Immerse yourself in the masterful conducting of Pierre Boulez with "Boulez A-Z: Wagner - Webern," a monumental collection that spans the genius of Richard Wagner and Anton Webern. Released on January 24, 2025, this expansive album is a testament to Boulez's unparalleled interpretation of some of the most iconic works in classical music. With a duration of over three hours and twenty-eight minutes, this recording is a deep dive into the rich tapestry of Wagner's operas, featuring excerpts from "Das Rheingold" and "Die Walküre," as well as selections from Webern's avant-garde compositions.
Recorded at the prestigious Bayreuther Festspielhaus, this album benefits from the exceptional acoustics and the legendary performances of the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra. The ensemble, under Boulez's meticulous direction, delivers a performance that is both technically precise and deeply expressive. The album includes notable vocal performances by Matti Salminen, Siegfried Jerusalem, and Martin Egel, among others, adding a human touch to the orchestral grandeur.
"Boulez A-Z: Wagner - Webern" is not just a collection of tracks but a comprehensive exploration of Boulez's artistic vision. It showcases his ability to bridge the gap between traditional and modernist compositions, offering a unique perspective on the works of Wagner and Webern. Whether you are a seasoned classical enthusiast or a curious newcomer, this album promises an enriching listening experience that highlights the timeless beauty and innovation of these composers.
This release is part of the broader "Boulez The Conductor - Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon and Decca" series, which celebrates the legacy of one of the most influential conductors of the 20th century. With its high-quality recording and meticulous attention to detail, "Boulez A-Z: Wagner - Webern" is a fitting tribute to Boulez's enduring impact on the world of classical music.
Das Rheingold: PreludeRichard Wagner, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 1: Weia! Waga! Woge du Welle!Richard Wagner, Norma Sharp, Ilse Gramatzki, Marga Schiml, Hermann Becht, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 1: Garstig glatter glitschriger Glimmer!Richard Wagner, Norma Sharp, Ilse Gramatzki, Marga Schiml, Hermann Becht, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 1: Wallala! Lalaleia! Leialalei!Richard Wagner, Norma Sharp, Ilse Gramatzki, Marga Schiml, Hermann Becht, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 1: Lugt, Schwestern! Die Weckerin lacht in den GrundRichard Wagner, Norma Sharp, Ilse Gramatzki, Marga Schiml, Hermann Becht, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 1: Der Welt Erbe gewänn' ich zu eigen durch dich?Richard Wagner, Norma Sharp, Ilse Gramatzki, Marga Schiml, Hermann Becht, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 1: Orchestral InterludeRichard Wagner, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 2: Wotan! Gemahl! Erwache!Richard Wagner, Hanna Schwarz, Donald McIntyre, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 2: Nur Wonne schafft dir, was mich erschreckt ?Richard Wagner, Carmen Reppel, Hanna Schwarz, Donald McIntyre, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 2: Sanft schloß Schlaf dein Aug'Richard Wagner, Carmen Reppel, Donald McIntyre, Fritz Hübner, Matti Salminen, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 2: Zu mir, Freia!Richard Wagner, Carmen Reppel, Hanna Schwarz, Siegfried Jerusalem, Donald McIntyre, Martin Egel, Fritz Hübner, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 2: Endlich, Loge!Richard Wagner, Hanna Schwarz, Siegfried Jerusalem, Heinz Zednik, Donald McIntyre, Martin Egel, Matti Salminen, Fritz Hübner, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 2: Immer ist Undank Loges Lohn!Richard Wagner, Heinz Zednik, Donald McIntyre, Fritz Hübner, Matti Salminen, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 2: Taugte wohl des goldenen TandesRichard Wagner, Hanna Schwarz, Siegfried Jerusalem, Heinz Zednik, Donald McIntyre, Martin Egel, Fritz Hübner, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 2: Hör', Wotan, der Harrenden Wort!Richard Wagner, Carmen Reppel, Hanna Schwarz, Siegfried Jerusalem, Heinz Zednik, Donald McIntyre, Martin Egel, Fritz Hübner, Matti Salminen, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 2: Jetzt fand ichsRichard Wagner, Donald McIntyre, Martin Egel, Siegfried Jerusalem, Heinz Zednik, Hanna Schwarz, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 2: Transformation SceneRichard Wagner, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 3: Hehe! hieher! Tückischer Zwerg! – Schau, du Schelm!Richard Wagner, Heinz Zednik, Helmut Pampuch, Donald McIntyre, Hermann Becht, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 3: Wer hälfe mir?Richard Wagner, Heinz Zednik, Helmut Pampuch, Donald McIntyre, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 3: Mit eurem GefrageRichard Wagner, Helmut Pampuch, Heinz Zednik, Donald McIntyre, Hermann Becht, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 3: Was wollt ihr hier?Richard Wagner, Heinz Zednik, Donald McIntyre, Hermann Becht, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 3: Habt acht! Habt acht!Richard Wagner, Heinz Zednik, Donald McIntyre, Hermann