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The analysis of Boulez’s piece Messagesquisse

and its application of music composition

2012 6
Kris Falk
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Pierre Boulez, 1925-

Serialism Total

Serialism

Messagesquisse, 1976

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Abstract

The prestigious contemporary French composer Pierre Boulez (b.1925) whose

creations are bold, radical, fanatical yet remain order, makes rational thinking and music

a perfect combination. Originating from the same strains of French music, beginning

with Serialism and passing through Total Serialism, Boulez integrates rigorous

mathematical ideas into his intuitive musical composition, enabling the technique of

serial music an unlimited expansion. His works involve not only the pursuit of the

Platonic ways of composing poetry but also the emphasis on the internal logic and the

diversity of applying the serial technique, all of which display condensed ideological

characteristics in his pieces – Messagesquisse (1976) reflects this creative and aesthetic

outlook.

The author attempts exploring Boulez’s composition techniques in Messagesquisse,

analyzing how the element, hexachord is applied, exhibiting its distinctive appearances

agilely within the paragraphs, and how the composer balances the uniqueness under the

framework of the hexachord so as to achieve a perfect combination between the

auditory effect and the form of music. Inspired by his work, the author will incorporate

the preliminary results obtaining from the exploration of hexachord, and converts those

reflections into the implementation of my piano creation, and then further extends the

possibility of personal composing techniques.

Keywords: Pierre Boulez, Messagesquisse, Total Serialism, Hexachord.

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  
 
  
   
   
  

   
   
  Op. 33a 
  
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   
  
  
 
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  
  
  
  
  
 

  
  
   
 
   
    
   
   
   
    
  

   


   






  
 

  
  
  
   
  
  
    
      
  
 

   
  

   
       

  
   
   
   
  

 

 

  


 
 
 
  
  
   
  
   
    







  
  


   
   
  
  
   
  
   
  
  
  
   
  
   
  
  
  
  







Pierre Boulez, 1925-

1943 Conservatoire National Supérieur de

Musique et de Danse de Paris Olivier Messiaen, 1908-1992

Anton Webern, 1883-1945 René Leibowitz,

1913-1972 Claude Debussy,

1862-1918 Igor Stravinsky, 1882-1971

Piano Sonata No.2, 1947-1948

Arnold

Schönberg, 1874-1951 Alban Berg,1885-1935





1949 Internationale Ferienkurse für Neue

Musik Darmstadt Quatre études de rythme

Mode de Valeur et d’ Intensité,

1949

1-1 unordered

G C Bb

I Structures,Livre I, 1951-1952

1-3

Arnold Whittall


1
Edward Campbell, Boulez, Music and Philosophy (Cambridge University Press, 2010), 176.
2
Arnold Whittall, Serialism (Cambridge University Press, 2008), 172.
3
Paul Griffiths, A Concise of Modern Music
1989 159-160





1-3

5
1-1

6
1-2


4
Arnold Whittall 2008, 172.
5
Ibid., 172.
 Ibid., 172.





7
1-3 I

Edward Campell


 Ibid., 173.
 "The piece was composed very fast, during a single night, because I wanted to exploit the

possibilities of musical relationships without allowing individual choice to intervene other than on really
very basic levels of organization that of density, for instance." Dominique Jameux. Pierre Boulez.
(Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1991), 52.
 Edward Campbell 2010, 176.





from a real theme to a virtual

theme

1958 Alea

pitch domain

12
pitch-class multiplication

1953-1955 Le Marteau sans maître, 1953-1955


10
Pierre Boulez, Leçons de musique (Points de repère III) (Textes réunis et établis par
Jean-Jacques Nattiez, Paris, Christian Bourgois Éditeur, 2005), 306-308.
 Hans Heinz Stuckenschmidt, Musik des 20. Jahrhunderts, (Kindler Verlag GmbH, München,

1979), 219.
 pitch-class multiplication






1954 Near and Far 

1961

14

Arved Ashby

15

1963 Musical Technique


 "The series is not an order of events but a hierarchy which can be independent of that order."

Pierre Boulez, Stockakings from an Apprenticeship, trans. Stephen Walsh (Oxford: Clarendon Press,
1991), 149-150.

Arved Ashby, Schoenberg, Boulez, and Twelve-Tone Composition as "Ideal Type". Journal of
the American Musicological Society, Vol.54, No.3 (Autumn 2001), 610-611.
15
Ibid., 610-611.
16
"whose hierarchy is no longer based on the principle of identity by transposition, but, on the
contrary, on localized and variable deductions." Pirre Boulez, "Music Technique" in Boulez on
musicToday, trans. Susan Brashaw and Richard Rodney Benett (Cambridge: Harvard University Press,
1971), 42.





