Fold According to Fold

work by Boulez

Also known as: “Pli selon pli”

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June 26, 2026

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"Fold According to Fold" is a significant work by the French composer Pierre Boulez. This piece, also known as Pli selon pli, exemplifies Boulez's innovative approach to composition, where performers must actively engage with the work's structure. It incorporates elements of aleatory music, allowing for chance and performer interpretation. Boulez was a leading figure in 20th-century music, known for his work in serialism and his championing of avant-garde composers. His compositions often feature complex textures and a deep sensitivity to instrumental color, influenced by mathematics and composers like Olivier Messiaen and Arnold Schoenberg. The term "fold" itself refers to laying one part over another or reducing bulk by doubling, and in music, it can relate to structural complexity.123

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Pierre Boulez
…in Pli selon pli (1957–62; Fold According to Fold), in which performers must orient themselves by maintaining a constant awareness of the structure of the work. In his Piano Sonata No. 3 (first performed 1957), as in Pli selon pli, he introduced elements of aleatory music.
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…in Pli selon pli (1957–62; Fold According to Fold), in which performers must orient themselves by maintaining a constant awareness of the structure of the work. In his Piano Sonata No. 3 (first performed 1957), as in Pli selon pli, he introduced elements of aleatory music.
Read More