Editing Pierre Boulez (section)

===1977–1992: IRCAM===
In 1970 Boulez was asked by President [[Georges Pompidou|Pompidou]] to return to France and set up an institute specialising in musical research and creation at the arts complex—now known as the [[Centre Georges Pompidou]]—which was planned for the Beaubourg district of Paris. The [[IRCAM|Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique / Musique]] (IRCAM) opened in 1977.

Boulez's model was the [[Bauhaus]], which had been a meeting place for artists and scientists of all disciplines.<ref>Jameux, 187.</ref> IRCAM's aims included research into acoustics, instrumental design and the use of computers in music.<ref name=Nichols6Jan/> The original building was constructed underground, partly to isolate it acoustically (an above-ground extension was added later).<ref>Jameux, 175.</ref> The institution was criticised for absorbing too much state subsidy, Boulez for wielding too much power.<ref name=Nichols6Jan/> At the same time he founded the [[Ensemble intercontemporain]], a virtuoso ensemble dedicated to contemporary music.<ref>Barbedette, 219–21.</ref>

In 1979, Boulez conducted the world premiere of the three-act version of Berg's ''[[Lulu (opera)|Lulu]]'' at the [[Palais Garnier|Paris Opera]] in [[Friedrich Cerha]]'s completion of the work, left unfinished at Berg's death. It was directed by Chéreau.<ref name="Barbedette, 221"/> Otherwise he scaled back his conducting commitments to concentrate on IRCAM. Most of his appearances during this period were with his own Ensemble intercontemporain—including tours to the United States (1986), Australia (1988), the Soviet Union (1990) and Canada (1991)<ref>Vermeil, 228, 231, 234 and 236.</ref>—although he also renewed his links in the 1980s with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.<ref>Vermeil, 226, 230, 233.</ref>

Boulez composed significantly more during this period, producing a series of pieces which used the potential, developed at IRCAM, electronically to transform sound in real time. The first of these was ''[[Répons]]'' (1981–1984), a 40-minute work for soloists, ensemble and electronics. He also radically reworked earlier pieces, including ''Notations I-IV'', a transcription and expansion for large orchestra of tiny piano pieces (1945–1980),<ref name="Barbedette, 221">Barbedette, 221.</ref> and his cantata on poems by Char, ''Le Visage nuptial'' (1946–1989).<ref name=Visage>Samuel (2002), 421–422.</ref>

From 1976 to 1995, he held the Chair in ''Invention, technique et langage en musique'' at the [[Collège de France]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Pierre Boulez|url=http://www.college-de-france.fr/site/pierre-boulez/index.htm#content.htm|publisher=College de France|access-date=7 February 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160213045307/http://www.college-de-france.fr/site/pierre-boulez/index.htm#content.htm|archive-date=13 February 2016}}</ref> In 1988 he made a series of six programmes for French television, ''Boulez XXe siècle'', each of which focused on a specific aspect of contemporary music (rhythm, timbre, form etc.)<ref name=FM>{{cite web|url=https://www.francemusique.fr/musique-contemporaine/pierre-boulez-biographie-complete-2768|title=Pierre Boulez: biographie complète|author=Staff|date=8 January 2016|website=France Musique|publisher=Radio France|access-date=26 December 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171226182246/https://www.francemusique.fr/musique-contemporaine/pierre-boulez-biographie-complete-2768|archive-date=26 December 2017}}</ref>