Karlheinz Stockhausen, Pierre Boulez

condition (record/cover): NM / EX- | This Odyssey LP pairs two landmark works of post-war European modernism under the direction of Robert Craft. Robert Craft conducts both works, continuing his role as a key interpreter and documentarian of mid-century modernist repertoire. The release offers a rare juxtaposition of Boulez’s French serialism with Stockhausen’s German structuralism, framed by Craft’s precise direction. Pierre Boulez – Le Marteau Sans Maître: A seminal 1955 setting of surrealist poetry by René Char for alto voice and chamber ensemble. Boulez’s intricate serial techniques and pointillistic textures mark a defining moment in avant-garde composition. This recording features the revised version with expanded instrumentation and refined rhythmic detail. Karlheinz Stockhausen – Nr. 5: Zeitmasse for Five Woodwinds: Composed in 1956, Zeitmasse explores variable tempo and ensemble interplay among flute, oboe, English horn, clarinet, and bassoon. It exemplifies Stockhausen’s early serial period, emphasizing duration as a compositional parameter.