Saturday 24 March 2012

Boulez pulls out of Barbican concerts

Bad news! Pierre Boulez is unwell and has pulled out of the two concerts he was scheduled to conduct in May at the Barbican. He has had eye problems for some time, and recently had to pull out of conducting the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, with whom he has been connected since the 1970's.  He had several operations since 2009. I thought he didn't look well at his October concert in London with Ensemble Intercontemporain, the orchestra he founded, but put it down to the exhaustion any man who will be 87 on Monday might feel after conducting all over Europe. (Read about that HERE). So Peter Eotvos is conducting on 29th April (Scriabin, Szymanowski Violin Concerto no 1)  8 May (Szymanowski 3, Bartok). I'm gutted, because Boulez is exceptional in this repertoire, and his recording of  Szymanowski is ground breaking. Read about that here on this site under the label or search "Szymanowski Boulez". On the other hand, it's much better that Boulez should rest and recuperate. We want him around in 13 years so Elliott Carter (aged 117) can write a centenary tribute.

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