(1925 - 2016)
Born in Montbrison in 1925, Pierre Boulez is a composer, conductor, thinker and an emblematic figure in post-war European, indeed, world culture. Ever since the 1950’s composers around the world have followed with curiosity what he was writing to see if they could adapt his ideas in their own music or to reject them in their search for an idiom they could call their own. In 1957 György Kurtág arrived in Paris with the goal to compose something he could show to Boulez. The music the French composer has written ever since the late 1940’s was a conscious act of rebellion against tradition as represented by Schönberg or Stravinsky but also his teacher, Messiaen, whose influence has nevertheless left its mark on Boulez’s music.
Pierre Boulez Composition Timpani and Percussion Requirements
Derive
No Timpani + 1 percussion
Vibraphone
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Eclat
No Timpani + 3 percussion
2 octaves tubular bells, glockenspiel, vibraphone
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Le Marteau sans maitre
No Timpani + 3 percussion
1) vibraphone, 2) xylophone, 3) bongos, piccolo snare drum, claves, triangle, maracas, small and large tam tams, medium gong, large suspended cymbal, 2 sistrum, agogo bells
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Le soleil des eaux
No Timpani + 5 percussion
Ab4 & Bb4 gongs, 2 gongs, low F# crotale, claves, 3 sizzle cymbals, 3 China cymbals, snare drum, guiro, 2 x tam tam, orchestral bass drum, low Eb crotale, maracas, 3 suspended cymbals, tubular bells, xylophone, vibraphone, temple blocks, whip, glockenspiel, tambourine
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Le Visage nuptial
Timpani + 9 percussion
2 x glockenspiels, marimba, xylophone, F3-F5 tubular bells, vibraphone, 2 octaves crotales, pairs of crotales C#4, Eb, E, A, Bb, D, F, B, alto steel pan, tuned cowbell, orchestral bass drum, bell plates Bb3 & C4, 2 x pairs bongos, snare drum, Thai gongs Bb3 & C4, 4 x tam tams, 3 x unpitched gongs, log drum, congas, 5 x suspended cymbals, 2 China cymbals, 2 x sizzle cymbals, 3 x triangles, tabor, 2 x whips, 3 x claves, 3 x maracas, 7 x Japanese wood blocks, 4 x metal blocks, bass bow, 2 x anvils, 2 x guiros
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Notations
Timpani + 8 percussion
1) xylophone, tubular bells E5 & F#5, snare drum, suspended cymbal, sizzle cymbal, China cymbal 2) vibraphone, glockenspiel 3) tubular bells (2 octaves), glass wind chimes, 2 x Japanese wood blocks, 2 metal blocks, 2 x boo bams, 2 x anvils, snare drum, triangle 4) pedal glockenspiel, vibraphone, claves, snare drum, ching ching, triangle, 2 x wood blocks, timbales, 2 x metal blocks, 2 x anvils, bongos, China cymbal, tubular bells C4 & F4 5) bell tree, 2 octaves crotales, bongos, maracas, 2 x tom toms, 2 x temple blocks, 2 x anvils, sizzle cymbal, gong, xylophone, C4 bell plate 6) 4 x tom toms, marimba, 3 x suspended cymbal, sizzle cymbal 7) marimba, 5 small gongs, orchestral bass drum, 3 x wood blocks, tabla, log drum, 2 x congas, low tuned cowbell, tam tam, bell plate B3 8) 2 x temple blocks, 2 x boo bams, 6 x tom toms, 2 tuned cowbells, gong, 2 x tam tams, tuned cowbells C4-C6, 2 x China cymbals, 3 x suspended cymbals, sizzle cymbal, 2 x metal blocks
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Pli selon Pli
Timpani + 8 percussion
C3-C5 bell plates, roto tom, China cymbal, F5-F5 tubular bells + low Bb, 2 x vibraphones, 2 x 5 octave xylorimba, 3 x glockenspiels, 2 x orchestral bass drums, F3-C6 tuned cowbells, 8 x suspended cymbals, 3 x tam tams, 6 cowbells, 6 x gongs, maracas, claves, 6 x bongos, 3 x snare drums, 2 x metal blocks, 2 octaves crotales
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Poemes Pour Mi
No Timpani + 5 percussion
1) tubular bells, tenor drum, 2), tambourine, triangle, 3), suspended cymbal, clash cymbals, 4) orchestral bass drum, 5) tam tam
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Rituel - In memorium
No Timpani + 9 percussion
1) temple bell, maracas, Japanese wood block, guiro, tabla, sizzle cymbal 2) Japanese wood block, tuned cowbell, suspended cymbal, snare drum, 2 x guiros, 2 x shakers 3) claves, bongos, shaker, triangle, sizzle cymbal, suspended cymbal, China cymbal 4) large tuned cowbell, 2 x maracas, 2 x shakers, castanets, snare drum 5) high Thai gong, temple block, 2 x tuned cowbells, temple bell, snare drum, triangle 6) tom tom, log drum, temple block, claves, castanets, Japanese wood block 7) tabla, tabor, conga, bongos, piccolo snare drum, 8 & 9) 7 x tam tams on racks, 7 x gongs on racks
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