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Work

Domaines

for clarinet with or without orchestra

Composer:
Pierre Boulez
Composition:
1967-1968; revised in 1969
Duration:
Approx. 15 min (clarinet solo); approx. 29 min (with orchestra) Average of recordings (clarinet solo); score inscription (with orchestra)

Premiere

  • Clarinet solo version: 20 September 1968, in Ulm (Kornhaussaal, as part of the Ulmer Konzerte), by Hans Deinzer.
  • Version with orchestra: 20 December 1968, in Brussels (Grande Salle, Palais des Beaux-Arts), by Walter Boeykens (clarinet) and the members of the Grand Orchestre Symphonique de la RTB [Belgian Radio and Television], conducted by Pierre Boulez.
  • 1969 adaptation: 10 November 1970, in Paris (Salle Firmin Gémier, Palais de Chaillot), by Michel Portal (clarinet) and the Ensemble Musique Vivante, conducted by Pierre Boulez.

Work structure

2 parts:

  • 1. Original
  • 2. Miroir

Instrumentation

Soloist: clarinet in B-flat Orchestra:

  • flute, oboe, bass clarinet in B-flat, alto saxophone in E-flat, bassoon
  • trumpet in C, horn in F, alto trombone, 2 tenor trombones, bass trombone
  • harp, guitar (amplified), marimba
  • 2 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos, double bass
The orchestra is divided into 6 groups (from 1 to 6 musicians, numbered A to F):
  • A: trombone quartet (1 alto, 2 tenors, 1 bass)
  • B: string sextet (2 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos)
  • C: marimba, double bass
  • D: flute, trumpet in C, alto saxophone in E-flat, bassoon, harp
  • E : oboe, horn in F, guitar
  • F: solo bass clarinet in B-flat
Staging: the six groups are arranged in a star shape around the conductor. The soloist moves around the stage, taking it in turns to stand in front of each group in the order in which the sheets are played.

Publisher

Universal Edition (London), cop. 1970 [EU 14503 (clarinet solo version) / EU 14999 (clarinet and orchestra version)]

Note

  • The two parts consist of six books (A to F) that can be played in any order.
  • In the orchestral version, each soloist’s section corresponds to the instrumental group bearing the same letter. The soloist chooses the order of performance of the Original sections (with each instrumental group responding in turn); the order of performance of the Miroir sections is determined by the conductor, with the instrumental groups playing first and the soloist responding with the corresponding section.
  • Pierre Boulez sought to revive the score in 1982, with a view to a new version that remained unfinished, resulting in Dialogue de l’ombre double.

Source: Excerpt from Pierre Boulez : catalogue de l’œuvre, edition prepared by Alain Galliari, Éditions de la Philharmonie, 2025.

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