Becht, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 3: Riesenwurm, winde sich ringelnd!Richard Wagner, Heinz Zednik, Donald McIntyre, Hermann Becht, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 3: Transformation SceneRichard Wagner, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 4: Da, Vetter, sitze du fest!Richard Wagner, Heinz Zednik, Donald McIntyre, Hermann Becht, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 4: Wohlan, die Nibelungen rief ich mir nahRichard Wagner, Heinz Zednik, Donald McIntyre, Hermann Becht, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 4: Zu deiner Lösung mußt du ihn lassenRichard Wagner, Heinz Zednik, Donald McIntyre, Hermann Becht, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 4: Bin ich nun frei?Richard Wagner, Hermann Becht, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 4: Lauschtest du seinem Liebesgruß?Richard Wagner, Hanna Schwarz, Siegfried Jerusalem, Heinz Zednik, Donald McIntyre, Martin Egel, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 4: Halt! Nicht sie berührt!Richard Wagner, Siegfried Jerusalem, Heinz Zednik, Donald McIntyre, Matti Salminen, Fritz Hübner, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 4: Nicht so leicht und locker gefügt!Richard Wagner, Hanna Schwarz, Heinz Zednik, Donald McIntyre, Martin Egel, Fritz Hübner, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 4: Freia, die schöne, schau' ich nicht mehrRichard Wagner, Carmen Reppel, Hanna Schwarz, Siegfried Jerusalem, Donald McIntyre, Heinz Zednik, Martin Egel, Fritz Hübner, Matti Salminen, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 4: Weiche, Wotan, weiche!Richard Wagner, Hanna Schwarz, Ortrun Wenkel, Siegfried Jerusalem, Donald McIntyre, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 4: Hört, ihr Riesen!Richard Wagner, Carmen Reppel, Heinz Zednik, Donald McIntyre, Martin Egel, Fritz Hübner, Matti Salminen, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 4: Furchtbar nun erfind' ich des Fluches Kraft!Richard Wagner, Hanna Schwarz, Heinz Zednik, Donald McIntyre, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 4: Schwüles Gedünst schwebt in der LuftRichard Wagner, Martin Egel, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 4: Zur Burg führt die BrückeRichard Wagner, Hanna Schwarz, Siegfried Jerusalem, Heinz Zednik, Donald McIntyre, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Das Rheingold, Scene 4: Rheingold! Rheingold! Reines Gold!Richard Wagner, Norma Sharp, Ilse Gramatzki, Marga Schiml, Heinz Zednik, Donald McIntyre, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Die Walküre, Act I Scene 1: PreludeRichard Wagner, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Die Walküre, Act I Scene 1: Wes Herd dies auch, hier muss ich rastenRichard Wagner, Peter Hofmann, Jeannine Altmeyer, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Die Walküre, Act I Scene 1: Kühlende Labung gab mir der QuellRichard Wagner, Peter Hofmann, Jeannine Altmeyer, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Die Walküre, Act I Scene 2: Müd am Herd fand ich den MannRichard Wagner, Peter Hofmann, Matti Salminen, Jeannine Altmeyer, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Die Walküre, Act I Scene 2: Friedmund darf ich nicht heissenRichard Wagner, Peter Hofmann, Matti Salminen, Jeannine Altmeyer, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Die Walküre, Act I Scene 1: Aus dem Wald trieb es mich fortRichard Wagner, Peter Hofmann, Matti Salminen, Jeannine Altmeyer, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Die Walküre, Act I Scene 2: Ich weiß ein wildes GeschlechtRichard Wagner, Matti Salminen, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Die Walküre, Act I Scene 3: Ein Schwert verhiess mir der VaterRichard Wagner, Peter Hofmann, Jeannine Altmeyer, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Die Walküre, Act I Scene 3: Der Männer Sippe sass hier im SaalRichard Wagner, Peter Hofmann, Jeannine Altmeyer, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Die Walküre, Act I Scene 3: Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond – Du bist der Lenz – O süsseste Wonne!Richard Wagner, Peter Hofmann, Jeannine Altmeyer, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Die Walküre, Act I Scene 3: Wehwalt heisst du fürwahr?Richard Wagner, Peter Hofmann, Jeannine Altmeyer, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Die Walküre, Act II Scene 1: Nun zäume dein Ross, reisige MaidRichard Wagner, Donald McIntyre, Gwyneth Jones, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Pierre Boulez, born in 1925, was a titan of post-war contemporary classical music, renowned for his prowess as a composer, conductor, and writer. A student of Olivier Messiaen, Boulez's influence extended far beyond his compositions, as he founded several influential musical institutions, including the Ensemble intercontemporain and the Cité de la Musique complex in Paris. His conducting career saw him at the helm of the world's leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic. Boulez was not just a musician but a visionary who sought to present new music in performances that were as innovative as the compositions themselves. His work spans classical, orchestral, and avant-garde genres, making him one of the most influential figures in 20th-century music.