Peter F.Stacey

18
Messagesquisse, 1976

Prime

Retrograde Inversion Retrograde Inversion

19
segmentation trichords tetrachords

hexachords

17
"organizing a FINITE ensemble of creative possibilities connected by predominant
affinities…The possibilities are infinitely vast, and end in series having only a very distant relationship
with the primitive series of twelve sounds. " Pirre Boulez, "Music Technique", 35,40.
 Peter F. Stacey, Boulez and the Modern Concept (England: Scolar Press, 1987), 13.






20

21
1-4 Op. 24

Konzert, 1934 1934

1-4




1995 94

21
1999 62





22


22
1999 56-58





23
1-5 Op. 25



 Joseph Nathan Strauss, Introduction to post-tonal theory, (London: Prentice Hall, 1990), 30-31.





1923 25 Suite op. 25, 1921-1923

1-5

E-F-G-Db

1-5a 1-5b

1-5c 1-5d

1-5d

24
1-6 Op. 25


24
2002 134





25
1-7 Op. 25

26
1-8 Op. 33a

25

1-6 1-7

33a Klavierstück op.33a, 1928

1- 8


25
2002 135
26
2002 136





27

– A Eb C B G Bb

hexachordal row) Eb C

S C


 1995 94 





1976 Paul Sacher, 1906-

28
1999 Mistislav Rostropovich,

29
1927-2007

Conrad Beck, 1901-1989 Luciano Berio,

1925-2003 Pierre Boulez, 1925- Benjamin Britten,

1913-1976 Henri Dutilleux,1916- Wolfgang Fortner,

1907-1987 Alberto Ginastera, 1916-1983 Cristóbal Halffter,

1930- Hans Werner Henze, 1926- Heinz Holliger, 1939-

Klaus Huber, 1924- Witold Lutosławski, 1913-1994


28
· 1926 Basel Chamber Orchestra

·
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Sacher#Biography-0
29
· 1927 3 7
7
14 1943

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mstislav_Rostropovich#cite_note-Olga_Sobolevskaya





30

Messagesquisse (neologism)
portmanteau word
messages esquisse
sketch “es”

31
Sacher Eb – A – C – B – E - D

hexachordal row

1923 Kammerkonzert für Klavier und mit Geige

dreizehn Bläsern, 1923-35

50

40 1925 2 9


30
Boulez, Sur Incises; Messagesquisse; Anthèmes 2, Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Hamburg,
June 12, 2007.


 Sacher E flat =S B
=H R = re = D Boulez, Sur Incises; Messagesquisse; Anthèmes 2,
Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Hamburg, June 12, 2007.





Arnold Schönberg

a-d-es-c-h-b-e-g Anton Webern

a-e-b-e Alban Berg a-b-a-b-e-g

Messagesquisse, for 7 violoncellos

Eb – A – C – B – E – D

permutation

2-1

Eb – A – C – B – E – D Eb

A– C– B– E–D Eb A4 - m3

- m2 - P4 - M2 - m2 (m3)

A4

m3 - m2 - P4 - M2 - m2 - A4

Eb


 2002 85 





Eb 2-1

2-1 Eb





2-1

Eb Eb

2-2

2-2 Eb

Morse code

33

2-2


33

· 1835 ·
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morse_code





S A C H E R

Eb A C B E D





2-1 7 54

2-1





2-3

Eb

Eb – A – C – B – E – D

2-3 D

Eb

2-3





2-4

2-4

Eb

2-5





2-5

2-6





2-6

Eb

Eb -

Eb-A-C-B-E-D Eb A -

Eb-Gb-F-Bb-G#-A A-C-B-E-D-Eb





 

1’50 Eb

2’15 A C B E D

1’45 Eb

1’32 Eb

13” Eb

21” Eb





pitch

duration timbre intensity

Eb 2-7

2-7





2-8 Eb –

D – G – F – F# – C Eb – F# – F – Bb – Ab –

2-8

Eb – A – C – B – E – D

2-9

D Eb





2-9

Eb

2-10 -

- - -





- -

Eb

2- 10

2-11

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Eb

superimpose

juxtapose





2-11





2-12

S Eb × 2/3

A A ×1

C C × 4/3

H B ×2

E E ×3

R D ×4

D Eb

Eb A





S A C H E R

Eb A C B E D

a b c d e f





2-13

3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th

1st

2nd efabcd

3rd deabc defabc

4th cdab cdeab cdefab

5th bca bcda bcdea bcdefa

6th ab abc abcd abcde abcdef





Eb

S A C H E R

Eb A C B E D

a b c d e f

= ×4 = ×4

a : Eb b :A

2-14 - -

pizz arco





col legno battuto

arco sul ponticello

2-15

2-15 -

- -

- - -





(1) 2-8

ppp f f ppp

(2) sf

p mp mf f ff fff-f-mf-mp-p-pp

p 2-9

pp mp mf f piu f

p pp ppp-pppp

2-9





A C B E D

6 9 11 13

6, 9, 11, 13 - A C B E

- E D - D A C - C B E D -

A C B E E D D A C C B E D

2-10

Eb A C B E D

A Eb Gb F Bb Ab

2-11 (m3)

A4

m3 - m2 - P4 - M2 - m2 - A4





Eb A C B E D

A4 m3 m2 P4 M2 m2
A Eb Gb F Bb Ab
A

A C B E D





2- 16 A C

2- 16 A C :

1 A

2- 17 A





4a A

2-17 654321

123456

165432

2-18 A

2-18 A





2-19a

2-19b

a.

b.

