Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Carl St. Clair.
    • Takemitsu: Orchestral Works.
    • SONY.

  • Éliane Radigue

    Geelriandre

    Performer: Éliane Radigue.
    • INA grm.

  • John Cage

    Concerto for Prepared Piano and Orchestra

    Performer: Margaret Leng Tan. Orchestra: American Composers Orchestra. Conductor: Dennis Russell Davies.
    • Cage: The Seasons.
    • ECM.

  • Milton Babbitt

    Philomel

    Performer: Milton Babbitt. Singer: Juliet Fraser.
    • Philomel.
    • All That Dust.

  • Harry Partch

    And on the Seventh Day Petals Fell in Petaluma

    Ensemble: The Gate 5 Ensemble.
    • And on the Seventh Day Petals Fell in Petaluma.
    • Composers Recordings, Inc..

  • Mauricio Kagel

    Match Für 3 Spieler

    Performer: Siegfried Palm. Performer: Klaus Storck. Performer: Christoph Caskel.
    • Match Für 3 Spieler / Musik Für Renaissance-Instrumente.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Luigi Nono

    "Hay que caminar" soñando

    Performer: Gidon Kremer. Performer: Tatiana Grindenko.
    • La lontananza nostalgica utopica futura.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Henry Cowell

    Dynamic Motion

    Performer: Anthony de Mare.
    • Wizards & Wildmen.
    • Composers Recordings, Inc..

  • Luciano Berio

    A-Ronne

    Ensemble: The Swingle Singers. Conductor: Luciano Berio.
    • Berio: A-Ronne; Cries of London.
    • Decca.

  • Pierre Henry

    Symphonie Pour Un Homme Seul

    Composer: Pierre Schaeffer. Performer: Pierre Henry. Performer: Pierre Schaeffer.
    • Symphonie Pour Un Homme Seul / Concerto Des Ambiguïtés.
    • Philips.

  • Morton Feldman

    Coptic Light

    Orchestra: New World Symphony. Conductor: Michael Tilson Thomas.
    • Coptic Light.
    • Argo.

  • Harrison Birtwistle

    Secret Theatre

    Ensemble: Ensemble intercontemporain. Conductor: Pierre Boulez.
    • Birtwistle: Secret Theatre and other works.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Daphne Oram

    Bird of Parallax

    Performer: Daphne Oram.
    • Oramics.
    • Paradigm Discs.

  • Alvin Lucier

    I am sitting in a room (1970, Middletown, CT)

    Performer: Alvin Lucier.
    • I am sitting in a room. Archival Recordings 1969-2019.
    • Sound on Paper Editions.

  • György Ligeti

    Requiem

    Ensemble: London Voices. Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Singer: Margriet van Reisen. Singer: Caroline Stein. Conductor: Jonathan Nott.
    • Ligeti Orchestral Works; Requiem.
    • Teldec.

  • Sofia Gubaidulina

    Offortorium

    Performer: Gidon Kremer. Orchestra: Boston Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Dutoit.
    • Offertorium (1980/1982/1986).
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Pierre Boulez

    Le Marteau sans maitre - VI

    Performer: Theodore Norman. Performer: Walt Goodwin. Performer: Dorothy Remsen. Performer: William Kraft. Performer: Arthur Gleghorn. Performer: Milton Thomas. Singer: Margery MacKay. Conductor: Robert Craft.
    • Boulez: Le Marteau sans Maître; Stockhausen: Nr. 5 Zeitmasse for 5 woodwinds.
    • SONY CLASSICAL.

  • Erika Fox

    Quasi una Cadenza

    Performer: Richard Uttley. Conductor: Richard Baker. Ensemble: Goldfield Ensemble.
    • Paths.
    • NMC Recordings.

  • Cecil Taylor

    Jitney No. 2

    Performer: Cecil Taylor.
    • Silent Tongues (Live At Montreux '74).
    • Black Sun Music.

  • Little Richard

    Tutti Frutti

    • Here's Little Richard.
    • Specialty.

  • Pierre Boulez

    Pli selon pli

    Singer: Christine Schäfer. Ensemble: Ensemble intercontemporain. Conductor: Pierre Boulez.
    • Pli selon pli.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Pierre Boulez

    Rituel In Memoriam Bruno Maderna

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Pierre Boulez.
    • Rituel In Memoriam Bruno Maderna / Eclat / Multiples.
    • Sony Classical.

  • Pierre Boulez

    Le Marteau sans maitre - VI

    Performer: Theodore Norman. Performer: Walt Goodwin. Performer: Dorothy Remsen. Performer: William Kraft. Performer: Arthur Gleghorn. Performer: Milton Thomas. Singer: Margery MacKay. Conductor: Robert Craft.
    • Boulez: Le Marteau sans Maître; Stockhausen: Nr. 5 Zeitmasse for 5 woodwinds.
    • SONY CLASSICAL.

  • Arnold Schoenberg

    Pierrot Lunaire

    Performer: Christine Schäfer. Conductor: Pierre Boulez. Ensemble: Ensemble intercontemporain.
    • Pierrot lunaire op. 21.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • [gamelan semar pegulingan]

    Legong Lasem

    Orchestra: Sekehe Legong Bidadari Indra Parwati.
    • Music Of Bali - Gamelan Semar Pegulingan From The Village Of Ketewel.
    • Lyrichord.

  • Pierre Boulez

    Le Marteau sans maitre

    Performer: Theodore Norman. Performer: Walt Goodwin. Performer: Dorothy Remsen. Performer: William Kraft. Performer: Arthur Gleghorn. Performer: Milton Thomas. Singer: Margery MacKay. Conductor: Robert Craft.
    • Boulez: Le Marteau sans Maître; Stockhausen: Nr. 5 Zeitmasse for 5 woodwinds.
    • SONY CLASSICAL.

  • Caoutchouc

    Frozen Peas

    • Les Castors.

Broadcast

  • Sunday21:00
    BBC Radio 3