Take good care, Joey Baron and Harrison Birtwistle!

My favorite Boulez encomium so far is Gerald McBurney’s in The Guardian. http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jan/12/pierre-boulez-gerard-mcburney-a-pierre-dream

Featuring this priceless bit:

“Someone had told me on no account to mention Messiaen. So I did, and he immediately laughed, stopped and looked at me like a schoolboy preparing a whoopee cushion for a grownup.

“Ah, Messiaen, he is for me a big problem … [dramatic pause] The religion … [another pause, shrugged shoulders, and louder] The birds … [louder still, hands raised and in tones of pantomimic horror] Aand … my God … the ORGAN!” There was no doubt which of these three shockers was the worst.”

Now I will always have this anecdote at hand when someone expresses astonishment at my lack of enthusiasm for Messiaen!

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