Pierre Boulez in 1969, before his surprise appointment as Music Director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, discusses with Michael Steinberg, music critic of the Boston Globe, his concepts of building a center of music, how concerts should be programmed, the situation of orchestras, audiences, composers, and general matters of contemporary music. :30 Steinberg reminds Boulez that he once said he'd like "to blow up all opera houses" and asks if he feels the same way after just having conducted at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. 1'15" Program host Jim MacAndrew: Boulez had 30 rehearsals for "Wozzeck". Boulez appointed successor to Leonard Bernstein at the Philharmonic and will take over in 1973. ( The interview was taped before the appointment.) 25:00 Boulez: a center of music has to be built with a meaningful relationship between the stages, and the repertoires on them relating too. "The organ and the function must be related." First, you must have the "creative concept ... not three or four mausoleums such as Lincoln Center ... Second, you must have a wide horizon, at present only one century (end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th) of music is played in music houses. We have the 15th and 16th centuries in painting, but not in music. Problem of old music is: do we play the original instruments or on new ones? We must begin to solve that problem.Opera, concert, chamber, recital cannot be separated, each department must be exciting. In Opera you play "Moses and Aaron", and in concerts you give a perspective on Arnold Schonberg. One work is not enough. The Center of Music must have connection with audiences. 10 or 20 minutes of a work is insufficient. Mustn't be pedantic, but you must explain and keep contact with audience. A concert by itself is not enough information for people.