Will IRCAM survive the Pompidou Centre closure?
NewsPlans have been confirmed to shut the Pompidou Centre for five years from 2025 to enable a sorely needed renovation.
Five years without the Pompidou will leave a black hole for tourists on a rainy day, but Paris is not short of art spaces.
The unasked question is what will happen to its satellite IRCAM, the utopian Institut de recherche et coordination acoustique/musique that Pierre Boulez created in 1977. Ircam has never justified its existence. It might now be quietly laid to rest amid the construction hubbub of the Pompidou Centre.
Is it likely to be missed?
Here’s a memento of its early days with Pierre.
IRCAM is not inside the Centre Pompidou and will not be closed during the works. Moreover, it is a totally independent institution.
In the beginning, IRCAM was entirely underground, located under the fountain designed by Niki de Saint-Phalle and Jean Tinguely on the Place Igor-Stravinsky. In 1990, the tower designed by Renzo Piano was erected on the corner of the Piazza, making IRCAM a visual element of Paris’ urban landscape. Since 1996, the institute façade has become a hybrid, including two other disparate spaces adjoining the tower; the former Jules-Ferry school and a building that once housed the public baths (Bains-Douches).
https://www.ircam.fr/lircam/le-batiment
And critical incompetence?
“Ircam has never justified its existence.” Slipped Disc is a great place to encounter the bloviations of musical reactionaries. I’m happy you have your safe space.
Ircam has never justified its existence. It might now be quietly laid to rest amid the construction hubbub of the Pompidou Centre.
tosh
45 years and absolutely nothing lasting to show for it. Shut it down and give the money to the migrants / climate change fight / the French Healthcare system.
Ircam is the world’s most prestigious and respected computer music research center. More prominent composers have worked at Ircam than any other institution in the world. Ircam has done more to shape the concepts, tools, and aesthetics of computer music than any other place in the world. There is virtually no part of the music world, pop and classical alike, that is not touched in some way by developments at Iram.
Digital music research centers like Ircam and CCRMA at Stanford are still highly relevant. Digital practices already dominate the modern music world even though they still in their infancy. There is still a huge amount of work to do including areas like human interfaces that more deeply integrate the body and computer in music-making; the development of algorithms that better emulate human musical performance; and above all, the use of artificial intelligence in music production.
Traditionalists might also remember that digital research affects every part of the music they consume. This includes the ability to stream audio and video productions of classical music; the CDs and Blu-Rays they own; and the major improvements in recording technology. The future of music will increasingly be dominated by digital practices. France will not allow itself to be sidelined. Ircam will remain and very likely continue to be the world’s premiere institution for digital music research.
Interesting to see the new head at IRCAM will take a break from modernity to conduct S-SAENS 3 in Birmingham and the wonderful Chausson symphony in Stockholm (coupled with….the Ligeti violin concerto!) Can’t imagine PB doing either work….but horses for courses etc
A couple of questions/comments regarding this.
I assume you’re referring to Pierre Bleuse who conducts the Organ Symphony in Birmingham in September? He’s recently been appointed Artistic Director of Ensemble Intercontemporain but does that role also involve heading IRCAM?
I don’t know whether Boulez ever conducted the Organ Symphony but he certainly conducted the 3rd Violin Concerto when in New York.
Well, at least this St-Saëns 3 he surely did:
https://www.amazon.fr/Zino-Francescatti-LAST-PERFORMANCE-1975/dp/B004PPUT3Y
…and probably the symphony as well
The McPherson Recital Room in St Andrews has a much more adjustable acoustic than IRCAM, and it has 88 motorized adjustable floor units 2mx1m. Maybe IRCAM should relocate to Scotland to remain at the forefront of acoustics?