Boulez, << boo LEHZ, >> Pierre (1925-2016), was a leading avant-garde (experimental) composer. He was also an important conductor and presented the first performances of many works by living composers. From 1971 to 1977, Boulez was musical director of the New York Philharmonic. From 1979 to 1992, he served as president of IRCAM, an electronic music and research center and performance institute in Paris.
In many compositions, Boulez used dynamic rhythmic structures and an orchestration that emphasizes the interplay of unusual timbres (instrumental colors). While notable for its freedom and individuality, his music also reflects the influence of composers Arnold Schoenberg and Anton Webern. Another important influence on Boulez was the rhythmically original music of the modern composers Olivier Messiaen and Igor Stravinsky.
In much of his music, Boulez permitted the performers considerable freedom. For example, in Boulez’s Piano Sonata No. 3 (1957), the pianist may choose the order in which he or she progresses through the composition. Boulez also composed electronic music.
Boulez was born on March 26, 1925, in Montbrison, France, near Clermont-Ferrand. His articles and essays on music were published in Orientations (1986). Boulez died on Jan. 5, 2016.
