The Diotima Quartet, the performers on this album, initiated a new collaboration with Boulez around this piece about fifteen years after their initial founding project.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Boulez renamed his String Quartet to Livre pour quatuor (Book for Quartet) after revising it between 1954 and 1961, inspired by the concept of detachable movements.
Composition History
Pierre Boulez's Livre pour quatuor (Book for Quartet) was composed between March 1948 and July 1949, initially as a String Quartet.
Recording & Production
This album features the world premiere recording of the complete 2017 version of Boulez's Livre pour quatuor, edited by Philippe Manoury.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Boulez's work is characterized by constant questioning and revision, aiming for a balance between invention and tradition.
Composition History
The fourth movement of Livre pour quatuor remained unfinished by Boulez due to severe vision problems and was reconstructed by Philippe Manoury.
Compositional Technique
The Livre pour quatuor was influenced by the late Beethoven quartets, Bartók's quartets, and especially Berg's Lyric Suite, incorporating serial twelve-tone technique.
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