Chapter 6, 12 May 1957

Title

Chapter 6, 12 May 1957

Subject

Nadia Boulanger

Creator

Igor Stravinsky

Date

12 May 1957

Source

Bibliothèque nationale

Type

Letter

Extracted Text

Stravinsky to Boulanger
Santa Monica, Calif.
Miss Nadia Boulanger
36 rue Ballu
Paris, IX
France
May 12, 1957
My dear Nadia,
This is to tell you I received your letter of April 16 and as always—no time for letters.
Boulez made an excellent impression on all of us: a musician of the first order, highly intelligent,
he has good manners and is probably a generous man. His Marteau sans maître, which he
conducted so well here, is an admirably well-ordered score, in spite of all the auditory and visual
complications (counterpoint, rhythm, tempo). Without being too familiar with Boulez's music, I
find it, frankly, preferable to many other things from his generation.
I never received the microfilm (Isaak-Webern) that you had promised me from George Sachs
who was supposed to come to the United States this Easter. We haven't heard anything about it.
Just spoke with Nica Nabokov who will have returned to Paris when you read these lines.
Telephone him to get the latest news.
Please respond.
Love,
I. Str
* * *
Stravinsky à Boulanger
Santa Monica CALIF.
Miss Nadia Boulanger
36 rue Ballu
Paris, IX-eme
France
12 mai 1957
Chere Nadia,
C’est pour vous dire que j’ai bien recu votre mot du 16 avril et comme toujours—pas de
temps pour des lettres.
Boulez nous a fait tous une excellente impression : musicien de tout premier ordre,
hautement intelligent il a des bonnes manieres et probablement est un homme genereux.
Son Marteau sans maitre qu’il a si bien dirige ici est une partition admirablement
ordonnee malgre toutes les complications (contrepoint, rythme, mesure) [audible] et
lisible [sic]. Sans me sentir familier avec cette musique de Boulez je la trouve
franchement preferable a bien des choses de sa generation.
Je n’ai jamais recu le microfilm (Issak-Webern) que vous m’aviez promis par George
Sachs qui devait venir a Paques aux Etats Unies. On a rien entendu d’elle.
Viens de parler avec Nica Nabokov qui sera rentre a Paris lorsque vous lirez ces lignes.
Telephonnez-lui pour avoir des nouvelles toutes fraiches.
R.S.P [sic]
Love,
I. Str

Files

Citation

Igor Stravinsky , “Chapter 6, 12 May 1957,” Digital Exhibits, accessed November 13, 2024, https://digex.lib.uoguelph.ca/items/show/2541.

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