| Summary: | Recognized as a critic, composer, teacher, conductor and impresario, Pierre Boulez left a huge footprint that defined the trajectory of European concert music during the second half of the twentieth century. With the composition of Le Marteau sans maître (1953–1955) and several subsequent works from the mid-1950s and early 1960s, he established himself as one of the most important composers in his artistic circle. His compositional approach changed radically during the course of this time period. Although many of his pitch organization techniques were only unraveled several decades later, innovations with respect to other parameters of the musical language had a clear and immediate impact. Keeping this in mind, with this intentionally provocative title, I would like to discuss how Latin America played a decisive role in the career of this enormous figure of twentieth-century music. After presenting a brief summary of his professional trajectory, I will discuss the three tours he made of Latin America at the beginning of the 1950s, which, considered within the frame of his interest in ethnomusicology, were crucial to his career. They gave him the space and inspiration for crucial innovations in his development as a composer. By reference to Boulez’s writings, and based on a critical reading of the works that reflect the influence of Latin American music, I will discuss how some of the most important changes in his musical language, like his emphasis on elements of contrast and resonance, were inspired by his experiences on this tour, as much, or more, than by more recognized influences, like Japanese and African music. This has some considerable implications, given that Boulez’s new musical language had tremendous impact on the development of the European avant-garde in the second half of the twentieth century.
Haciendo referencia a los escritos del compositor y tomando como base una lectura crítica de las obras que reflejan la influencia que recibió de la música latinoamericana, discutiré cómo algunos de los cambios más importantes en su lenguaje musical fueron inspirados por las experiencias de Boulez en sus giras en esta región, tanto o más que por influencias más reconocidas, como la música japonesa y la música africana. Esto tiene implicaciones importantes, dado a que el nuevo lenguaje musical de Boulez tuvo un impacto considerable en el desarrollo de la vanguardia europea después de la segunda guerra mundial.
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