Hommage to Pierre Boulez: What Would Life Be Without Uncertainty?

Renowned conductor and leading figure in experimental music, Pierre Boulez left his mark on the 20th century with his innovative approach to composition. In this 1995 documentary by Jean-Claude Piroué, Boulez talks about his work and inspirations, alongside the great Daniel Barenboim.

An internationally acclaimed conductor, Pierre Boulez has led some of the world's most prestigious orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, of which he was the Musical Director. His legacy to France includes some of its finest institutions, such as the Institut de recherche et coordination acoustique/musique (IRCAM) and the Ensemble intercontemporain. A student of Olivier Messiaen at the Paris Conservatoire, Boulez was one of the leaders of integral serialism, a movement born after the Second World War, and inspired by the work of the Second Viennese School. In this movement, composition is conceived as the creation of a musical universe governed by series and matrices, where each parameter of the work—sound frequency, timbre, dynamics—is conceived as a modulable element. An avid poet, Boulez's writing is influenced by the great names of French literature. For example, Le Marteau sans maître, a 20th century masterpiece now considered the most accomplished work of serialism, is a direct reference to the eponymous work by French poet René Char. It is this emphasis on imagination and experimentation that has made Boulez one of the most admired masters of his time.