2-19 C





2-20 A C





4a A B

A C B E D

Eb

- 2–4–4–2 - 4–8 - 6–6–12

- 8–16–8–8

- 2–4–4–2 - 2–4 - 2–2–4 -

2–4–2–2 Eb

A C B E D





2- 21





2-12

-6 -9 -11 -13





A C B E E D D A C C B E D

6--1 6--1, 1--6, 1--6 9--1 9--1, 1--11 11--1 1--11, 13--1 1--13, 13--1 1--13

1--6 6--1 1--9 11--1 13--1

A C B E D A C B E D

2 4 4 2 4 8 6 6 12 8 16 8 8

×1 ×2 ×3 ×4

2 4 4 2 2 4 2 2 4 2 4 2 2

A C B E E D D A C C B E D





2-22

Eb 654321 Eb

2-24 2-23

pp

13 11 9 (12) 6

(6)

2-22 Eb





2-23 13

2-24





2-25

ff pp





2-26

2-26





S A C H E R

Eb A C B E D

1 2 3 4 5 6

1st D E B C A Eb

2nd D E B C A

3rd D E B C

4th D E B

5th D E

6th D





Eb

Eb A C B E D

Eb 2- 27

123456

Eb - Eb-A-C-B-E-D Eb A -

Eb-Gb-F-Bb-G#-A A-C-B-E-D-Eb





2- 27

2-28

2-28





E-Bb-Db-C-F-Eb - D-Ab-B-Bb-Eb-Db

2-29 Eb

2-30





2-30

2-30

2-31





Klavierstücke Op.33a, 1928

combinatoriality

3-1

P-0 RI-5

34
Aggregate


 Stefan M. Kostka, Materials and techniques of twentieth-century music, (Pearson Prentice

Hall, 2006), 220.





35
secondary set

36
3-1 P-0 RI-5

3-2

37
3-2




1995 64 

 Stefan M. Kostka 2006, 220.

 Ibid., 220.





38
3-1 Klavierstücke Op.33a, 1928 14-18

3-1

3-1


 Ibid., 220.





Movements, 1958-59

39

Retrograde (RIV)

Inversion (INV) Retrograde-Inversion (RIV-INV)

40
3-2    

3-2


39
Joseph Nathan Straus, Stravinsky’s late music (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2001),
64-65.
40
Ibid., 66.





 I-V

Eb 

C 

Eb C

41

3-3a

 

3-3b

123  I

456  I


41





42
3-3

3-3

43


42
Ibid., 67.
43
Ibid., 67.





44
3-4a


44
Ibid., 68.





45
3-4b,c 68-73

3-4a

3-4b

45
Ibid., 69.





3-4b

RIV-INV—V

INV—V F#

C# F# F#

RIV—IV 

F#—C# —

3-4c

Interludes

RIV-INV—V 11-12-13

INV-V— F#

F# C#

RIV-IV— C# INV-V—

Requiem Canticles, “Exaudi” 1965-6





3-5

46
3-5 76-80

A#

A#

A#

A#

Robert Craft, 1923-


46
Joseph Nathan Strauss, Introduction to post-tonal theory, (London: Prentice Hall, 1990), 195.




1952

1956

Agon, 1957





Polaris, 2012

–Bb G C B Eb A

hexachordal row) C Eb

S C

4-1 4-1

Bb G C B Eb A

m3 P4 m2 M3 A4 m2
Bb Eb D Gb C Db
Bb





4-1 Bb

47


47
Paul Griffiths 1989 173





Cadenza

4-2 4-3

4-2 Bb G C B Eb A

4-3

sostenuto pedal

Bb

Bb




Bb 4-4 4-5

4-4 Bb

4-5 Bb





Bb Bb

Eb

C Eb

Bb

Bb

4-2 4-1

 

    

