The greatest teacher of the 20th century. And pianist, and conductor, the name behind premieres and first woman to conduct the major orchestras. The elder of the two Boulanger sisters who her father had solemnly swear to look after the baby Lili always. It was a role she faithfully carried out but could not keep. Lili, five years younger, died when Nadia was 30; she was devastated. Every new year she would write in her journal, I place this new year before you, my little beloved Lili.
Born in Paris in 1887, her father was a composer then 72: her mother was a Russian princess descended from a saint. There were 41 years between them! Little Nadia and the even littler Lili sat in on Conservatoire classes from when she was seven and she worked her way slowly up to winning first prize in 1903. She still intended to be a composer then, and compose she did. Her ultimate goal in life was to win the Prix de Rome like her father and she worked tirelessly towards this - 1906, 07, 08, 09, winning secondary prizes sometimes but never making it past the final round.
And then her younger sister entered and won it just like that.
At the same time, their father had died and somebody needed to support her princess of a mother and Lili. So she began to teach, from the family apartment in Montmartre at 36 rue Ballu. And that is where she stayed teaching for the next 70 years. Private lessons developed into group class on Wednesdays which she called Les Boulangeries in French with that pun upon her name. She saw herself as a musical baker, wisely choosing the correct leavening agents for each student, to send them as perfectly formed loaves out into the world.
And then there are her premieres, and Monteverdi revivals, and lecture-recital tours, and debuts with the major orchetrsas - first woman to conduct the New York Phil. But it is her teaching for which she is most famous. Her students include Copland, Bernstein, Piazzolla, Philip Glass. To mention merely the Americans. She was teaching almost up until her death at the age of 92
Nadia Boulanger (1887 – 1979)
MUSIC: The Sea
Yo Yo Ma, cello: Kathryn Stott, piano
Presented by Anna Clyne
Written and produced by Charlotte Wilson for WMHT
