Philippe Boesmans

{{Short description|Belgian pianist, composer and teacher (1936–2022)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Philippe Boesmans

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1936|05|17|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Tongeren, Belgium

| death_date = {{death date and age|2022|04|10|1936|05|17|df=yes}}

| death_place = Brussels, Belgium

| education = Royal Conservatory of Liège

| occupation = {{ ubl | Pianist | Composer | Academic teacher }}

| organizations = {{ ubl | RTBF | La Monnaie | Royal Conservatory of Liège }}

| awards = International Opera Award

}}

Philippe Boesmans (17 May 1936 – 10 April 2022){{cite web | last=Tobisch | first=Léopold | title=Le compositeur Philippe Boesmans est mort | website=Radio France | date=11 April 2022 | url=https://www.radiofrance.fr/francemusique/le-compositeur-philippe-boesmans-est-mort-2671535 | language=fr | access-date=12 April 2022}} was a Belgian pianist, composer and academic teacher. He studied to be a pianist at the Royal Conservatory of Liège, and was self-taught as a composer, influenced by the Liège Group of Henri Pousseur, André Souris, and Célestin Deliège, and by attending the Darmstädter Ferienkurse. He worked for the Radio Télévision Belge de la Communauté Française (RTBF) from 1961, as a producer from 1971.

Boesman became primarily recognised for his operas, with works written for the Royal Opera House La Monnaie in Brussels as composer in residence since 1985. Four operas were written in collaboration with Luc Bondy who adapted plays for him, Schnitzler's La Ronde, Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale, Strindberg's Miss Julie and Iwona, księżniczka Burgunda by Witold Gombrowicz, and who directed the world premieres of the operas. Au monde was honoured with an International Opera Award in 2015. His last opera based on Feydeau's vaudeville 'On purge bébé' had its world premiere at La Monnaie in Brussels in December 2022.{{cite web | url=https://www.lamonnaiedemunt.be/en/program/2312-on-purge-bebe | title=On purge bébé ! | Philippe Boesmans | date=13 December 2022 }}

Life

Boesmans was born in Tongeren and studied piano at the Royal Conservatory of Liège,{{cite web | title=Philippe Boesmans |website=Schott Music| date=17 May 1936 | url=https://en.schott-music.com/shop/autoren/philippe-boesmans | access-date=12 April 2022}} He studied first with {{ill|Robert Leudiran|fr}}, then with Stefan Askenase who advised him to not pursue a career as a concert pianist. At the conservatoire, he was also introduced to serial composition techniques by Pierre Froidebise. However, it was only after coming into contact with the "Liège Group" of Henri Pousseur, André Souris, and {{ill|Célestin Deliège|fr}}) in 1957 that he began to write music, as a self-taught composer. He attended courses at Darmstädter Ferienkurse.{{cite web | title=Orchestermusik von Philippe Boesmans / Magische, schillernde Klangspiele | website=Deutschlandfunk | date=17 November 2019 | url=https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/orchestermusik-von-philippe-boesmans-magische-schillernde-100.html | language=de | access-date=12 April 2022}} He was also active as a pianist with the Ensemble Musique Nouvelle.{{cite web |first=Fernand |last=Leclercq | title=Boesmans, Philippe | website=MGG Online | date=7 April 2022 | url=https://www.mgg-online.com/article?id=mgg01721&v=1.0&rs=id-0f16227c-680b-e9ef-861a-bcf78723549a | language=de | access-date=12 April 2022}}{{cite book | last1=Boesmans | first1=P. | last2=Renard | first2=C. | last3=Wangermée | first3=R. | title=Philippe Boesmans: entretiens et témoignages | publisher=Conseil de la musique de la communauté française de Belgique | series=Collection Musique, musicologie | year=2005 | isbn=978-2-87009-890-5 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U9aXX7M3SVcC&pg=PA26 | language=fr | access-date=12 April 2022 | page=26}} In 1961 he became assistant, and in 1971 producer, at the Radio Télévision Belge de la Communauté Française (RTBF), working with the radio orchestra there. From this experience he learned much about composing and orchestrating music. In 1965, he became a member of the Communist Party. In 1971 he won the Prix Italia for his composition Upon La-Mi for horn and voice which won him international recognition.{{sfn|Visscher|2001}} In 1971, he participated in productions of the Centre de Recherches Musicales de Wallonie, collaborating with Pousseur.{{BrahmsOnline|IRCAM-name=philippe-boesmans}} His works have been performed at the most important festivals of contemporary music, such as Darmstadt, Warsaw, Brussels, Royan, Metz, Avignon, Zagreb, Montréal and Paris. For a short time, Boesmans taught piano and composition at the Royal Conservatory of Liège.{{cite web | title=Department für Oper und Musiktheater – Bio_Boesmans | website=Universität Mozarteum Salzburg | url=http://oper.moz.ac.at/seiten/de/produktionen/spielzeit-201819/rg/bio_boesmans.php | access-date=12 April 2022}}

