Salonen Conducts Debussy & Boulez
About This Event
At David Geffen Hall, Esa‑Pekka Salonen conducts a program of Debussy and Boulez with pianist Pierre‑Laurent Aimard. The bill pairs Debussy’s emphasis on timbre and harmonic ambiguity with Boulez’s postwar structural clarity; Salonen’s engagement with contemporary repertoire and Aimard’s expertise in modern works foreground analytic rigor over gesture.
About the Artists
Claude Debussy
Claude Debussy was a French composer whose music helped redraw the boundaries of late‑19th- and early‑20th‑century classical writing. He resisted easy labels, even as listeners and critics linked his work to the color and atmosphere of Impressionist painting.
Esa-Pekka Salonen
Esa-Pekka Salonen is a Finnish conductor and composer known for his innovative interpretations of classical music and his contributions to contemporary music.
Pierre-Laurent Aimard
Pierre-Laurent Aimard is a French pianist known for his interpretations of classical and contemporary music, as well as his performances with major orchestras and in prestigious venues.
Pierre Boulez
Pierre Boulez was a French composer, conductor, and author whose work helped define postwar modernism, alongside his role in building institutions that supported new music. As a conductor, he was known for rigorous rehearsal and a structural ear that foregrounded detail over gesture.