4-1





mm.1- 6 = 76 Bb
= 40~50
mm.7-17 = 42~46 C

mm.18-25 = 76 Eb

mm.26-38 = 60 C Eb

mm.39-44 Senza tempo Bb

Bb

Bb

4-6 4-7

4-6 Bb





4-7 Bb

4-8 4-9





4-8

4-9

4-10





4-10

Bb G C B A

Eb

4-11





4-11

Bb G C B Eb A

m3 P4 m2 M3 A4 m2
C A D Db F B
C









4-12

4-12

4-13

4-13





4-14

4-14

4-15

4-15





Bb

Eb

4-16

4-16





4-17 Eb

C Eb

4-18

4-18





Bb

Bb G C B Eb A

Bb 4-20

4-19 Bb

4-20 Bb IV





organized delirium

48

Serialism

Aleatorism Micropolyphony

49


48
http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/03708?q=Boulez&sea
rch=quick&pos=1&_start=1#firsthit

49
-
2008 29





A C B E D

6 9 11 13

6 9 11 13

13 11 9 (12) 6

(6) 6 9 11 13





 

 

 

 









2001

2002

2001

2007

2008

1995

1995

1999

Paul Griffiths, A Concise of Modern Music

1989

Boulez, Pierre. Boulez on music Today, trans. Susan Brashaw and Richard Rodney
Benett. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1971.

Boulez, Pierre. Leçons de musique (Points de repère III) Textes réunis et établis par
Jean-Jacques Nattiez. Paris, Christian Bourgois Éditeur, 2005.





Boulez, Pierre. Stockakings from an Apprenticeship, trans. Stephen Walsh. Oxford:

Clarendon Press, 1991.

Campbell, Edward. Boulez, Music and Philosophy. Cambridge University Press,

2010.

Jameux, Dominique. Pierre Boulez Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University

Press, 1991.

Kostka, Stefan. Materials and Techniques of Twentieth-Century Music. New Jersy:

Prentice Hall,1990

Straus, Joseph Nathan. Stravinsky’s late music. New York:Cambridge University

Press, 2001.

Stacey, Peter F. Boulez and the Modern Concept. England:Scolar Press, 1987.

Stuckenschmidt, Hans Heinz . Musik des 20. Jahrhunderts. Kindler Verlag GmbH,
München, 1979.

Whittall, Arnold. Serialism. Cambridge University Press, 2008.

Ashby, Arved. "Schoenberg, Boulez, and Twelve-Tone Composition as Ideal Type. "
Journal of the American Musicological Society. Vol.54, No.3 (Autumn 2001).

Bonnet, Antonie. "Ecriture and perception: on Messagesquisse by Pierre Boulez. "

Contemporary Music Review. Vol.2, Issue 1. (1987) : 173-209.
















 Polaris
 accel. e rit. ad lib.
      
           
1 


 
         
stacc. sempre
ca.7"
Piano
             
    




 
Sost.

        
 

  
  
 
 
2

 





 

        
ca.5"
   
  
   



    

  
   

3
 
 

 
  
   
ca.9"

     
    

subito
 
   
2



  
     
4




    
      
  
   
      
       
     


    
  
               

    

   
        
       



              
 
   
ca.9"
  
  

      
 


    
 
      
        
5
 


    


  

   
     



   
  
 
   

  
  

  

     

        
   

3

      
  
  
  
6
   
R.H.
  
      
   
  
    
  
            

       


 

     L.H.

repeat agitato with irregular rests ca.15"



 
   
rit. molto


 

cresc.

repeat 10 times with irregular rests


 


molto legato, 

     
7

   
   
            
  

        
  
   
   
     
4

      
10

   
       

           

   

   

 
    
               
    
 
 
   
5

      Sost. 
 
   

   


          
13

  




     
                 
 
 
 
    
 
        
   
 
    
    
Sost.   Sost. 
  
 
16
 
 
   
  
  

 

 
    
  

   
  
   
     
       


accel. e rit. ad lib.

5
   
 
   
18



 


      
subito

       
     
 
   
 
  
 

  
  
 
 

 
 
 
19

 
 





   
      
  

  
  subito   
 
 
  
    

 
 

    
     
21

  
   

 
  

           
        

 

    




 
 
      
   


 
 Sost.  
6




 
 
22



  
 
   
       
    
  
 
 
  
 
 
   
 

  


Sost.   Sost. 
   
             
    
24
         
   
      
 
      
 
 
  
 

 
cresc. molto
   


 


 



  
 

     
  

25

    




          
     
        
   
   

    
 
Sost.  
  

7


  
 
       
26
 

 
  
   
             
    
 
 
  
 
   
 
            

        
  
 


 
Sost.

  

     
     
33


     
        
            
     
   
 
   
         
  
  



senza tempo
 ca.9"   
      
 
39
   
 

    
   
    
    


  

 

Sost. 
8
 
ca.10"
       
 
40

 

 
   
   
     
 
  

 


ca.6" 
 
ca.8"

      
41

     
   
   
 
   
    
    
  
   

  
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 

43 ca.10" rit.
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 
 



  
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
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 
 
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