Hommage à Boulez

"Two weeks ago, the Pierre Boulez Saal ... was inaugurated in Berlin, with the first concert by the newly formed Boulez Ensemble, and this album of Boulez's music has been released to coincide with the opening ... The main work is Le Marteau Sans Maître, conducted by Boulez himself with Hilary Summers as the contralto soloist. By my reckoning, this is Boulez's fifth recording of the work that defines his own music better than any other; it's perhaps more expressively flexible than earlier ones, but just as precise, and Summers makes a compelling soloist".

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"A superb tribute comprising live recordings of solo and chamber pieces ... Le Marteau sans maître [is] conducted with age-defying vigour by Boulez himself and exquisitely sung by Hilary Summers ... Dérive 2 is simply breathtaking: in compositional scope and its precise yet fluid performance by the 11 virtuosos soloists under Barenboim's taut direction".

"Das West-Eastern Divan orchestra musiziert kammermusikalisch, und so wirken selbst die geballten Klänge luftig und transparent".