Ensemble Intercontemporain

L'Ensemble Intercontemporain provided the instruments for Boulez Conducts Zappa: The Perfect Stranger, conducted by Pierre Boulez. FZ met Boulez after sending him some orchestral scores, hoping that he would be interested in conducting them. According to Zappa: "I bought my first Boulez album when I was in the twelfth grade". Needless to say, Boulez eventually agreed to the project. At the time of the recording, the ensemble consisted of:

• Lawrence Beauregard, Sophie Cherrier: flutes
• Lazlo Hadady, Didier Pateau: oboes
• Alain Damiens, Paul Meyer: clarinets
• Guy Arnaud: bass clarinet
• Jean-Marie Lamothe: bassoon
• Jacques Deleplanque, Jens McManama: horns
• Antoine Cure, Jean-Jacques Gaudon: trumpets
• Jerome Naulais, Benny Sluchin: trombones
• Gerard Buquet: tuba
• Vincent Bauer, Michel Cerutti, Daniel Ciampolini: percussion
• Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Alain Neveux: pianos
• Marie-Claire Linale, Jacques Ghestem, Maryvonne le Dizes: violins
• Garth Knox, Jean Sulem: violas
• Chrichan Larsson, Pierre Strauch: cellos
• Frederic Stochl: double bass