He was composer in residence at the La Monnaie opera house in Brussels.{{cite web | title=Le compositeur belge Philippe Boesmans est décédé | website=RTBF | date=11 April 2022 | url=https://www.rtbf.be/article/le-compositeur-belge-philippe-boesmans-est-decede-10972861 | language=fr | access-date=12 April 2022}} Luc Bondy adapted four operas for him and subsequently staged their world premieres.{{cite web | title=Belgian composer Philippe Boesmans has died | website=Pizzicato | date=11 April 2022 | url=https://www.pizzicato.lu/belgian-composer-philippe-boesmans-has-died/ | access-date=12 April 2022}} When his opera Reigen was premiered in 1993, a reviewer of Le Monde wrote: "Reigen is perhaps the most successful opera of the last seventy years."{{cite web | title=Musiques La Ronde des vanites – l'opéra exceptionnel de Philippe Boesmans, d'après la pièce de Schnitzler, est mis en scène à Bruxelles par Luc Bondy. Il sera à Paris le 25 novembre |website=Le Monde| date=16 November 1994 | url=https://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/1994/11/16/musiques-la-ronde-des-vanites-l-opera-exceptionnel-de-philippe-boesmans-d-apres-la-piece-de-schnitzler-est-mis-en-scene-a-bruxelles-par-luc-bondy-il-sera-a-paris-le-25-novembre_3844226_1819218.html | language=fr | access-date=12 April 2022}} His opera Au monde won the International Opera Award 2015 in the category World Premiere. He was bilingual in German and French.

Boesmans died after a short illness on 10 April 2022 in Brussels, at the age of 85.{{cite web | last=Tomeo | first=Marissa | title=Composer Philippe Boesmans Has Died | website=BroadwayWorld.com | date=11 April 2022 | url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwclassical/article/Composer-Philippe-Boesmans-Has-Died-20220411 | access-date=12 April 2022}} He was honoured in a tribute concert at the Royal Opera House La Monnaie/De Munt on 19 April 2022.{{cite web | url=https://bx1.be/categories/news/la-monnaie-honorera-lors-dun-concert-le-compositeur-philippe-boesmans-decede-dimanche/ | title=La Monnaie honorera, lors d'un concert, le compositeur Philippe Boesmans, décédé dimanche | date=13 April 2022 }}

Composition style

Boesmans early works were strongly influenced by serialism. After that, clear structures, periodically recurring rhythms, consonances and melodic elements characterise his musical language. The aesthetics of his works has been called "trompe l'oreille" (trick the ear). His instrumentations are characterised by intense timbre constellations. He alluded to works of others not by exact quotations, but so-called "stylistic quotations" or "gestural quotations".

Works

Source:

Operas

La Passion de Gilles (1983), libretto by Pierre Mertens{{sfn|Morris|1996|loc={{Page needed|date=May 2015}}}}
Reigen (1993); libretto by Luc Bondy based on Schnitzler's Der Reigen (La Ronde).{{cite web | last=Machart|first=Renaud|author-link=Renaud Machart| title=Le compositeur belge Philippe Boesmans est mort |website=Le Monde| date=11 April 2022 | url=https://www.lemonde.fr/culture/article/2022/04/11/le-compositeur-belge-philippe-boesmans-est-mort_6121690_3246.html | language=fr | access-date=12 April 2022}}
Wintermärchen (1999), libretto by Bondy based on Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale.
Julie (2005); libretto by Bondy based on Strindberg's Miss Julie.{{cite journal | last=Farthofer | first=Lisa | title=Die Unheimlichkeit des Menschlichen – zu Julie von Philippe Boesmans |journal=Österreichische Musikzeitschrift| publisher=Boehlau Verlag| volume=60 | issue=5 | year=2005 | issn=2307-2970 | doi=10.7767/omz.2005.60.5.27 | page=| s2cid=163467861 }}{{cite journal | last=Tunbridge | first=L. | title=Philippe Boesmans: Julie|journal=The Opera Quarterly| publisher=Oxford University Press (OUP) | volume=23 | issue=4 | date=14 November 2008 | issn=0736-0053 | doi=10.1093/oq/kbn052 | pages=504–511}}
Yvonne, princesse de Bourgogne (2009), libretto by Bondy based on {{ill|Iwona, księżniczka Burgunda|pl}}.{{cite journal | last=Ender | first=Daniel | title=Philippe Boesmans Yvonne, princesse de Bourgogne|journal=Österreichische Musikzeitschrift| publisher=Boehlau Verlag| volume=64 | issue=5 | year=2009 | issn=2307-2970 | doi=10.7767/omz.2009.64.5.4 | page=| s2cid=163499322 }}
Poppea e Nerone (2012), new orchestration for a modern chamber orchestra of Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea. First performed at Teatro Real in Madrid, conducted by Sylvain Cambreling and directed by Krzysztof Warlikowski.{{IRCAM work|id=31873|title=Poppea e Nerone}}{{cite web | title=[t]akte: Neues altes Meisterwerk. Philippe Boesmans' Bearbeitung von Monteverdis L'incoronazione di Poppea| website=[t]akte | url=https://www.takte-online.de/musiktheater/detailansicht-musiktheater/artikel/neues-altes-meisterwerk-philippe-boesmans-bearbeitung-von-monteverdis-lincoronazione-di-poppea/index.htm | language=de | access-date=12 April 2022}}
Au monde (2014), libretto by {{ill|Joël Pommerat|fr}} after his own play.{{cite web | title=Au Monde wins Best World Premiere Award at the International Opera Awards | website=Focus on Belgium | date=10 July 2015 | url=https://focusonbelgium.be/en/culture/au-monde-wins-best-world-premiere-award-international-opera-awards | access-date=12 April 2022}}{{cite web | last = Ashman | first = Mike | title=Boesmans Au Monde | website=Gramophone | url=https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/boesmans-au-monde | access-date=12 April 2022}}{{cite web | last=Boesmans | first=Philippe | title=Au Monde | website=Opéra Comique | date=30 March 2014 | url=https://www.opera-comique.com/en/shows/au-monde | access-date=12 April 2022}}
Pinocchio (2017), libretto by Pommerat after Collodi's 1883 The Adventures of Pinocchio.{{sfn|Festival International d'Art Lyrique d'Aix-en-Provence|2016}}
On Purge bébé! (2022), libretto by {{ill|Richard Brunel|fr}} after a play by Georges Feydeau, to be premiered posthumously in December 2022.{{cite web | title=On purge bébé | website=La Monnaie / De Munt | url=https://www.lamonnaiedemunt.be/en/program/2312-on-purge-bebe | access-date=12 April 2022}}

