Classic Archive: Pierre Boulez – Debussy, Schoenberg, Stravinsky DVD

UPC: 899132000534

Product Features

• Conductor: Pierre Boulez
• Composers:
  • Claude Debussy
  • Arnold Schoenberg
  • Igor Stravinsky
• Performances:
  • Debussy: Nocturnes: Fêtes, Jeux, Images for Orchestra (Rondes de Printemps, Gigues, Iberia)
  • Schoenberg: Accompaniment to a Cinematographic Scene, Op. 34
  • Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring
• Original Broadcast Dates:Label: Medici Arts, BBC
  • Debussy: 20 October 1968, 4 August 1974
  • Schoenberg: 4 August 1974
  • Stravinsky: 31 January 1997
• TV Format: NTSC
• Sound: Mono, Stereo
• Region Code: Worldwide
• Running Time: Approximately 90 minutes

Overview

This Classic Archive DVD presents a collection of unforgettable performances conducted by Pierre Boulez, one of the 20th century's most influential composers and conductors. Known for his precision, mastery of contemporary music, and profound understanding of his French heritage, Boulez is the ideal interpreter for these challenging works.

The performances feature Claude Debussy's atmospheric Nocturnes and Jeux, alongside his Images for Orchestra, in which Boulez brings out the composer's intricate colors and textures. Boulez’s affinity for Arnold Schoenberg’s atonal masterpiece Accompaniment to a Cinematographic Scene, Op. 34 showcases his extraordinary ability to conduct complex modernist works. Finally, Boulez leads a stunning performance of Igor Stravinsky's iconic The Rite of Spring, a piece that revolutionized orchestral music in the early 20th century with its primal rhythms and bold harmonies.

These recordings, drawn from the BBC archives, have been lovingly restored to offer a glimpse into Boulez's genius, capturing his legendary sense of rhythm, pitch, and sonority. The historical significance of these performances makes this DVD a treasure for classical music lovers and fans of 20th-century repertoire.

Interesting Facts

• Pierre Boulez was a pioneer in both contemporary music and the interpretation of classical repertoire, known for his precision, intellectual approach, and his leadership in the avant-garde movement.
• Debussy’s Images for Orchestra includes three distinct sections—Rondes de Printemps, Gigues, and Iberia—each evoking a rich sense of landscape, atmosphere, and motion.
• Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, famously controversial for its premiere, is now considered one of the most influential works of the 20th century. Boulez’s interpretation is known for its structural clarity and rhythmic intensity.
• Schoenberg’s Accompaniment to a Cinematographic Scene was composed as a musical illustration for an imaginary film, blending Schoenberg's atonal style with vivid, cinematic imagery.

Publishers

• Label: Medici Arts
• Production: Idéale Audience, BBC
• Distribution: Deutsche Grammophon (Boulez appearance courtesy of DG)

Hashtags

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