Other compositions

Violin Concerto (1980)
String Quartet No. 1 (1988)
Surfing for viola and orchestra (1990)
Love and Dance Tunes for baritone and piano (1993); settings from Shakespeare's sonnets
Summer Dreams, String Quartet No. 2 (1994)

Discography

Trakl Lieder; String Quartet [No. 1]; Surfing. Françoise Pollet (soprano), Orchestre du Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, conducted by Sylvain Cambreling; Arditti String Quartet; Christophe Desjardins (viola), Ensemble Musique Nouvelle, conducted by Georges Elie Octors. Trakl Lieder recorded live, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, 14 April 1990; String Quartet recorded at the Royal Conservatory of Liège, 24 March 1990; Surfing recorded at the Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, 4 June 1990. CD recording, 1 audio disc: digital, 12 cm, stereo. Ricercar RIC 083065. Anloy: SPRL Ricercar, [n.d.]. {{OCLC|25875206}}
{{citation | title=Reigen | publisher=Ricercar; Distrib. Musidisc | year=1995 | oclc=659244085 | language=de}}
{{citation | title=Wintermärchen | publisher=Deutsche Grammophon; distribution: Universal Division Polydor | year=2001 | oclc=658728338 | language=de}} Dale Duesing; Susan Chilcott; Antonio Pappano. Sung in German; in scene four, the language changes from German to English and Boesmans introduces AKA Moon, a jazz/funk group.
Julie. Garry Magee, Malena Ernman, Monnaie Chamber Orchestra, Kazushi Ōno. CD recording. Cypres (CYP4626), 2005. {{OCLC|315734451}}
{{citation | title=Yvonne, princesse de Bourgogne | publisher=Kastafior | year=2010 | oclc=873502768 | language=fr}} Opéra National de Paris Mireille Delunsch and Yann Beuron. Cypres, 2011 Klangforum Wien, Sylvain Cambreling. Diapason d'Or{{cite web | title=Boesmans | website=Forum des Compositeurs | date=27 March 2022 | url=http://www.compositeurs.be/en/philippe_boesmans | access-date=12 April 2022}}

Filmography

Julie. Garry Magee, Malena Ernman, Kerstin Avemo, Monnaie Chamber Orchestra, Kazushi Ōno. DVD recording. BelAir, 2005. {{OCLC|605048279}}

Awards

1971: Prix Italia
2000: Prix Arthur Honegger
2004: SACD Music Prize

References

Sources

{{cite book | last=Morris | first=Mark | title=A Guide to 20th-century Composers | publisher=Methuen | publication-place=London | year=1996 | isbn=978-0-413-45601-4 | oclc=36165560 |quote=The opera La passion de Gilles (1983) is a dark story of perversion, malice, and child abuse, set in the 15th century and providing a commentary on the present day. Its colours are dark, intense, and sparse, in keeping with the subject}}
{{cite web | title=Pinocchio | website=Festival International d'Art Lyrique d'Aix-en-Provence | date=17 December 2016 | url=https://festival-aix.com/fr/evenement/pinocchio | language=fr | ref={{sfnref | Festival International d'Art Lyrique d'Aix-en-Provence | 2016}} | access-date=12 April 2022}}
{{citation | last=Visscher | first=Eric de | chapter=Boesmans, Philippe |title=The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians | publisher=Oxford University Press | year=2001 | doi=10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.03383| isbn=9781561592630 }}, second edition, edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell. London: Macmillan.